"Yes, I understand."
"And we never met you before. If you come up to our part of the world, you never knew us." Tick stood from his chair, the fierceness was back in his expression.
"Of course." Julio nodded.
Tick didn't say anything else, he just walked out of the room. I sighed then stood from my chair, giving Julio a nod. "He's wound up a bit." I jerked a thumb toward the door Tick had just disappeared through.
"I understand." Julio patted Carmella's shoulder. "Understand that if you are caught, you don't know me. I will not be helping you escape if you don't get out of there before you are tracked down."
"Yeah. I figured." I nodded toward Carmella then went after Tick. I wanted out of that house, out of that fucking town, and out of that fucking country. Quick.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
LUCY
My bag was packed and hidden in the front hall closet. I parked my car a block down the road, not in the motor pool like usual. No one even noticed when I walked through the gates that afternoon after moving it. Since Jayson claimed me, the other guys didn't seem to see me anymore. It was as though I'd become transparent. Since I wasn't available to fuck or suck, I simply didn't exist for them. Suited me just fine.
The clock kept ticking away as I sat in the bedroom. I needed Jayson to get home and fall asleep before I left. I needed as much time between my leaving and him finding out as I could get. I had the note ready, same as usual. Gone for coffee. He wouldn't know what time I left that note, and wouldn't think much about my not being around for a few hours after he woke up. He usually didn't send me a text until around noon. Plenty of time for me to get to where I was going. But first he needed to get his ass home.
Just as I was about text him, against my better judgement, the front door slammed and I heard his booted feet head for the bedroom.
"Lucy!" He threw open the bedroom door and stood in the doorway, taking up most of the space. "Where were you today? I haven't seen you all day." His tone wavered, softened as he closed the door behind him. I could smell the beer on him, but he wasn't drunk.
"I was here most of the day," I lied. "Looking at nursing programs." Another lie.
"Huh. You should be at the clubhouse at night with me. Unless I tell you to go home." He sat on the edge of the bed. "Come here and take off my boots for me." He waved me over. Swallowing hard, I pushed myself to do as he said. Fighting him would only get me a sore jaw or a black eye, and I needed him to get to sleep. If I pissed him off, he'd be up for a few more hours stewing about it.
I knelt on the floor in front of him and pulled off each boot, holding my breath as I did so. The man needed odor eaters. When I started to get up, he pushed my back down. "While you're there." He grinned while unbuckling his belt. I swallowed again, this time to keep the bile from rising up. He leaned back to unbutton his jeans, his belly getting in the way. Pulling down his jeans and boxers far enough that his short, fat cock sprang free and bobbed in front of me. "Go ahead, suck it." Fat fingers laced into my hair, dragging my face forward.
In my mind I imagined Mason. Imagined him pulling my hair, sinking his dick into my mouth, farther into my throat. That image didn't scare me, didn't repulse me. The sensation of this prick's fingers on my head made my stomach twist into knots. I licked my lips, trying to keep my mouth wet and get through this as quickly as possible. I let him shove his cock into my mouth. "Fuck, that's good." He held onto my head as I moved up and down, taking him all the way wasn't difficult, not like with Mason.
I kept my eyes closed, clenched, trying to keep out the sight of who was sitting in front of me, his legs spread around me. I could wipe out the sight of him, but the smell and feel of him couldn't be swept away. His balls tightened, lifted. I swirled my tongue over the engorged head of his cock, hoping to speed up his orgasm, but he yanked me away before he did. "Over the bed." He held my hair, pulling me to my feet. He wasn't grabbing me close to my scalp like Mason. Jayson wasn't trying to control my movements, he only wanted to get me where he wanted me. He pulled my hair, much like a boy on a school yard, and pushed me over the bed.
I hadn't changed out of my clothes yet so he shoved my shirt up over my hips and yanked down my panties. I heard the tear and his little laugh. "Whoops," he said as he pulled my ass cheeks apart.
"Condom!" I yelled when I felt the head of his dick pressing against my dry entrance. "Jayson, please. Condom."
He growled. "Fuck. Fine." I heard the drawer of his nightstand grind as it opened, the ripping of the foil packet, and I sighed. At least I'd have some barrier between him and me. I hoped the rubber had some lubricant, but gritted my teeth and prepared for the worst as his cock pushed against me again.
The rubber provided some moisture as he pushed into me. I grunted from the invasion, but not from any sort of fullness. His nails dug into my hips as he continued to push into me. I gripped the bedspread and buried my face in it, waiting for it to be over. He didn't take his time, he plowed into me and groaned, stilling his hips as his orgasm finally ended the ordeal. He slapped my ass as he pulled free saying, "A little more enthusiasm next time." I rolled my eyes before I stood up and righted my skirt, kicking my panties off.
He peeled off the condom and threw it in the trash can near the bed before shoving off his jeans. After pulling off his shirt and yanking his boxers back up he climbed into bed. He punched his lumpy pillow and settled himself under the covers. "You coming to bed?" he asked, his eyes closed already.
"Just need to clean up and change," I mumbled, and headed for the bathroom. Condom or not, I needed to wash off the remnants of that asshole from my body.
By the time I finished the quick shower, I could hear his snoring from the bathroom. I crept through the bedroom and quietly closed the door behind me before I ran for the front hall closet. I put the note by phone in the kitchen, tied my shoes, and made my way for the door. Pausing only a moment to be sure I could still hear Jayson's strangled snores, I walked out of his apartment and ran toward my car.
The moon lit my way as I made my way through the motor pool. Most of the guys were already inside, either fucking their way to sleep or passed out. The one or two stragglers were busy with each other or working their way into a pair of panties. No one paid me any mind. The gates were still open, much to my relief, and I made it out onto the street without being stopped. My heart still raced, continued pounding heavily as I ran down the road to my car. My freedom.
The choking of my engine finally released the clenched fist around my lungs and I took my first steady breath as I threw the car into drive and I floored the gas.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MASON
People swarmed the marketplace. I'd never seen so many people crushed into one narrow street before. Even at the rallies there was more room to breathe than in this mob. Tick and I wiggled our way through the food carts and merchants, making our way toward the apartment building Carmela told us about.
"What is that smell?" Tick looked at me over his shoulder, making a sour face.
"I think it's the tobacco shop, just keep moving." I gave him a little shove. The less we were seen, the better. Carmella and Bernardo would be there any minute, and we had to be in position. The noise of the crowd hopefully would cover any sound Tick's gun made; even with a silencer I didn't trust that we wouldn't be heard.
"There." Tick pointed out the building, and we made our way to the entrance. Thankfully no one was hanging around outside the door and we were able to walk straight in and start heading up the stairs.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out as we made our way up the narrow stairwell that reeked of piss and beer.
"Mason?" The voice sounded familiar, but I didn't recognize it.
"Yeah." I gestured to Tick to keep moving when he stopped to check on me. "Who's this?"
"Lucas." The voice grunted. "Where are you?"
"I don't see how that's your business." I kept my pace, walking up the stairs.
He gave another grunt. "Well, look, if you're down in Mexico trying to take care of Bernardo for his brother, don't." That made me stop in my tracks. Tick found the door to the apartment and was busy getting it open.