Page 82 of Unleash You

“I thought so too.” He pulled on the handle, but the door didn’t even jiggle. “It’s locked.”

“Marcel has the key. They brought us here earlier. They didn’t say why.”

Wesley fumbled through his fatigue pockets, looking for something. He was in full-marine gear, with a huge rifle attached to his back. A part of me wanted to beg him to get me out right now. But leaving Rebecca here wasn’t an option. We were all leaving together.

“Are you picking the lock?” I stared as his deft fingers worked the small device.

“Yes.”

“I wish I had thought to join the corps after college.”

A mischievous smile brightened his face. “This is actually a trick I learned back at home. Trying to break into Dad’s liquor cabinet.”

I did a pretend gasp. “Your poor mother.”

He spent a few more seconds with it, then turned the pins. When we pulled the door open, Rebecca stood on the other side with a toilet cover in her hands, ready to fight.

“It’s just us.” I rushed to her and helped her put her weapon down.

“Oh my God, you scared me. I thought you were Charlie.” She hugged herself and beamed at Wesley. “You need to work on your timing. It’s been days.”

“Last time it was months. I’d say that’s an improvement.”

“Thank you.” Her gaze bounced between Wesley and me.

I chose to gloss over the part where Wesley hadn’t come to save us. The world could be a fucked-up place, but not everyone played a part in it. We were not alone. Someone did come to save us. Was I overly hopeful? Sure, but I was okay with that.

“We’ll be home soon,” I said. Maybe that was a stretch, but I wanted to believe it.

Wesley put his index finger up to his lips and pulled me aside before he shut the door. The voices and footsteps sounded muffled and distant. I recognized Charlie’s tone. I glanced up to see if Wesley knew. He did. We both silently asked the same question. Was it up to us to fix this thing with Charlie? Was it up to Wesley to make sure Charlie didn’t cause any more damage?

I swallowed and shook my head. “There has to be another way.”

“What way? Call the cops? His partner owns them. The FBI has bigger fish to fry. It’s up to us.”

“He’s your friend.”

He nodded. “And he’s your brother.”

I thought of all the women and children Charlie left in the middle of nowhere in Mexico. Their faces showed more confusion than fear because no one in their right mind would be able to fathom the kind of evil that now lived in Charlie’s soul.

“It isn’t fair to pin this on us.”

“No, it isn’t. But we’re the only ones here.”

“He used our plane to fly people out of Venezuela. Then he dropped them off in Mexico. A part of me wished he did it to do them a favor, but the cruelty in his eyes…” I was ashamed to say it out loud.

“That’s why we’re here. The men and children he uprooted from their homes joined another group in Mexico. They crossed the border and were brought here.” He swallowed hard. “They were brought here for processing. Some of them were wearing what you’re wearing.”

I covered my mouth. Every time I opened myself up for the truth, shit got worse. “Were you able to get them out.”

He caressed my cheek. “We did. By now, they should be on their way to DC. Someone will help them get back on their feet there.” His dark gaze searched my face as his fingers curled around my neck. “They got lucky. So many others didn’t. Do you understand?”

I nodded, blinking several times to clear my vision. “We’re gonna need rope.”

“What?”

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