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  I had walked a couple of steps from the car before curiosity got the better of me and I turned to face him.

  Just as I thought. A secret part of me relished in what I saw.

  Aiden was staring, trapping me in his hypnotic gaze. I raised an amused eyebrow at him and instantly a wide smile spread across his handsome face.

  “How long was I asleep?” I asked.

  “You were out cold for three hours.”

  The poor man. With me on his shoulder he mustn’t have slept a wink. “I am sorry if I made the trip uncomfortable for you.”

  “On the contrary, Laila.” He eyed me with sincerity and I felt my heart flutter.

  Suddenly overcome with nerves, I left Aiden leaning against the hood of the car in his casual aloof sexiness.

  The bathroom was in desperate need of sanitizing, but it would have to do as I was in need of a major tidy-up. The contents of the brown paper bag made me smile. There was a roll-on deodorant, a bottle of water, a purple toothbrush and some paste, tampons, lip balm, a comb and some moisturizer. He had thought of pretty much everything.

  My teeth required the most attention as it had been a good forty-eight hours since their last clean. Four cleans too short.

  My mind was empty of thoughts and I welcomed the reprieve from the typical nightmares that plagued my daydreams. I absent-mindedly rotated the bristles around my teeth, enjoying the sensation of having minty breath.

  Spitting into the grimy sink, I almost choked from shock when I straightened, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. Aiden’s face stared back at mine in the mirror, an amused grin playing on his lips. I hadn’t heard or seen him walk in and I inwardly cursed myself for allowing my lack of concentration to get the better of me. An awful thought struck that I would have been trapped in this tiny cubicle of a restroom if it had been anyone else but Aiden standing in the doorway. Juan and Hector had proven a knack of locating me without difficulty and the surprise appearance could have been any one of them or their henchmen doing their dirty work.

  Aiden considered me carefully, a curious expression on his face.

  “You ok?” he asked gently.

  “Fine… thanks. You just gave me a little shock.”

  “You should be more careful,” he warned, but I felt like he was teasing me.

  “You shouldn’t sneak up on people,” I teased back.

  “Why so jumpy?”

  “Jumpy? You would be jumpy too if you just escaped crazy Mexican human traffickers.”

  “You finished with that?” He pointed to the toothbrush still clutched in my hand.

  “Ah… yes,” I answered a little confused.

  “Good,” Aiden took both the brush and toothpaste from my grasp. I watched as he squeezed a strip onto the bristles, raised the same brush I had been using only a moment ago to his mouth and began scrubbing. Our eyes met in the mirror and he winked at my bemused expression. I had never been in a relationship where I shared my toothbrush or even peed with the door open and now here was Aiden, happily engaging in such a strangely intimate act.

  “What?” he asked through a mouthful of white foamy paste.

  I attempted to hide my smile. “Nothing.”

  He spat into the bowl and when he met my eyes again in the mirror I caught a mischievous twinkle. “You didn’t seem to mind when my mouth was–”

  “Whoa… ok,” I held up my hands in surrender, too embarrassed to hear the rest of the sentence. “I’m going.”

  He chuckled as I walked through the door. Once safely outside and out of view, the smile I had been hiding from him spread across my face. For the first time in a long time, I could genuinely smile. That brief moment in the filthy bathroom had given me a strange sense of normality long missing in my new fucked-up world.

  Evidently it wasn’t just me who was feeling the change.

  For almost a month now, I had seen only strain and tension on Aiden’s face and I felt somewhat privileged to have seen the glimmer of humor and affection.

  Chapter Six

  Aiden

  Shock.

  There was only one word to describe the look on Laila’s face when I used her toothbrush. It was almost as though the naive girl I had met a month ago had returned, like she was struggling to drop her guard for just the briefest of moments for a stab at familiarity.

  Without her even muttering a sound, she could bring to life a feeling I had buried long ago. In a normal world where men and women meet in average, everyday situations, I would have chased Laila down to the ends of the earth until she became mine.

  She was my type of girl. Not that, up until this point, I even knew much about what my type was.

  Girls came and went in the Florez household. They cycled through the mansion, all with varying degrees of hope for a new life and the need to run from their past. The girls arrived by their own free will. They weren’t dragged or kidnapped. Occasionally, there was the old incentive thrown in the mix, a promise of protection and financial benefit to the family, but no girl had ever been coerced.

  Hector’s professional objectives differed slightly to other cartel-run operations. Laila and the two American girls, however, became the exception to the rule.

  Enjoying the fruits of the Florez pickings was a novelty that had worn off shortly after it began. Once the women had the mindset of becoming hookers, the idea of being with any of them became an instant turn off.

  The parties had taken place the last Saturday of every month. For me, attending and taking part in them were two different things. The benefits of running the security detail meant I never had to mingle with the guests or participate in the debauchery.

  There were the odd times when a girl couldn’t handle the humiliation and ended up on the receiving end of Hector’s wrath. I had seen them beaten and raped and all for the spectacle of the guests who, depending on the clientele, had also participated in the degradation.

