Enemy Sworn (16 page)

Unable to resist the lobster and the man offering it, she sucked it into her mouth, and slowly chewed the perfectly cooked meat. It was her favorite dish here. “And do you want me?”

He leaned in and whispered, “In the worst way.” He slowly licked the corner of her mouth and smiled when she gasped. “You had some cream there.”

Sophia moved back into her seat. She didn't want to be intrigued by him. But she was. Nor did she want to believe that he wanted her for herself and not because she was a Dumas. Because if he
had
truly come for her, how
could
she resist?

“I have an apartment nearby,” she whispered.

He smiled slowly. “I'd love to see it.”

“I didn't mean for that, I meant for—” Just what did she mean? “I don't know why I told you that. No one knows about it but me.”

His eyes became serious. “Why do you have it?”

“A place to escape to.”

“And you're not questioned?”

“It's in my friend Arabella's name. I used to go to it more often. I use my Bible study class as an excuse.”

“We can justify anything if we tell ourselves long enough that it's for the right reason.” A shadow fell across his face when he spoke the words.

“What are you trying to justify, Mateo? Why are you really here?”

“I told you—”

“You told me what you want me to believe. It must be damned important considering you were willing to have your right hand cut off and you were forced to marry me.”

“I wasn't forced.”

“Yes, you were. You're not a relationship kind of guy.” She picked up his hand and sucked in his index finger. He hissed in a breath. She nipped the tip, and damned if he didn't flinch.

He slowly pulled his finger from her lips.

“You want something, Mateo Juarez, and when I find out what it is, be forewarned, I might have to kill you.”

chapter fourteen

A
s they finished their meal, Mr. Chow came by and apologized for the men's rude behavior. “You can't control assholes,” Mateo said, handing a wad of pesos to him. “Give the extra to Lily.”

“I sent her home. But I make sure she get it when she come back.”

Mateo turned to Sophia and extended his hand. “Let's go, wife. I need to work off this dinner.”

Sophia smirked and swatted his hand away. “Have a nice jog.”

Mateo's eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint. “Not quite what I had in mind.”

She stood and walked past him and said over her shoulder, “It's exactly what
I
had in mind.”

The night was balmy, the air heavy with sounds, scents and energy. Mexicali was waking up for the evening's festivities. Mateo took her hand, sliding his fingers between hers, then tucked it in the crook of his arm. When she looked up at him she caught her breath. His eyes were deep amber, the desire in them aflame. Her body reacted as it always did to his. She lit up.

“My apartment is just a few blocks away if we take the sidewalk, but half the distance if we go through the alley on the other side of the fountain.”

Mateo nodded and guided her across the square and past the fountain. As they approached the alley, the hair on Sophia's neck spiked. She looked up at Mateo and knew by the hard set to his jaw, he heard it too. “It's Lily,” Sophia whispered as she started to run toward the girl's desperate cries.

The alley was dim and dank. But there was light enough to see by, and the sight that awaited them made the food in Sophia's stomach churn. Lily was naked, on her knees and bleeding. Two attackers circled like rabid dogs waiting for their turn as the third one stood before Lily forcing himself on her.

Mateo lunged at the rapists, kicking the one standing in front of Lily in the solar plexus, and as he came down kicking the one lunging for her under the chin. Sophia roundhouse-kicked the third one away from her and grabbed Lily, protectively wrapping her arms around her.

Never had she been so consumed with outrage. Securing Lily in the corner, rage fueled, she turned and karate-chopped the guy she had kicked out of the way in the face as he came back for Lily.

He screamed, not in pain, but surprise, and when it registered that his buddies were keeping Mateo busy, his swollen lips twisted into a sinister smile. “I'm game for chick on chick.”

Sophia grimaced as she boldly strode into his space, grabbed his rock-hard dick and twisted it. When he double over, she kneed him in the face and shoved him back into the wall again. “When I'm done with you, you won't be able to piss.”

Lily screamed, pulling Sophia's attention off the prick she was working on. Mateo stood between Lily and her rapists.

The guy behind Sophia kicked her in the back of the knees, sending her to the ground. Mateo roared furiously. She watched in fascinated horror as he grabbed the two guys and slammed their heads together with a sickening cracking sound, then watched them fall like rag dolls to the ground. As he leapt past her and smashed his fist into the one going for Lily, the other two amazingly began to get up again.

“They're hyped up on something, Sophia,” Mateo warned. “Get out of here.”

No way was she leaving.

