Stand of Redemption (9 page)

Chapter 13

What was he doing here?

Ria was amazed. She had thought that she would never see Nicholas again. Now he sat across the room from her as two men battled for blood in the pit below her seat.

She was sitting next to a man she had never met before who had paid Emiliano for her company. He was just one of many she had been forced to be a companion to in the last two months. It was so clear to her that Nicholas was ready to explode. Her eyes silently begged him to stay away.

“Do you want another drink?”
Rafael, her companion, asked.

“No, thank you.” She tore her gaze away from Nicholas, staring down unseeingly into the pit as the men tried to win by knocking out their opponent.

It was the fifth and final match of the evening, and Rafael had placed huge bets on each fight. He had lost his money three out of four times. Each time his chosen fighter had lost, Ria had soothed his rising anger. When his last opponent fell, she saw his eyes light with fury.

He turned to Ria. “Are you ready?”

Ria simply nodded her head. He roughly took her arm, leading her away as the rest of the crowd also left. She couldn’t resist a last look at Nicholas as he followed them outside to Emiliano’s car. When Mitchell opened the limousine’s door, Ria got in, sliding over so Rafael had room next to her. She practically hugged the door, trying to keep room enough between them.

“I’m sorry you didn’t win.”

Ria watched his face harden even more.

“I expect you to make it up to me,” he replied harshly.

Ria took a deep breath. Her eyes kept drifting back to Nicholas as he waited for his car. His furious gaze stared back at her as Mitchell closed the door, encasing her inside with Rafael.

It was her job to get the men she was sent with to bet large sums of money on the fights. Ria soothed her conscious by telling herself they were wealthy and could afford the losses. She also never told them who to bet on. They had a fifty-fifty chance of winning. Unfortunately for her, they lost most of the time.

She sat silently beside him as the car returned them to Emiliano’s home.

She would have liked to
have talked to Nicholas. She couldn’t understand why he had looked so furious at her. It wasn’t like he had asked to see her again. It seemed like no one was happy with her tonight.

She crossed her legs, her dress sliding silkily up her thigh. When Rafael’s hand came down, pushing the red dress up farther, she placed her hand on his, stopping the intimate touch.

“You must wait until we’re back at Emiliano’s. You don’t want to get me in trouble, do you?” She pouted, putting on the act she had perfected, making promises she had no intention of keeping.

After the car came to a stop and Mitchell opened the door, Rafael got out, reaching back inside for her.

“Our part of the evening is over,” she said, sliding away from his reach. “Don’t worry, though. Emiliano has several women inside for you to choose from.”

Rafael started to argue, but Mitchell closed the door and leaned against it. Right on time, the front door opened and two women appeared, greeting Rafael, each taking one of his arms to lead him away. Ria breathed a sigh of relief. This part of the evening always made her ner
vous.

Mitchel
l got back in the limo and drove her to the luxurious apartment she now lived in.

Ria stared at the tastefully decorated room, wishing her mother
was there to share it with her.

Emiliano still refused to let her see her mother, but he had allowed her to talk to her, as well as
Lacey. Neither conversations had been long, although she had found out her mother was safe and had reassured Lacey of her safety.

When a knock sounded on the door, Ria answered it, expecting Mitchel
l, only to stare in shock at Nicholas.

“You followed me home?” Ria looked around the empty hallway. “You have to leave, Nick. Now, before someone sees you.”

“Let me inside.”

Ria glanced around the empty hallway again then opened the door and moved to the side to let him in. Closing the door and locking it, she took a deep breath as she turned back to him. She found him staring at her with anger.

“How many men have you been forced to entertain since you disappeared?” he snarled.

“Nicholas, you need to leave. Emiliano does not allow men in my apartment.”

“He just gets you to tease them into losing their money with fake promises?”

Ria turned bright red at his disgust.

“I don’t have to explain anything to you. It’s none of your business.” Ria turned her back to him.