  I had quickly grown to accept it was the Florez way and if those girls were stupid enough to walk through the door with the knowledge of trading sexual favors for money then they had to live with the consequences.

  That was until Hannah and Anita arrived.

  Just like me, they were sisters born to a Mexican woman and a white father.

  Both were fair-skinned and pretty, but the difference between them and the other girls under the Florez roof was that the sisters were underage and kidnapped.

  A special order for Alexsonov.

  The man had specific tastes and, after the death of his last victim, he had decided to try something a little different.

  On a Saturday evening while the family attended the Mexico City markets, the girls were spotted by one of Hector’s men who on occasion acted as a scout. He knew one of the commissioners who frequented the parties had his eye out for two sisters, age not important.

  When I saw their small, shaking bodies standing naked in front of us while Hector conducted his typical physical inspection, I knew I couldn’t allow the sick fuck to get his hands on them.

  That was the moment that began this whole ordeal. It was the moment that set the wheels in motion and, unbeknownst to Laila, her world was changing before she even left New York.

  It’s hard to say if I regret everything that has happened. Sure, I would never wish it on Laila that she experienced what she did; the physical and mental torture is beyond comprehension. But, now, I simply could not imagine not knowing her. Her large ocean blue doll eyes, alabaster skin and rose pink lips gave my heart a new beat.

  She had a way of challenging my every thought, crippling my logic yet at the same time making everything seem so clear. In a normal world where normal men and women meet and date Laila would be my ideal woman. But as reality would have it, she didn’t meet me in a normal world and she would never view me as a normal man, only some born-again associate of a human trafficking family.

  Chapter Seven

  Laila

  “Let’s go,” Aiden yelled to the three of us as we stretc
hed our legs beside the car.

  Without even casting a glance my way, he walked straight past me. My gut twisted as I took in his hardened eyes. All humor I had seen only moments ago had all but vanished.

  The Aiden I had experienced during my training sessions was back.

  The sexy line of his jaw was set and the muscle that made its appearance once or twice before was back, twitching with each step he took. Both Jorge and Ethan also seemed to notice the sudden change and wisely remained quiet.

  What had happened in those few moments of separation?

  Climbing into the back seat once again, I watched as Aiden approached the door. He threw the brown paper bag full of toiletries on the seat next to me before addressing Jorge.

  “Give me the keys. You’re in the back,” he ordered. Jorge looked on with a mix of irritation and confusion.

  Tension filled the car with the sudden change of mood and I received a resentful glance from Jorge as he joined me in the back. From what I could gather, we had another three hours until we reached San Jose. A long time to be together with apparent animosity in the air.

  The scenery passed at a rapid pace, but it kept me entertained throughout the journey as little else did. Communication within the confined space was at an all-time low and what was said was only in the form of grunts.

  With the relative peace and smooth drive, my mind once again travelled over not just the last month, but also the last seven years. There had been so many times I feared I had forgotten my mother’s smiling face. It was an image I had tried so hard to recall in the month I had been held at Hector’s – from her gray green eyes framed with the gentle wrinkles she had tried in vain to avoid, to her sweet laugh, she had given me the strength I needed to get through the lonely days and torturous nights. Tears brimmed my eyes as my heart cried out for my mother once again. I needed her, not just because I was in this situation, but because she was my mom and she was supposed to be here.

  Sensing I was being watched, I looked up to find Aiden’s eyes in the rear view mirror. His curious gaze flicked between me and the road in front. The hardness I had witnessed earlier had melted and he now looked at me with such tenderness it caused a hard lump to lodge firmly in my throat.

  Those stunning Viridian eyes rocked my world in more ways than one. Tears now spilled over the edge and rolled down my cheeks, his hold on me refusing to break.

  Only Aiden existed in that moment.

  Although I had fought it, I had fallen hard and some part of me knew there was no going back.

  Ethan’s head lolled against the headrest on the passenger side indicating he had fallen asleep. Jorge sat beside me, but his eyes were glued to his laptop and headphones blasted muffled music. Aiden and I were alone in our world. A world that had brought us together in the cruelest way. A world that would never allow us to be together because it would always find a way to hunt us down.

  But for now, I would settle for moments like this.

  Moments when I could feel him reaching out to me even if we couldn’t hold on to each other.

  ***

  “We’re here,” Aiden announced from the front seat.

  San Jose had proven to be a beautiful place as we drove through the township. The streets were alive with people going about their normal daily habits, shopping and dining along the colorful sidewalks. It had seemed like a lifetime since I enjoyed something so… common.

  The sign of Hotel De Sanza loomed ahead of us and, as the car slowed, I gathered this would be our sanctuary for a while. It was a grand hotel and one I would normally only ever stay at on a special occasion. Together, we trudged through the foyer carrying our mismatched collection of bags and waited for Jorge to check us all in. Aiden seemed guarded and on edge as he scanned our surroundings. I wanted to reassure him we would be ok, but, in all honesty, I had no idea if we were in the safe zone yet. Even Ethan shifted uncomfortably and fidgeted with the bags he had slung over his shoulders. They were all nervous, but I was just happy to be free.