They went at Mateo again, their drug-infused brains realizing that if they wanted the girl they would have to go through him. He slammed one then the other in the face with his fist.

Sophia was thrown to the ground by one of them and the crazed man pounced on her, tearing at her shirt and skirt. She cursed herself for not paying close enough attention, and fought him off, but his drug-induced strength was overwhelming. He grabbed her long hair and yanked so hard she was sure she was bald. Then he clamped his hand around her throat as he shoved his knee between her legs and forced them apart.

“Mateo,” she hoarsely called, as the hand tightened around her neck, cutting off her air supply. She kicked and twisted, trying to gouge his eyes out with her fingers, but he was too strong. “I—can't.” The last thing she heard was Lily's screams and Mateo's rough curses.

•   •   •

Strong arms embraced her. “Sophia, it's over. Relax, baby, it's over.” His soothing tone and assuring words calmed her.

When her vision and wherewithal returned, the first thing she saw were the broken, bloody bodies of the three attackers. Beyond them in the corner lay Lily, curled in a fetal position, her small body wracked with sobs.

“Oh, Lily,” she crooned, moving out of Mateo's arms. She approached slowly. “Lily, it's Sophia Dumas. You don't have to be afraid anymore, the bad men are dead.” She squatted down beside the small, naked body and fought back tears. Blood smeared the cuts and bruises all over her body. She was just a teenager. And no longer innocent. Gently she touched her shoulder. Lily screamed, grabbing Sophia's hand.

“I just want to go home,” the girl sobbed.

“You need to go to the hospital, sweetie.”

“No!” she cried, turning her stricken eyes up to Sophia. “Please. My family cannot find out about this, it would kill my uncle and my mother.”

Sophia looked up to Mateo, then to the dead men littering the ground, then back to Mateo. “We can go to the clinic in Terra Oro.” She smoothed Lily's hair from her face. “You're coming home with me.” As she said the words, Mateo reached into his backpack and pulled out a long-sleeved T-shirt and handed it to Sophia.

“Let's get her dressed.” Once Lily was dressed, Sophia helped her stand.

Mateo gathered up her shredded clothing, shoes and purse. He dug through the pockets of the man he had seen pass the vial and found it with a few pills left. He held it up to Sophia. “I'll bet you this is what caused all of this.” He found another vial in the pocket of one of the other men.

“Lily,” Mateo softly said, “I promise I won't hurt you. Do you believe that?”

Without looking up at him, she nodded.

“Then let me carry you to our car.”

She whimpered but nodded. As if she were as light as a feather, Mateo gently scooped her into his arms and said, “Let's go.”

“What about them?” Sophia asked, looking at the dead rapists.

“Let the rats have them. They don't deserve anything more.”

She nodded and turned, trying to force the horrible image of what they had done to Lily from her mind.

•   •   •

The short drive back to Terra Oro was quiet, punctuated only by Lily's wretched sobs. Mateo had no words of comfort. There weren't any. He could only reassure her that she was safe with him and Sophia.

“Turn left at the first circle,” Sophia directed him as they passed beneath the high stone archway that signified they were entering the golden grounds of Dumas. “The clinic is down on the right. Go to the back parking lot, we'll go in through the private entrance.”

Sophia went in first and was back before the door swung shut. “Come on, no one in but the doc and two nurses.”

Mateo gathered the traumatized girl in his arms and carefully walked with her to the clinic. Her body tensed in the new surroundings.

“Thank god, Doctor Trish is on call tonight,” Sophia said.

A good thing indeed. Lily would not let a strange man touch her, he was sure. Not even a benevolent doctor. Mateo set her down on the bed in the examining room just as the good doc came in and began to speak in a soothing tone to Lily. Having no place among the women under these conditions, Mateo left Sophia with Lily and the doctor. He had a little mission of his own. Sacred Heart church was just across the street. He needed to go confess to the padre.

As Mateo entered the quiet sanctity of the church he felt instant calm. He wasn't a religion guy. He believed in something. But he wasn't quite sure what. And even less now after what he had just witnessed.

He nosed around until he located the rectory in the back of the church and knocked on the door. Father Hernandez looked surprised when he recognized Mateo. His brows crashed together. As he looked back and forth behind Mateo, he pulled him in and then hastily shut the door and locked it.

“What can I do for you, my son?” he nervously asked.

Mateo removed the vial from his jeans pocket and handed it to the padre. “I need you to get this to my team ASAP and have them analyze it. I'll be back in two days to confess all of my sins at four in the afternoon. I'll expect a full report then.”

