Theirs To Take(14)

“What the hell do you think happened? I mean Gallaston is a son of a bitch, but to put his own fiancée on a truck to be sold into sexual slavery? Doesn’t make sense, especially given who her father is.”

Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck and leaned against the RV wall to face Syn. “Or maybe she was part of it all from the start.”

“No.” Syn shook his head. “I don’t believe that.”

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. “We can’t rule it out.”

“Then why is she here?”

“I don’t know. Maybe she got cold feet. Maybe she pissed Gallaston off.”

“Or maybe she found out what he was up to and he panicked,” Syn suggested.

“Well, I imagine he’s even more panicked now that the cargo’s been hijacked,” Gabriel said with a grin. “Evangeline Webb has some explaining to do. And she’s going to learn that lying to us is not a good idea.”

“Gabe…” Syn began. “I don’t believe she’s a part of this. My gut tells me that.”

Someone knocked on the door, interrupting their conversation.

“Come in,” Gabriel said.#p#分页标题#e#

The door opened and one of the soldiers stuck their head inside. “Boss, we’ve got the first of the buyers arriving this evening.”

Of course they were. When talk of a human auction was circulated, they came fast, knowing the cream of the crop would be taken first.

“All right. Get the girls out and lined up. If any of them gives you any trouble, you know what to do.” Gabriel gestured to the canes that stood in an umbrella stand by the door.

“Yes, sir,” the guard said, choosing one of the long sticks. The glint in his eye let Syn know that not only wouldn’t he mind having to put one of the girls in line, he hoped he’d have to.

“Make sure you don’t touch Eva,” Syn added to Gabriel’s command. “Bring her with the rest of them but don’t touch her, understand?” He felt Gabriel’s eyes on him but ignored his brother.

“Yes, sir,” the soldier said.

At Gabriel’s nod of dismissal, the soldier left, closing the door behind him. Gabriel then turned to Syn.

“Either way,” Gabriel said, continuing their conversation before the guard had come in. “Looks like we’ll be keeping one after all.”

Syn nodded, picked up a cane and walked out of the RV. They’d be selling one less girl today, but that girl could prove to be more valuable than the dozen put together. Whatever the reasons for keeping her would be, all he felt at the prospect of it was excitement.





A few hours earlier, we had been taken to a tent, which contained a mat and a thin blanket for each of us.

Lara and I lay on our mats as most of the women did. Some spoke but most were either quiet or trying to sleep. Every few minutes, the sound of someone crying would disturb the rest of the group. Lara and I talked a little bit. She came from Minnesota, had come to Phoenix to visit a friend for a few days. Now she wondered if she’d ever see her parents or her kid brother ever again.

“You think they’re looking for us?” she asked.

Sadness filled me. How would anyone ever find us?

“I’m sure they are, Lara.”

“But they won’t find us, will they? I mean—” she began to cry again. “I don’t even know how long we drove. If we’re even in Arizona — or the US — anymore.”

“Tell me about your family,” I asked, trying to get her mind off things.

“There’s my mom and dad and my little brother. He’s only ten. I promised to bring him back a Cardinals jersey. I’d already bought it.” A fresh onslaught of tears rendered her unable to speak.

“It’ll be okay, Lara. You’ll see.”

She shook her head, wiping her nose with her worn tissues. “They probably don’t even know I’m missing yet.”

“Why don’t you just shut it?” A woman’s voice said loudly.

I bristled. Clearly, the comment was directed at Lara. I turned to find the girl who’d spoken, a pretty blonde sitting several cots away on her own watching us. Or more, glaring at us. It was strange how even in a time like this, where we were all in the same horrible predicament, there was still room for cruelty.

“Why don’t you shut it,” I said, hugging Lara closer.

“You all need to stop your whining. Three fucking years and we’ll be set for life. You heard him.”

“And you believed him?” I shook my head. “How can you even think that’s okay?”

“It’s better than where I came from.”