Escape was off the table, then. Case had gone out of his way to protect her, and she would do the same for him. No matter the personal cost.
They rode in silence. She kept her hands in her lap, fingers linked, and worked on compartmentalizing. Worrying wasn’t going to help her, so she locked it away. It didn’t want to stay buried. Acknowledge the fear—it was part of the human survival instinct—and then move past it. At least until it was safe to fall apart. Nyx needed her wits about her.
Once she felt in control, she asked, “Why are we going to Trujillo, Señor Vargas?”
His gaze settled on her. “For tonight, you will call me Julián.”
“All right,” she agreed easily as if the request didn’t cause a spike of adrenaline. “Why are we going to Trujillo, Julián?”
“You’re curious.” His voice was flat, giving her no hints whether he was angry.
“I don’t like surprises.”
“No? Not even ones that might be fun?”
Nyx was left fighting the fear again. What was Vargas’s idea of fun? “I used to search for my Christmas presents when I was a child so I knew what I was getting. I didn’t even want the gifts to be a surprise.”
One side of his mouth kicked up, but she wasn’t sure how to label the expression. Sort of a smile, sort of sad. “My daughter was the same. You would have had much in common with her.”
What did that mean? Something about his demeanor had her hesitant, but Nyx asked anyway. “Would have had?”
“She died ten years ago. She would have been your age had she lived.”
Shit, she’d poked at something she should have left alone. “I’m sorry.”
Vargas nodded once. He went back to ignoring her, and she stared out the window of the limo. She still hadn’t gotten an answer as to why they were traveling to Trujillo, but after this exchange, Nyx decided to bide her time. It was at least a ninety-minute drive, and as it became darker, they’d need to go slower.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to suss out the situation. The two guards across from her seemed bored. They didn’t give her any hints. Turning her head enough to see the drug lord, Nyx studied him. His demeanor gave nothing away, but she tried to find the vibe.
Wound up. Practically vibrating with anticipation? No, that wasn’t right. At least not in the sense she was thinking. It was more like someone preparing for battle. That kind of adrenaline. It raised more questions, and Nyx put them in the order she wanted to ask them. After Vargas got over her asking about his daughter.
She was beginning to wonder if he would tell her anything, no matter how she phrased her questions. His lack of communication made her uneasy. Was he planning to auction her off tonight?
How did sex trafficking work?
Where the fuck was Oz?
Case needed out of this room. Now. Once he was free, he would find Nyx and get her off this compound. He didn’t know what kind of game Vargas was playing, but if that asshole touched her—or allowed anyone else to touch her—he’d kill the motherfucker.
The stricken expression on Nyx’s face as she’d been escorted from the suite tormented him. So did the fact he’d been powerless to stop the situation. If he’d pushed any harder, he would be dead, and she’d be completely alone then. Damn it to hell.
Realizing his hands were fisted, Case forced himself to relax. He wouldn’t be any use to his Fireball if he didn’t regain control.
Time to lock it down. Time to think.
He didn’t like the hallway as an exit because he couldn’t see the position of the men, and he’d never clear the door before they were on him. But he could see where the balcony guards were standing because of all the glass.
Moving deeper into the bedroom, he did a quick check. Then Case did a second, longer look because he only saw one man on duty. There’d always been a pair. Until now.
He checked the time. Shift change had been about ten minutes ago. He’d been timing the movement of the guards since he and Nyx had been imprisoned. Maybe the second dude was late. Case would give it another ten minutes.
But if the situation stayed as is, he knew how he was getting out of the room.
Because of all the windows, there was a corresponding amount of curtains. When they were open, as they were now, there were thick gathers of fabric, including a nice deep one next to the door outside. The bedroom jutted out farther than the sitting room and that gave Case cover.
Quickly, he found Nyx’s backpack and put their things in it. He didn’t want to drag this with him, but he couldn’t take her into the rainforest in a long dress. She needed a change of clothes, and he might as well bring everything.
Stashing the pack nearby, Case settled on a chair in the sitting room that allowed him a view of the windows in both rooms. He watched the man patrol, pacing back and forth across the patio. He appeared bored. Good. It was nearly dusk. The low level of light, the layout of the suite, and the guard’s lack of interest in his job would all help Case get out of here. The sightlines from the wall to the balcony even worked in his favor. Between the distance and the encroaching darkness, they were unlikely to see anything.