He turned and let himself out, not staying and giving the nervous padre any more information than he had to. It kept them both safer that way. As he walked back to the clinic, Mateo rubbed his fingers across the bulge in his other pocket. It was the other vial. But it wasn't empty. He'd only given one of the three yellow pills to the padre. He'd show Dumas one and ask if he had any idea what it was and who was pushing it. His reaction would be interesting.

Mateo heard the screams before he crossed the street. Sprinting to the front of the clinic he rushed in, but stopped short when he heard Sophia's soothing voice, “Lily, it's okay, the doctor just wants to help you.”

“No,” she sobbed. “Please no.” Lily's voice had grown hoarse and raspy from so much screaming. Mateo felt sick to his stomach. How could anyone sleep at night knowing the drug they created and peddled was so destructive, not only physically but emotionally? Lily would be haunted by what happened to her tonight for the rest of her life.

Mateo moved to the door of the exam room and as the nurse came out he said, “Why doesn't the doc give her something to calm her down?”

“She just did. It should kick in soon.”

Silence infiltrated the hallway, and Mateo let out a long breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Sophia slipped from the room. Her clothes were ripped and smeared with blood, and he noticed for the first time in the bright light that she had not escaped unscathed. Cuts and fresh bruising marred her skin. He pulled off his shirt and quickly covered her bare shoulders and half-naked breasts. “I'm sorry, in all of the commotion I didn't realize you were hurt, angel. Why didn't you say something?”

“My scrapes are of little consequence considering what happened to Lily.”

“I hear what you're saying but still, I want the doc to look at you.”

Shaking her head, Sophia moved past him to sit in a chair. “I'm fine. Lily isn't. She's going to need more than just her body healed. She's somewhere else entirely.”

“I don't know what those guys were taking, but whoever's manufacturing it needs to be skinned alive. I've seen a lot of shit in my life, but that was brutal.”

Sophia stood. “Father's hosting a dinner at the hacienda Saturday night. While he didn't tell me, I overheard him speaking with the mayor about several of the guests who will be in attendance. Several cartel heads.”

“How do you know about them?” he asked carefully.

“I might be a kindergarten teacher, Mr. Juarez, but I'm not dumb and I'm not blind. I know more about my father's business than he thinks I do.”

“If your father is such an upstanding businessman, why would he have cartel bosses dine with him?”

“I think he knows about this drug and wants to know who's behind it.”

“And what do you think he would do with that information?”

“Insist they stop.”

Mateo shook his head. She really had no clue about who her father was. “Why would he do that?”

Sophia looked at him with a shocked expression. “While my father might be an overbearing, interfering, grumpy man, he's a humanitarian at heart. He'll be shocked when I tell him what happened!”

“I'm sure he will be. I want to be there with you when you tell him.” He dug into his pocket and removed the vial. “I have a pill. He can send it out to be analyzed.”

“He won't have to send it out. He has a full lab belowground with a full-time staff.”

Bingo. The lab location was huge. But did she really have no idea what kind of man her father was? “Why would a businessman have a subterranean lab?”

“My mother had a rare form of leukemia. It was discovered right after I was born. It was managed with treatment, but Papa promised her he would spend every last cent he had to find a cure.”

Mateo wanted to scream to this beautiful girl that her father was a monster and not worthy of her love and respect, love and respect she still had for him despite his rough treatment of her.

“Over the years his research teams have branched out, looking for cures for other fatal diseases.” She cocked her head and asked, “I would have thought you'd have detected the faint chemical smell that occasionally permeates the village. It's from the lab.”

Did he mention the stench that came from those three guys tonight was the same stench as her father's cancer research? Mateo bit back the comment. He was going to have to lead Sophia gently to the truth, and once she saw for herself what a monster her father was and what he had done to her mother, only then would he be able to use her as his tool of destruction.

One of the nurses came out of Lily's room and said, “She's quiet. Doctor Trish is going to do her exam while she's out and then clean her up.”

“What happens if she wakes up while—”

The nurse smiled reassuringly. “She won't wake up until sometime tomorrow morning.” She pointed to the cut across Sophia's collarbone. “You should have the doc stitch that up before you go.”

“Thanks, but I'm okay.”

“Sophia . . .” Mateo said. “For me, please.”

She looked up into his concerned eyes. “I just want to get a shower and go to bed.”

He nodded, knowing she was not backing down. But neither was he.

Twenty minutes later, after the doc decided she didn't need stitches, Mateo carried her out of the clinic and drove her home.

•   •   •