Page 126 of Cavern of Silence
Julieta begs Jonas again, "Please let him go. Take me."
"No," I scream.
She sobs.
Another prisoner comes out. Jonas shushes the crowd. "This man made a deal behind our back with a member of Santiago Gómez's cartel."
Boos and chanting to kill him fill the air.
"Place your bets," he shouts then turns Julieta to the crowd again. "Tell them who owns you."
Her entire body quivers so hard, I think she's going to collapse.
"Tell them," he screams in her face.
"You do," she cries.
"Louder!"
"You do," she wails, and another part of me dies.
I have to get her out of here.
Jonas spins and demands, "Fight."
The new man isn't big like the other man. But he's a fighter, which is more dangerous than size.
Both of us get punches in, but the barbarian in me once again takes him out. After several minutes, he lays lifeless on the ground at my feet.
I barely catch my breath before more bets are taken, and Jonas instructs the next man to fight me. One by one, all the men who were locked up with me are brought out, and their sins against Jonas unveiled. Each man seems more skilled than the last, until I am the only one standing.
Bloody, bruised, and full of endless rage, I try to figure out how to get Julieta out of here alive. She's only several feet from me, physically hurt and distraught, and it's a new version of hell on earth.
And I know how this ends. Julieta told me. But if I attempt to kill any more of Jonas's men, he will murder her. There seems to be no way out.
He approaches me again, clapping.
This time, I say, "You gave me a choice underground." I inhale several breaths and wipe the blood off my face. "What do you want from me to let her go?"
"Ryker, no," she cries, and my heart cracks further.
"I did." He turns to the crowd and growls, "Is Jonas Torres a man of his word?"
They all shout, "Yes."
"Do you want to see him fight another night?"
The crowd goes crazy.
"Is he worth saving?"
"Yes!"
"No. Let her go," I yell.
"Ryker, no!" Julieta yells. "Please. Save yourself."
Jonas tilts his head and stares into my eyes. "How important is she to you?"
