His Other Half (Patches Tarkio MC, #3) - Debra Kayn Page 0,3
and, for her ears only, said, "Your father was weak, selling you to pay his debt. I did you a favor, killing him."
She vibrated with anger, refusing to say anything.
In the end, Askook would do what he wanted, with or without her fighting. Instead, she needed to bide her time. Someway, somehow, she would get Cami out of here and to safety. All she had to do was get her off the reservation. After they were away from the fingers of Askook, she'd figure out their next step.
It was better that he send her away rather than Cami. The strong friend she admired had hit rock bottom—and she couldn't fault her. She only hoped she had enough strength to survive because she was Cami's only hope of getting out of here.
If something happened to her, all hope was lost.
The Missoula police were forbidden to work on the reservation, and the elders who controlled the tribal police turned a blind eye toward Askook and his men.
Askook stood and walked away from her. Knowing she might not have another chance, she leaned as close to Cami as she dared without being spotted.
"Hold on, Cami. Whatever happens, don't give up," she whispered. "If there's a way to get us out of here, I'll find it. I promise."
Cami's chin lowered to her chest, and she closed her eyes. Josie nudged her with her arm again.
"You can do this." Her heart hammered in her chest, spotting Askook talking to another man who'd entered the room. "Don't give up. There are still things you need to do. R-remember our list? You want to meet the perfect man, have two point five kids, and a house with a picket fence. You want to see the Grand Canyon and travel to Hawaii."
Her eyes teared. She steeled herself. Cami had more reasons to live. She needed to think of all she had to lose if Askook succeeded in selling her to the sex ring in Mexico.
"We're going to get out of here, Cami. Even if I have to kill him," she whispered, unsure if the words were loud enough for her friend to hear.
In comparison to her, Cami had more to live for. Her parents lived in Nebraska. They were close and had traveled to Missoula, making sure the police were looking for their daughter. While they had to go back home after hitting dead-ends in the searches, they constantly worried and hoped that Cami had taken off on an impromptu trip with a man she met or was headed home. They knew Cami was a responsible woman.
While strangers in Missoula whispered rumors and newspaper articles written about the police report leaned toward Cami having met a man and run off with him, Josie knew her friend better. She knew more than Cami's parents.
Askook's rampage started long before he'd kidnapped Cami. Josie had known where to look for her friend. And she was right.
Askook pointed in her direction. As brave as she wanted to be, she was scared.
Unwilling to look away from him, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of breaking her. No man would ever own her. It no longer mattered what he did to her. He couldn't steal her life as if she was no more than smoke rising up in the air.
No one was looking for her. She had to figure a way out of here.
Besides Cami, she'd made no other friends since leaving the reservation. Most of her time was spent working in the office at Banks' Body Shop. The first chance she got on her day off, she'd gone to the casino, hoping to retrieve Cami and get out of here. She'd hoped to make it back in time to go to work without explaining her personal life.
By now, her boss probably hired someone else to work in the office, figuring she'd up and quit without giving them notice.
A man came into the room. His straight dark hair brushed his shoulders. She recognized his Blackfoot heritage written on his face through his high cheekbones and stoic mouth. Considering he worked for Askook, she was surprised to see his mother's symbols on the beaded choker around his neck. A sign of pride while shaming his people. What a disgrace.
The man stopped in front of her, leaned down, and hooked her arm, hauling her to her feet. She swayed, caught off-balance with her hands tied behind her back.
Pulled toward the door, she looked over her shoulder at Cami, who'd fallen to her side and