Somewhere in His Arms (37 page)

             
“Oh, there you are!” Reese growled low and reached up to grab a handful of Lucy's hair. “Look, my dear. Your bodyguard hasn't forgotten you after all!”

             
Lucy blinked at her husband. One eye was already swollen shut from the nasty blow he'd given her when she whirled around to see who was behind her. There was a trickle of blood coming from a split lip, and her nose was starting to bleed. Alec stared at her helplessly and pleaded with his eyes for her to trust him. She seemed to understand and closed her eyes almost as if in answer. Just as he was about to drain the rest of the orange juice, he heard an order: “Come here!”

             
“Oh, don't mind me,” Alec gestured with the carton. “Carry on.”

             
The man's beady eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Who
are
you?”

             
“Me?” Alec shrugged carelessly. “I'm just minding the bird.”

             
Reese pointed the gun at Alec. “You're not very good at your job. She was in here all by her little self.”

             
“Yeah? Well what do you expect?” Alec shot back. “The old man don't pay me hardly enough.”

             
Reese nodded in agreement and trained the gun on Alec as he approached. “Rudy's always been a skinflint.” He tilted his head to one side. “I don't know what I'm going to do with you. You're not supposed to be here.”

             
Alec nodded. “That does pose a problem.”

             
“I guess they'll find two bodies instead of one.”

             
“That's too bad, mate,” Alec said sympathetically. “I was kinda hoping I'd get a chance to get on his wick.

             
“What?” Reese frowned in confusion. “Don't try to trick me!” He waved the pistol for emphasis.

 
              “I wouldn't do that, mate.”

             
“Then what do you mean?”

             
“Rudy hasn't been very nice to me,” Alec explained, trying not to notice Lucy softly sobbing in the corner. “He hasn't even paid me yet!”

             
“You don't say?” Reese muttered, not entirely convinced. “But he allowed you to watch her. You wouldn't do that for free.” He peered at Alec closely. “Been fucking her have you?”

             
“Not me!” Alec said, shaking his head and peering over the man's shoulder at Lucy. “She's wouldn't let me touch her! Cold as Siberia in winter!”

             
“So you
tried!”
Reese's fat lips curled upward in a leering grin. “Rudy wouldn’t like that. She's his favorite, you know.” He went back to Lucy and ran his fingers through her hair, and Alec's heart tightened in his chest. “She's always been his favorite. I can see why.” He allowed his hand to travel to her shoulder and down to her breast. He squeezed her hard and a cry of pain escaped her gag. “She's quite a pretty piece. Don't you agree?”

             
“I guess so,” Alec said as if he couldn't care less. “If you like bony crows.”

             
Reese let out a trembling sigh and bent down. He slid his hand up Lucy's leg and up her skirt. She shook her head, eyes pleading with Alec to do something, and squealed in protest when he caressed her thigh. “Her skin’s like satin,” he breathed. “I've always liked the feel of a little girl's skin.”

             
Alec gave her a quick shake of his head and set the carton down. He closed the refrigerator. “What are you going to do with her?”

             
“All sorts of things,” he sighed longingly, taking the pistol and running it across Lucy's breasts. “Want to join me? There's plenty.”

             
“I think I can do one better, mate,” Alec said, approaching him slowly.

             
“No, you don't.” Reese pointed the pistol again and went over to Alec. He patted him down and paused when he found the pistol. “That's not very nice.”

             
Alec shrugged. “Part of the job requirements, mate. Don't hold it against me.”

             
Reese pocketed the gun. “Why should I trust you?”

             
“Because I've got it all worked out, mate. Want to hear it?”

             
Reese tilted his head again. “I suppose so.” He pointed the gun at Alec and warned, “No tricks or I'll blow your damn fool head off.”

             
“I don't doubt it.” Alec took a deep breath and gestured toward Lucy. “If you really want to get back at Rudy, sell her.”

             
“What?”

             
“I know this bloke down in Mexico who'll pay top dollar for that stunner and poor Rudy will go mad wondering what the bloody hell happened!”

             
“He
would?”
Reese sounded hopeful at causing his arch nemesis years of heart- rending agony. “He's an alcoholic you know,” he confided gleefully. “ He would never get over it, would he?”

             
“Probably not,” Alec grinned.

             
“How much?”

             
“Oh, I don't know,” Alec shrugged, his eyes raking Lucy as if assessing her value at an auction. “Five-thousand, maybe? More if she's a virgin.”

             
“Is that all?” Reese sounded insulted. “She's worth more than that!”
              “Yeah? Well, he won't take too kindly to you breaking the merchandise!”

             
Reese nodded and the gun dropped a little but not much. “How would we get her across?”

             
Alec tapped his finger thoughtfully against his mouth. “You got a car?”

             
“Yeah,” Reese nodded and gestured with the pistol. “I parked down the road.”

             
“We can put her in the boot and we'll look like a couple of blokes on holiday. What do you think?”

             
Reese paused to consider this. “I can do
that
without you.”

