Page 63 of Trapped

“We need to talk. In private,” he says to me.

I catch his quick glance at Silas. Adrian is still not letting up on the fact that Silas kidnapped me. He has mentioned several times to Mireya his concern that I have Stockholm syndrome.

“Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of Silas,” I chide him while finding my place next to Silas and threading my fingers through his, my eyes locked on Adrian’s.

“I had some men go by the old auto repair place. They located Claudia there. She’s only there in the early morning, so if we want to stop her, we need to move in at dawn. She has an army of men protecting her,” he says.

“Have they seen Lucia? Is she alright?” I ask in desperation.

“They haven’t seen her,” he replies.

That doesn’t mean she isn’t there. I allow the morsel of information to seep in. Hope calms the fears that have been rattling the cage of my heart. I could feel her. She is close. She is alive, and soon she will be in my arms. I rub my hand over the cage tattoo.Hold on, Lucia. Mommy’s coming.

It only made sense to wear red bottom heels and black lipstick. I look up to see Silas staring straight at me. His expression is blank, but those midnight eyes speak to me.I got you.While Lucia is the light that guides me, Silas is the darkness that comforts me. He’s never once expected or wanted me to be anything but who I am.

“We’ll enter through the back forest and wait there until the snipers with Osiel and Ricky start shooting. We’ll rush in and attack from the front,” Adrian explains to Efren. It is the same plan we went over the night before. I have one request in all of this. Claudia is mine.

“Why are you two going first?” Silas questions.

“Because I trust him with my life. I don’t fucking know you,” Adrian says.

“Hey, fool. Silas isn’t going to let anything happen to Thalia,” Efren says in an attempt to bridge the tension. Adrian and Silas don’t miss an opportunity to insult each other.

“No, he’ll just kidnap her and make her believe he was dead for seven years,” Adrian replies.Ouch.

Even I felt that sting. Silas glares at him. I ignore them and continue loading my guns and attaching the silencers in the back seat. When we are a mile away from the auto repair shop, Adrian stops the van. He and Silas are still arguing while Efren and I start through the backwoods.

“Come on, Thali, their egos are too big for us,” Efren says, placing an arm around me. Within seconds, Silas removes it, pulling me to his side.

“It’s Thalia,” Silas says, and Efren laughs.

“See, I told you,” Efren says to Adrian. “He wouldn’t let anything happen to your sister.”

“I don’t have to prove shit to him. I’m here to find my daughter,” Silas says, looking back at them.

“You don’t have to prove shit to me, but don’t for one second think I’m gonna let you brainwash my sister,” Adrian says, unwilling to let the argument die.

I groan. We won’t last a minute inside if I have to worry about these two killing each other first. Silas releases his grip on me and stalks toward Adrian. I throw myself in front of Adrian as Efren rushes to guard Silas.

“Can we stop with the fucking show of testosterone? Adrian and I will go first, and you and Efren will follow.” I push Adrian forward through the trees.

“Can you calm the fuck down?” I say, looking back at Silas and Efren, who wait for enough distance before starting behind us.

“You really want to be married to a guy like that?” Adrian whispers as we crouch behind a tree.

“It doesn’t matter what I want. I’m already married to him,” I whisper back. I motion to Efren and Silas that the view is clear, and we move forward.

“He fucking lied to you and let you think he was dead. Is he threatening you right now? Blink twice if you’re in danger.” I roll my eyes and keep walking.

We walk in silence until we see the auto repair shop coming into clear view. I crouch behind a large tree and wait for Efren and Silas. The distance allows me to see the front of the building. I know our snipers are hiding somewhere on the opposite side, on a large hill. Osiel and Ricky have a handful of men with them that will flood to the back to help us after they ambush the front.

It doesn’t take long before the shots ring out. I look above, at the opposite hill, and see our two snipers rushing down toward the building entrance. Adrian and I launch forward, my feet hitting the ground below as I rush toward the back. We’re met with open fire, but several of my men rush in from the sides to guard Adrian and me. Efren and Silas are shooting behind me, and bullets continue to fly. I watch as bodies drop around me, but I don’t stop until I reach the side of the building. The shots ringing out become fewer and farther between.

Several of our own men crowd beside me as we make our way to the back entrance. A few of them look injured, but they are persistent in following us. Loyal to the mission and loyal to my family. Silas and Efren stay behind in the yard, shooting down the remaining armed men Claudia had placed surrounding the property.

“We’ll go in front of you. Stay close,” one of the men says to me, and I nod.

I let them pass in front of us, moving like a human shield. I turn to look at Adrian. A moment of hesitation passes over himbefore he follows behind me. It’s the familiar smell of gasoline that triggers me. It is likely the same thing triggering Adrian. The last time we were here was when we saved Mireya. I had taken a bullet to the arm trying to protect her. I’d take a bullet to the heart if it meant saving my daughter.

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