She heard him take a deep breath as his hands went to her shoulders, pulling her back against his chest.

“I’m sorry, Ria. I wished you had called to ask for my help, or even Lacey’s. You know that she would have found some way to get you out of this situation.”

“How? By going to the police? I didn’t want to jeopardize anyone’s safety.”

“So you’re just going to keep working for him?”

“I have no choice! He took my mother, and I don’t even know where she is, Nicholas.”

“Are you…? Do you have to have…?”

Ria gasped. “
No
! Emiliano makes it plain to the men that they are not allowed to touch me. I am only their companion during dinner and the fights. When they return to his home, he has women waiting for them.

“That way, he can charge them twice. He’s no fool.” Nicholas turned her around to face him.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes.”

His concern lifted some of the fear she had been experiencing ever since the night she had found her mother missing.

“How did you find me?”

Nicholas remained silent.

“Ty told you, didn’t he? If Emiliano finds out, he will be furious. You need to leave.” Ria tried to push him toward the door.

“Ria, stop it. We have to find a way to get you away from this mess.”

“There is no way. When my brother Alejandro died, Emiliano became head of the cartel. My mother and I are their property. You can’t change the way things have been run for de
cades. There is no escape for us. I thought there was when Alejandro gave us our freedom, but with him gone, we have no protection.”

Nicholas’s face went white. Ria was sure the dangerous side to a cartel was a shock to a man of Nicholas’s wealth and prestige.

“Yes, you do.” He turned, opening the door. Then he left her staring at the closed door.

Ria wanted to run after him, afraid of what he would do, but she didn’t want to alert an
yone else in the building of Nicholas’s presence. Emiliano owned the building and had filled it with people who worked for him.

Ria sat down on the couch, terrified for Nicholas and herself. Emiliano was a dangerous man, and Nicholas knew nothing about dealing with a man like him.

*  *  *

Nicholas entered the office when Mitchell opened the door. He had never met the man b
efore, but he recognized the aura of lethal power Emiliano Medina possessed. Nicholas wondered how Dragon had been able to hold onto his power as long as he had against Emiliano.

“You wanted to see me?”

Emiliano’s fierce gaze didn’t frighten Nicholas. He had driven straight here after leaving Ria. He might be able to make two relatively unknown women disappear, but not someone of Nicholas’s wealth and popularity without drawing attention. They strove to protect their secrecy at all cost. Brazenly showing up at his front door would undoubtedly anger him; however, it was the safest approach to dealing with the cartel. If he was wrong, Zane would be dealing with his grieving sister.

Nick decided to be upfront. “I want you to let Ria and her mother go.”

Deadly eyes stared back at him. “You have taken one too many hits to the head to come into my home and demand anything of me.”

The bastard was right; he was handling this all wrong.

“How much do you want to buy her freedom, then?”

“Freedom is an expensive commodity. Ria is proving to be a valuable employee. Even with your wealth, you do not have enough.”

“I’m a rich man. I can afford her.” Nicholas knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as he opened his mouth.

“You’re just another gringo who thinks he can buy a Spanish puta to amuse himself.”

“No.” Nicholas started over. “I’m making an ass of myself. I just want to help Ria.”

“Why?”

How could he answer without telling Emiliano that he was the one responsible for her brothers’ deaths?

“I like her. She’s had a hard time lately because I got her fired from her job. I owe her.” Nick hoped he believed the partial truth.

“Very well. I will
take three hundred thousand for Ria, five hundred thousand if you want Ria and her mother.”

Nicholas was unable to contain his expression.

“Too much for you?”

“No.” Nicholas had the money. The problem was his father had control over it, and he was not going to release that money without questioning him. There wasn’t a chance in Hell of him releasing it if Nicholas told him he wanted to save the sister of the man who had killed his wife.

Nicholas’s laziness at taking control of his finances was now kicking him in the ass.