             
“Sure, but Javier has an itchy trigger finger and I'm the only one he'll talk to.” He eyed Reese doubtfully, “ Unless you'd rather I give you the address and you try talking to those goons of his. They'll chop your bloody head off and string you up from a bridge.”

             
Reese's eyes widened.
“Narcos?”
he shouted, waving the gun erratically around in the air. “Are you out of your
fucking mind?”

             
“Business is business, mate,” Alec said regretfully. “You know how it is.”

             
Lucy's sobs quieted and Reese turned towards his captive. “What'll they do with her?”

             
“You
know.”

             
“No, I don't.”

             
Alec rolled his eyes. “Good God man! She'll have everything a girl could want. They'll spoil her for a bit and then they'll pass her around like a party favor at a New Year's bash.”

             
“Really?”
There was an unholy gleam in Reese's eyes. “I suppose they'll dispose of her once they're done.”

             
Alec shrugged as if he were privy to the debauched activities of drug kingpins. “Don't rightly know, mate. They might pass her off to some human traffickers in Europe or something. She'd fetch a good price on the open market.”

             
“You make her sound as if she's a horse,” Reese spat in disgust. “Maybe I shouldn't do business with you.”

             
“I don't make the rules, mate,” Alec said with his hands in the air. “That's the way the world works as I'm sure you know.”

             
“I suppose so.” Reese looked around as if contemplating what to do with the both of them when suddenly he cackled evilly. “You're a real piece of work, mister.”

             
Alec wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry. “I don't know about that,” he grinned finally. “But we should get going if we want to get across the border without any hassles.”

             
Reese took one last look at Lucy and laughed again. “Yeah! Let's do it!”

* * *

             
They marched down the road with only the light of the moon guiding their way. Reese had allowed Alec to carry Lucy over his shoulder and every now and then when the man wasn't looking, Alec would stroke her thigh in a reassuring caress.

             
Reese turned suddenly. “The car's too small. What about the truck?”

             
Alec stopped. “I was wondering when you were going to notice. Hurry up, this bird's heavy.”

             
Reese giggled and led the way back, following behind them with his pistol ready should he change his mind. “This is fun!” he chortled. “Rudy will have a nervous breakdown and I can visit him in the hospital!”

             
“Yeah? They might put him a straitjacket. They do that nowadays.”

             
“I know!” Reese cackled with glee. “They wanted to do that to me, but I wouldn't let them!”

             
“Oh? What'd you do?”

             
“Come now!” Reese sighed in frustration. “Don't you know
who
I am?”

             
They reached the truck and Alec turned around. “I'm afraid I don't keep up with current events, mate. Why don't you explain it to me?”

             
Reese giggled again and put a finger to his lips. “I'll never tell!” he said, eyeing the truck with envy. “Nice!” He frowned at Alec. “Rudy's?”

             
“Javier's,” Alec replied. “He'll do me in if I scratch it.”

             
Reese gestured with the pistol. “Put her in.”

             
“The keys are in me pocket.”

             
Reese fished them out and opened the back of the truck. He watched as Alec let Lucy slide down and placed her down on the rug. “We'll need some rope,” Alec told him, running his hand up Lucy's leg. “She starts moving around and the Federales will pummel us both!”

             
Alec stood aside as Reese inspected their prisoner who lay whimpering with her hands tied behind her back. “Maybe you're right. Go get some.”
              “Nah, I want to stay with her.” Alec said gruffly and slid his hand possessively up her thigh. “I think I'd like to sample the goods first.”

             
Reese groaned. “Where
is
it?” he demanded in exasperation. “I thought you didn't want to bruise the merchandise?”

             
“I lied,” Alec chuckled and leered at Lucy. “There's rope in the hall closet.”

             
Reese grinned as Alec slid his hand between her thighs and chuckled to himself when she cowered in fear. “Save some for me!” he admonished and ran into the house.

             
Alec waited and looked to make sure the coast was clear. He reached and pulled the gag out of her mouth. She was crying. “Alec!”

             
“Hush, love,” he soothed and tried to take her in his arms. Lucy cried out in pain.

             
“My arm is broken!” she whimpered. “When he tied me, he bent it hard and I felt the bone snap.”

             
Alec took out his pocketknife and cut her binds. “How's that?”

             
Lucy shook her head. “Help me out!” she whispered urgently.
              He reached and smoothed her hair away from her face. “I'm sorry, love. I didn't know what he was capable of. I had to get him away from you.”
              “I know, “ she gulped. “Help me.”

             
“I can't.”

             
She stared at him in disbelief. “What---?”

             
“He's got my pistol and he'll shoot us both for the fun of it if he decides to. I can't chance it.” He reached into his pocket for the truck keys. “Here love,” he said softly. “Lock yourself in.”

             
“No!” she said stubbornly. “I'm
not
leaving you!”

             
“Dammit, woman!” he hissed low. “Do as I say!”

             
“Alec, please!” she wept, afraid of what would happen if she did what he asked. “I don't want to lose you.”

             
He kissed her hard, ignoring her cry of protest, and pressed the keys into her hand. “Never!” he swore. “Lock yourself in,” he said again, this time more firmly. “I'm not asking!”