“Raul explained that to me. It’s their culture. They admire power, and violence here is an expected response to challenges of power.”
“The women they are holding hostage in that house aren’t challenging them. They just want to get away from their rapists.”
“They’re not raping them; their courting them.” Bailey waved her hand. “Raul explained it to me.”
Jane’s mouth dropped open. At that point, she almost left her sister. If not for her father and stepmother’s anguish, she would have.
“Those women are being raped! They are being used as sex slaves. No woman in their right mind would believe anything else.”
Bailey paled. “But Raul told me—”
“Is Raul courting another woman?” Jane interrupted. “Because I saw him go inside the house and rape a woman who barely looked eighteen.”
“You’re wrong. Raul wouldn’t have touched those women. Maybe he was trying to stop them.”
Jane shook her head. “No. I saw Raul drag one back who was trying to escape, and then he had a guard hold her down while he raped her. Believe me; I saw more of him than I wanted to. Does he really think a tattoo of two pistols framing his dick is sexy?”
Bailey sat down on one of the chairs at her kitchen table. “I need to think,” she whispered.
“There’s no time. We need to leave,” Cade said unsympathetically.
“Please, Bailey, come with us. You know you can’t stay here.” She saw from the expression on Bailey’s face that she didn’t want to leave her husband, despite knowing he was a rapist. “Dad said, if you don’t come back, he’s going to stop your allowance. Do you think Raul is going to want you without that ten thousand placed in your checking account every month?”
Jane knew she had her there. Bailey shakily stood up, and they followed her to her bedroom where she began gathering her things.
“We can’t take much,” Cade warned her.
Bailey dropped the few items she had gathered onto her bed. “Let’s go, then. You’re not leaving me a choice either way.”
Jane glared at her angrily before picking up a few of Bailey’s clothes, thrusting them into a small overnight bag. Then they went back through the kitchen.
“Wait,” Jane whispered, turning back to her sister.
“What?” Bailey asked.
“Do you have any candy bars?”
“Yes.”
“Get them and any other food you can.”
Bailey went to her cabinets. Several minutes later, she had placed a few items in a large cloth bag. She handed Jane the bag as they went out the door.
“You’re worried about a candy bar? I know you’re a food addict, but you’re freaking crazy.” Bailey threw her a scornful look which Jane ignored, holding the food items close to her chest.
“How are we going to get out of here?” Jane asked Cade, who was staring at both sisters contemptuously.
“I have a truck parked up ahead. I want to get as far away as we can before daylight.”
“You two go ahead. Show me the direction you’re headed, and I’ll catch up,” Jane told him.
“What? Where do you think you’re going?” Cade shifted his body closer to her.
“I’m going to release those women then catch up to you.”
“No, you’re not,” Cade informed her. “There’s no way you will be able to catch up to us.”
“I will.” Jane firmly took a step away from him. “I’m not leaving them behind. I’ll catch up.” She opened the palm of her hand, showing the key’s to Raul’s SUV that she had stolen from Bailey’s kitchen counter. She had seen the vehicle parked in the driveway.
“Look, I feel bad for them, too. But it’s either them or us.” Cade tried to sway her, but self-preservation had never been her strongest personality trait.
She took another step back. “I won’t leave them.”
“Dammit to hell. You’re going to get them and us killed.”
“I think they would prefer death to what they’re going through now,” Jane said sadly. “I’m sorry. You two go.”
“Fuck.” Cade pointed to a palm tree. “Bailey, go hide over there. We’ll be back in ten minutes.”
“Wait, you can’t leave me alone,” she wailed.
“Go!” Cade ordered.
Her sister fled at the cold hostility in his voice.
“Let’s do this.” He moved off into the darkness, and she followed, carefully trying to be as quiet as he was.
He stopped not far from where the guard was once again positioned in front of the small house. Another soldier had appeared since they had left, probably changing shifts.