Page 95 of Choices

She'll need tests for hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV, but Rico's in-house doc can take care of that. I really need to get her off the streets first.

Luckily, Rico's farm is only twenty-five minutes from here.

I hit the roads, ready to navigate rush hour traffic in the city with the worst traffic in the United States.

"Hannah, can you lay down for me please? So we don't garner any attention?"

She does as I ask.

We sit in silence for a while, so I peak back at her to see if she'd fallen asleep, but her eyes are open, unseeing, and the blood on her face has begun to dry, turning a deeper brown and beginning to crack.

I want to ask her a million questions, but none of them seem appropriate.

"Did you kill him?"

"How did you escape?"

"Did he hurt you?"

I want to reassure her that everything will be okay, but I don't know that. How does a suburban mom handle being kidnapped by a rival mafia faction, murder him, clearly in cold blood, and escape, and be okay afterwards?

Instead, I focus on getting her to Rico and her men. Getting her someone safe with the people who love her.

The farm has a "main entrance" and "farm entrance" that gives direct access to the barn, so deliveries of hay and shavings don't have to dry by the main house. I pull in, past the barn, and slowly approach the house.

"Stay down, Hannah, until I tell you we're in the clear."

Rico, and Diego rush out of the back door.

I get out.

"The kids?" I ask, rounding the back of the car in a hurry.

"In the front yard with Lauren. Now where is my woman!?" Rico shouts, his fury barely contained.

I bend down to look in the car.

"It's alright, Hannah. You're home. You're safe. You can come out now."

I offer her my hand, and she steps out of the car.

Diego stumbles to a stop, eyes wide.

Rico hesitates, but then slowly approaches her.

"Mami, are you hurt?"

At the sound of her nickname, her eyes find Rico and she lets out a deep sigh, as if she's finally home.

Unfortunately, the adrenaline and shock must have been too much, because her eyes roll back and her head begins to lull backwards. I set to catch her, but Rico beats me to it, scooping her up bridal-style. Her head lulls at an unnatural angle, but Rico manages to hitch her up a certain way so that her head rests on his chest instead.

"Diego," Rico barks, shaking him free of his trance. "Doors."

"Boss?" I shout after them, causing Rico to pause just a second and turn towards me. "The body? The house?"

"Burn it."

I nod. I won't do it, but I can make sure his men get the order while he takes care of his family.

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