Page 7 of Risks of Temptation
"Please stop," I choke out as Naomi comes into view.
"Choose," Santiago, the head of the Colombian drug cartel, screams at her.
Santiago? Oh God, Naomi! Please tell me you didn't dig up dirt on him.
What is he going to do with us?
"Let her go. I'll do what you want," Naomi cries.
Santiago nods his head toward the edge of the jungle, and the man behind me drags me toward it.
"Naomi!" I yell, but the man rotates my body so I can't see her. "Naomi!"
A boy, maybe thirteen, throws a ladder down a hole.
"Get in," the man says in Spanish in a gruff voice.
Shaking, I climb down into the dirt pit. When I turn, four women are in it.
"My sister, Naomi, is with Santiago," I cry out.
A tall woman with red hair and green eyes tugs me into her arms. "Shh. She'll be okay."
I sob in her embrace as she strokes my head.
What does Naomi know about Santiago?
Please don't let her die.
About fifteen minutes pass. "Emilia Salazar," a man barks, and the ladder comes down.
The redhead is still trying to calm me down.
"What do they want?" I whisper.
"Go. If you don't, they will make it worse on you."
"I..."
"You can do it. Santiago doesn't allow his men to rape."
It's as if she knew my fear.
Then why did they grope me?
I nod.
"Go," she tells me again.
I climb out, and the man who brought me to the hole grips my biceps so tight, I'm sure I'll have a bruise. "Ow!"
Santiago has Naomi, and we lock eyes as we're dragged toward each other.
"Emilia," Naomi cries as tears track down her cheeks.
"Naomi!"
We get ten feet away from the other. The man positions himself behind me and holds onto my waist as before. My stomach pitches.