“I can’t get that kind of money without explaining why to my father.”

Emiliano stared at him in disgust. “You are how old?” He waved his hand in dismissal. “Leave. You are not man enough for Ariel.”

“Wait. It will take me a few weeks to do it, but I can.”

“Fine. Come back then.”

“Will you stop making her go out with men until then?”

“Of course not. I’m not in the business of losing money based on something that may or may not happen. I see why your father manages your money.”

Nicholas wanted five minutes in the ring with the man sitting behind the desk. He would show him who was a man.

Nicholas ran an experienced eye over Emiliano. Unlike Dragon, who had been flabby and had an unhealthy pallor, Emiliano was muscular and fit, and his dark complexion was healthy.

Nicholas’s thoughts turned to other avenues of raising the cash. Zane didn’t have that kind of money...

That’s when an idea occurred to him.

“I have a solution,” Emiliano interrupted his thoughts.

“What?”

“
Fight for me. For every fight you win, I will excuse her from escorting one of my clients. I will even be generous. If you win your first fight, I will allow you to see Ariel occasionally. Of course, if you lose...”

He had seen the fights tonight in the private club after it had taken several of Zane’s co
nnections to get him admitted. The bloodthirsty fights were battles of survival with no rules except to get the knockout. He could be injured enough that he could never fight in the ring again. Nicholas saw no other recourse if he was going to save Ria.

“You have a deal.”

Chapter 14

“You fucking asshole! How dare you?” As she went to smack him, Nicholas grabbed her arm and pulled her against his body, but Ria jerked away from him. “You have no right to go see him, much less make such a deal with him!”

Nicholas narrowed his eyes at her.
“What choice did I have, Ria? Walk away and forget all about you being kept prisoner by him?”

“Does it look like I’m suffering?” She waved her arm
, showing him the expensive apartment.

“Do you enjoy going out with those men, teasing them into losing their money?”

“No!”

“Then what other option do we have? I’m open to suggestions.”

Ria remained silent, her mind in chaos ever since she had opened her door to see Nicholas standing outside with Mitchell.

Mitchell
was waiting in the hallway now, telling them both they had twenty minutes to talk.

“You will get hurt
,” she said quietly.

“I can win the fights
. I’m an experienced cage fighter. The pit is only a little different. You have to stay within the confines of the space, but it’s mainly boxing, and I’m a good boxer.” The hardest part of the fighting for him would be just sticking to boxing and not bringing in other forms of defense he was capable of.

“It is already to
o late; you have accepted Emiliano’s offer, so there is no way out now but to do what you said.”

“Yes
. So you might as well help me.”

“How can I help you?” Ria asked
, shocked.

“Did you watch the fights at all the last two months?”

Ria winced. “I tried not to, but often, the men would tell me what was going on.”

Nicholas’s
face went hard. “Then tell me what you remember about the individual fighters.”

Ria got ex
cited that she might actually be able to prevent him from being hurt too badly. “Okay.”

She
sat on the couch, going back over the fights she had witnessed, trying to remember as many details as possible.

“That’s enough for now
. My time is almost up.” He started to rise from the couch.

She reached out
, taking his hand. “Your arm is healed?”

“Yes
. Don’t worry about it.” His hand covered hers.

Ria wanted him to kiss her
. He had never given her a real kiss. However, he broke the moment by standing up a second before the knock came.

“I’ll see you in three days
,” Nick promised.

Ria didn’t remind him he had to win the fight first.

*  *  *

The night of the fight came much to
o soon for Ria. Emiliano called to tell her to dress to go out. If Nicholas won, he would pick her up after the fight. She used the opportunity to beg him to release her and her mother.

“Ariel
, have I mistreated you?”

Truthfully
, she was treated much better by the men she had to go out with than she had when she was working in the bar.

“No.”

“Have I not made your life better?”

He had. She could actually sleep knowing she didn’t have to worry about her drunk neighbors or someone breaking into her apartment.

