dollar sign on my head and his love for me just couldn’t compare,” I explain in as brief a way as possible.
“I’ve heard that story too many times,” he says, lifting the gear into drive. He has? Here I thought being kidnapped by my own boyfriend—ex-boyfriend, wasn’t normal. “We live in a sick world.” The way he says “sick world”, and the way he’s still looking at me while driving, makes the pains in my stomach return.
“Please don’t hurt me,” I mutter below my breath.
“I’m not that type,” he says, with a confidence that doesn’t make me feel much better.
Fifteen miles. A lot can happen in fifteen miles.
“What’s your name?” I ask, trying to start a conversation that could remain civil for the twenty-minute drive I need to survive.
“Manny,” he says. “And you?”
“Lara,” I tell him. No need for real names right now.
“That’s a pretty name, Lara.”
“What do you do for a living?” I ask, keeping the conversation rolling.
“I’m a drug importer.”
I laugh quietly at his joke, looking over to find nothing but a straight line across his lips. “Oh, you’re serious.”
“Serious, Ma’am.”
I bite down on my bottom lip to stop myself from saying anything else. I’m in the car with a criminal. This must be my new kind of luck. I escape one loon, only to end up in an enclosed vehicle with another. Is this some kind of nightmare? If so, I’d love to just wake up right now.
“Fascinating,” I finally say, holding my gaze out the dirty window.
“I’m kidding. I’m actually a soldier, home on leave for a few days.”
“For real?” I ask, looking over at him, feeling the slightest bit of comfort. After being around Tango and Jags now for a bit, there’s something to be said about being in the presence of a man in the military. “Heading to Mexico?”
“Yes, Ma’am, just across the border at Del Rizo. Meeting my lady there.” And he has a girlfriend. Thank goodness. Not that he should have been looking at me the way he was just a few moments ago but I’ll let it slide.
“My boyfriend was in the Navy, he was a corpsman and traveled alongside the Marines for eight years. He’s probably going nuts looking for me right now.”
“I thought you said your boyfriend was the man who just put you in cuffs?”
“Ex,” I correct him. “My life is a mess right now.”
“I’d say so,” he laughs. “Let me help you find your man. I got a cell. You have his number?” I think for a minute, realizing I’m such a dumb-butt. I’m so good at putting phone numbers in my phone and not so good at remembering anyone’s number. I’m not usually without my phone, but I didn’t really have a chance to grab it as Landon dragged me out of the house earlier.
“I don’t have my phone and…”
“No one knows anyone’s numbers these days, hun, I understand that,” he laughs. “Do you know anyone’s number, just so someone can help you?”
“I do,” I tell him. “Cali’s number is one I remember. It hasn’t changed in six years now, so I made a point to finally remember it.”
He leans to the side and his shirt separates from his waist a bit, showcasing a pistol. The sight of it makes my heart flutter but it shouldn’t. He’s a soldier. We’re in Texas, and this shouldn’t be a surprise. Everyone around here has guns. Now, if I could just repeat that to myself over and over for the next however many minutes I’m in the truck with this man, everything will be okay.
He slips his phone out of his pocket and hands it over to me. I quickly dial Cali’s number and press the phone to my ear. It doesn’t even ring.
“Who is this?” she answers.
“It’s me,” I respond.
“Where the hell are you? The locks are broken at the house, and shit is everywhere. Please tell me you’re okay,” Cali shouts so loudly, I’m not a hundred percent sure I heard every one of her questions and statements.
“I’m not okay. I’m heading toward Mexico, somewhere. It was Landon. I got away, but now I’m with some soldier, Manny, in a truck going to…”
“Del Rizo,” he whispers. “And I’m not just some soldier. I’m a Sergeant, in case you were wondering.”
“Holy fuck, Sasha. Okay. Where can we find you?” she asks, while I hear Jags yelling in the background. “He wants to know why you didn’t call him?”
Right now, seriously? “I don’t have my phone! And I didn’t