  Once safely in the elevator Aiden began dishing out keys.

  “We have two rooms that are side by side,” he handed Jorge a key that looked like a credit card. “Jorge and Ethan, you will be in one; Laila and I will share.”

  Aiden said the words so calmly it was like it was natural for him, yet for some reason they sent shivers down my spine. I would be alone with him for the first time since he left to ‘kill’ Ethan. A part of me was extremely excited by this notion, but the other niggling bit only made me nervous.

  “She should stay with me,” Ethan exclaimed, his tone hard.

  “Not a good idea,” Aiden dismissed, nonplussed by the challenge.

  My brother squared his shoulders and the small elevator seemed to close in on us as the tension within grew.

  “And why is that? We have a lot to catch up on, it would give us that chance,” Ethan insisted.

  “Ethan, I respect what you are saying, but unfortunately for you, I can protect Laila better in case an incident arises.”

  The doors opened on the seventh floor and we all filed out to carry on with the discussion in the hallway.

  “I can protect her all well and good. I am her brother.”

  “Really? Is that so?” Aiden’s tone became firm.

  Jorge and I stood to the side as Ethan rounded on Aiden, his face reddening with fury, yet his opponent remained unnervingly calm.

  In an instant, an arm and leg jerked straight out and Ethan was flat on the ground, the bags he was carrying now lying haphazardly on top of him. Aiden’s leg had hooked around Ethan’s, the palm of his hand making contact with his chest and sending him off balance, his legs flailing about in front of him. It had all happened so quickly that if I’d blinked at the wrong microsecond, I would have missed it all. In all honesty, the stealth nature of it was quite impressive. A pained groan escaped Ethan’s mouth and Aiden held out his hand to him.

  “I’m not the enemy, Ethan. We need to keep working together.” My brother took Aiden’s outstretched hand and rose to his feet with a look of resignation and defeat.

  “Don’t I get a say?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

  “No,” both men said in unison.

  “You’ve both heard of the feminist movement haven’t you? My vote counts.” I said, feigning offense.

  “Doesn’t apply in this situation,” Aiden dismissed, before turning to head down the hall. Ethan, who had apparently changed allegiance in the last fifteen seconds agreed.

  I followed, slightly dumbfounded, but more amused by their caveman antics.

  ***

  Standing just inside the room, I was unable to hide the awkwardness of what lay before us. Aiden on the other hand couldn’t stop the corners of his lips twitching.

  “Well, this poses a problem,” I said finally.

  “Oh yeah, how so?” He knew very well how so. “It’s never stopped us before.”

  “That was different.”

  “Pretend it’s not.” I should have been upset by the remark given all that had happened, but the look in his eyes was calming me the only way he knew how.

  “It was only ever pretend anyway,” I said.

  His smile faded and I immediately felt like a bitch for saying it.

  “Then this shouldn’t be a problem for you,” he replied. “We’re both pros at it.”

  That stung.

  With a heavy sigh, I dropped my bag on the floor of the hotel room and contemplated the solitary queen bed. He was right, it wasn’t our first time sharing a bed, but with our history, it felt weird to carry on with the scenario.

  “You take the right side, I prefer the left.”

  The humorous light returned to his eyes and I had to hide a smile.

  “You read my mind.”

  Chapter Eight

  Aiden

  The silence that settled between us wasn’t uncomfortable, but I dreaded to think what fucked-up thought plagued her head when she wasn’t distracted. Often when she was
unaware of my staring, I would see the barrage of emotions play across her face. Her brows would furrow, lost in a dark thought, and those beautiful blue eyes would look at nothing in particular¸ contemplating nothing at all, then switch briefly to something serene. I knew what tormented her, but I would love to know what made that softness claim her features yet again.

  “Let’s get outa here.” My voice startled her.

  “As in leave… like outside?”

  I chuckled at her surprise. “Yes, outside. It’s hot out so change into something cooler. That sweater isn’t gonna cut it, you’ll stand out.”

  Laila nodded slightly, but I could see her considering the weight of my words. She was becoming easily adaptable and could pick up on the warning in my voice.

  Searching through the small bag of belongings Maria had given her, Laila found the sundress she had worn earlier and headed to the bathroom to get changed.

  “Excuse me,” she said in a small voice as she tried to pass through the half-yard space between the bed and the wall I was currently occupying. Moving to the side by the tiniest degree I could tell she was holding her breath as the front of her body grazed mine.

  “Sorry,” she said quietly, apologizing for no good reason.

  “Don’t be,”

  We locked eyes and she studied my expression, her own giving nothing away.

  “You look different.” She said quietly.

  I raised a quizzical brow. “How so?”

  “You seem relieved, happier. In the house you were always frowning. You looked scary.” She wore the sweetest look on her face, as though she was actually concerned for me.

  “I had a lot on my mind. And by that, I mean you.”

  Laila hadn’t moved an inch and we were still wedged between the bed and wall. I wasn’t going to complain.

  Her eyes once again drifted to that dark place.