“Yes, but my mother
—” she started to protest.

“Is getting stronger every day. Do not question me again
; I don’t like it.”

Her hand holding the cell phone trembled.

“Have a good time… if he wins.”

“What if he
doesn’t?” Ria licked her dry lips.

“Then I will not be happy
. I have placed a lot of money on your novio.”

“Nicholas is not my boyfriend.”

Emiliano laughed. “I don’t care what he feels for you as long as he wins.” He abruptly ended the call.

She had not missed living under the protection of the
cartel. Her brother Alejandro had given them their freedom, yet she was back under their thumb. Whoever had murdered him was responsible for her predicament.

She wondered if Emiliano had been the one
to kill her brother. She remembered him well from her childhood. They had grown up under the same roof. He had been her older brother’s age. His father had been loyal to hers, and as far as she knew, Emiliano had been loyal to Alejandro.

She used to trail after him through the huge house they lived in when she was bored
, and he had never lost patience with her. She had stopped as she had grown older and realized exactly what her family did for a living.

He
r father had been the only American in the Spanish cartel, but he had proven his loyalty to her mother’s first husband. When he had been killed, her father had assumed his position with the cartel’s approval, though he had not lasted long. She had been nine when he had been murdered, and Alejandro had been barely nineteen when he had taken over and been given the name Dragon. Now he was dead, and the freedom he had given them when she had become seventeen was gone.

Ria walked back and forth across the carpeted floor. She had dressed in a dark blue dress that came to her thighs, clinging seductively to her body. She wanted to look her best tonight if he won. She wasn’t as pretty as the women he dated, but she felt that she was smarter. She found herself wondering if men liked sexy over smarter, or smarter over sexy.

Ria remember the woman she had seen Nicholas with the night she had dinner with Lacey. He preferred sexy.

Ria sat down on the couch
, jumping when the door opened and Nicholas walked in. She took one look at his face and burst into tears.

Nicholas
came to her, taking her into his arms. “I’m fine, Ria. It looks much worse than it is.”

“No
, it doesn’t,” she wailed. “Your handsome face is ruined forever.”

“You think I’m handsome
?” He grinned down at her, his arrogance showing through the nose that was taped and the eye that was swollen.

“You used to be
,” Ria made an attempt at humor, despite the horror of his looks.

Nicholas
laughed. “Let’s go. Mitchell is waiting.”

“Where are we going?”

“Out to dinner.”

Ria followed him as he led her outside to the waiting limo. She sat next to him like she had the other men. This time
, though, there was a difference; she didn’t try to scoot away from him. Nicholas, on the other hand, sat stiffly, as if he didn’t want to touch her.

Ria was confused. She
’d thought he was trying to help her because he was attracted to her, yet his body language tonight was telling her he felt no such attraction. She remembered back to the other night. She had practically asked for his kiss, and he had pulled back.

When t
he car pulled up in front of a popular pub, Mitchell got out and opened the door for them.

Inside
, Nicholas led her to a table that a couple was sitting at. Ria recognized Zane, but not the woman.

“Ria
, I want to introduce you to my sister Melanie, and you already know Zane.”

“Hello.” Ria slid into the booth,
and Nicholas sat down next to her. The couple in front of her stared in shock at Nicholas’s face.

“What in the hell happened to you
?” Melanie almost jumped out of her seat, but Zane held her in place.

“I had a fight tonight
.”

“Where? I’ve never seen you look like this after a fight
, even when you lost to Zane.”

“I fought at the Dustbowl.”

“Oh, my God, what have you gotten involved in?” Melanie stared accusingly at Ria.

“Stop it
, Mel. Ria had nothing to do with the fight.”

“Don’t lie to them
,” Ria said softly.

“I’m not
. You asked me not to fight. It was my decision.” Nicholas quickly told them why he had fought in the pit.

