the air mattress. I pull out my phone to call Gustave. While it rings, I open the folder, expecting to see Julieta's picture.
It's a good thing I'm sitting. The last month, I had this buzzing in my blood. I thought it was part of the shift I've been seeing about what's happening with the Global Leaders, but the moment my eyes see her photo, the buzzing intensifies, and I get dizzy.
I hang up the phone.
I must have gotten Ryker's folder by accident.
Emilia Salazar.
My mouth goes dry, dick turns hard, and I curse myself.
I've turned into a total pervert. She can't be any older than twenty-four.
I should lift her photo to look at the details on her, but I can't seem to. I've never seen anyone so stunningly beautiful.
Her black, curly hair hangs past her shoulders. Bright-blue eyes, similar to her sister's, stare back at me. Unlike Naomi's, there's an innocence about them. But I also see a hint of pain.
What happened to you, ma belle? Why do you look so sad?
I don't know who took this picture, but it looks like she's in a grocery store. The other women all had professional images from their careers.
She isn't wearing any makeup. The slight flush in her cheeks is natural as well as the pink in her lips.
Jesus, her lips.
Women pay good money for those kinds of lips.
I've officially just become one of those old men who drool over young girls.
I sigh and make myself put her picture to the side.
Thirty-five? No way.
Ten years younger.
Still too young.
Why am I even thinking this way?
Her bio is short. Emilia Salazar. Thirty-five. She teaches English to Spanish-speaking children virtually. The only family member is her sister, Naomi.
No husband.
She could have a boyfriend.
Of course she does.
Why isn't she married?
She must be super picky and turned all her proposals down.
Doesn't matter.
What's she like?
Why wasn't I informed about her?
What does Santiago want with her?
Axel steps into the tent. "Malin, time to talk strategy."
I close the folder and walk outside. It's turned dark, and we look at the night surveillance and discuss our plan.
"So, are we clear then? Get the women and meet back here. Kill whoever gets in your way," Andre instructs us, but we've also just discussed that Santiago has too many of his men around to shoot him.
Great.
Gustave said to get in and out. He didn't give the order to kill Santiago. But I was hoping Andre would. Gustave wants Santiago dead anyway. His days are numbered. But I suddenly have a bigger motivation to kill him since looking at Emilia's photo.
He better not have touched her.
We drive several miles and park the Jeeps then trek through the dense forest. One by one, we use our silencers to shoot Santiago's men.
All of them get bullets directly to the head. There's no yelling or pleading. It's shoot them, and they drop dead.
When we get to the pit, someone takes out the kid who hasn't even gone through puberty yet.
Andre goes into the pit, and Penelope comes out. Axel leaves with her. Julieta comes out, but Ryker doesn't move. I nudge him, and he snaps back to reality.
Dirk takes Zoe, and Hunter goes off with Vanessa.
Emilia peers out the top of the pit. Her lips and hands are shaking. Her shirt is ripped. Her lace bra is on full display.
Those bastards.
Stay calm. She's already freaking out.
I crouch down, smile, and put my finger over my lips.
Her eyes glisten, and her cheeks are stained with tears.
Get her out of here then come back for Santiago.
I hold my hand out, and she reaches for it. I help pull her the rest of the way out of the pit.
She only has socks on. I lean into her ear. "I need to carry you. The terrain is rough. May I?"
She closes her eyes, as if grappling with herself, pulling her shirt together.
"Ma'am, we need to go."
She nods, and I pick her up. The humming of my blood increases.
She smells like peaches and coconut. I groan inside.
Her body trembles the entire way. She doesn't seem to know where to put her hands. Instead of holding on to my shoulders or neck, she twists her fingers against my chest.
We have to go through a thick part of the jungle, so I push her head to my chest, and she shakes harder.
"I'm sorry, ma belle. I'm only trying to protect you. We're almost there."
She stays silent, the only sound coming out of her is her hot breath that hits my neck, sending tingles down my