His sister had tears in her eyes. “I feel terrible
. You’re in such a bad position,” Melanie told her. “But, Nicholas, this isn’t the answer. It’s too dangerous.”

“I don’t have a choice. I owe her.”

Ria tried not to show how upset she was. Now she understand why he was fighting for her—he felt responsible for her losing her job.

“Let me talk to Emiliano
. Perhaps I can—” Zane began.

“
Fuck no! You’re not getting involved with them again. I can handle this. It’s only until I get control of my money. I have an appointment with a lawyer on Monday.”

“Dad’s not handing control over?”

“No.” He refused to get into the argument he’d had with his father yesterday.

“But
why? The money is yours,” Melanie said, becoming angry for her brother.

“He wants to know why. When I told him it was none of his business
, he got angry. Said, by the time the courts made him hand it over, that at least I’ll have to think it over before spending such a huge sum.”

Actually
, he wasn’t angry at his father but himself. He should have taken the responsibility for his money long ago, but his bills had always been paid without his bothering about them, and he had seen the financial reports. His father had tripled his money. His father simply couldn’t understand why he wanted the money without telling him the reason.

He was trying to protect him the way he always had. It was the same reason he had r
efused to watch Melanie fight, hoping his disapproval would stop her from achieving her own dream. His father’s methods weren’t the best; although, ultimately, he had their best interests at heart.

“Let’s eat dinner.”
Nicholas picked up his menu, and the others followed.

“What are you going to have?”
Nicholas asked Ria.

“The chicken.” She sat
, feeling out of place at the closeness between the three of them.

Melanie blamed her for
Nicholas becoming involved in the cartel, worried about his safety. Ria was, too.

Ria ate her dinner
, half-listening to the conversation between them. Melanie was coming up with different ideas to get their father to loosen the purse strings.

“I know
. Tell him you got her pregnant.”

As
Ria choked on her food, Nicholas had to pat her on the back.

“I take it that’s a no
,” Melanie said, her lips twitching.

“No
,” Nicholas told her.

Melanie shrugged. “I’m only trying to help.”

“If you want to help, be quiet and eat your dinner,” Zane told her.

Melanie stuck her tongue out at Zane
, who ignored her to finish his dinner.

“You could always tell him that Melanie’s pregnant
,” Ria said, biting back her smile as Melanie choked on her food and then threw her a killing glare.

“I like you
,” she said.

“I like you
, too.” Ria smiled at Nicholas’s sister.

Melanie was a lot like
Lacey; neither one of them had a fake bone in their bodies and wanted to kick everyone’s asses.

“Nick
, bring her to my next fight.”

“I don’t enjoy cage fighting.”

The three people at the table stared at her in horror. Then they all broke into laughter.

Melanie leaned across the table. “You don’t know what you
’re missing. You’re going to learn to love it.”

Ria doubted it but didn’t argue.

They finished dinner then Melanie and Zane stood to leave.

“I have to get him home for his beauty sleep. He has a fight tomorrow night.”

“Good luck,” Nicholas said. “I need to get Ria back. I’ll see you both tomorrow night after your fight.”

They parted company outside the restaurant
, Melanie and Zane both staring at the limo.

“We’re in the wrong profession
,” Melanie said, staring at the huge car with envy.

“At least we
’re doing it legally,” Zane commented, taking Melanie’s arm to lead her away before she jumped into the expensive car.

“Wait
, I want to ride…” Melanie protested.

“You
r sister is a character,” Ria said as they got into the limo.

“Yes
, she is,” Nicholas agreed. The painkiller he had taken after the fight was wearing off. He was tired and sore, wanting to go back to his apartment to take another hot shower.

“Nicholas
are you attracted to me at all?”

His beat up face turned to her. “What?”

She cleared her throat. Lacey and Melanie weren’t the only ones that could be upfront. “Are you attracted to me? If you aren’t, that’s okay. I just want to know.”