Page 61 of Her Noble Protector

“Kind of like my last meal, huh?” Lisa muttered.

Nellie and Mel looked at one another and didn’t respond.

Lisa stayed curled up in the corner of the tiny couch, trying to think of a way out. Mel had a gun he kept it in the waistband of his pants. If I could just get that.

“Stop looking at my husband’s gun,” Nellie said as she laid out three plates. “You’re not getting away. This isn’t personal. We’re trying to be nice here, you understand? I even made fresh peeled mashed potatoes to go with the meatloaf, not boxed flakes.”

Lisa felt a red haze descend. “Are you fucking kidding me?” she burst out.

Nellie took a step back.

Lisa couldn’t believe that came out of her mouth, but it had, and there was more where that came from.

She shot to her feet. “You’re going to hand me over to the Mexican cartel, and you’re talking about having peeled some goddamned potatoes? Woman, are you out of your goddamned mind?” She was vibrating with anger, sure that electricity would shoot out the ends of her fingers.

“Hey, that’s not necessary, you—” Mel started to interrupt.

Lisa’s hand shot up and she pointed at Mel. “And you, you pussy-whipped asshole. You need to shut your mouth. How dare you put your children in this kind of jeopardy? How dare you?”

Lisa took a step forward and stabbed her index finger into his chest. Once. Twice. And a third time.

“A man has babies, he protects them. That is his number one responsibility, then comes his woman. You are nothing. You are lower than nothing,” she barked out the insults.

He grabbed her finger and bent it backward, his face a mask of rage. She felt her finger snap. Mel backhanded her and she flew against the wall.

“How’s that for being a man, you bitch? You don’t ever talk to me like that again! You got that?”

Lying on the floor, her hand curled up against her chest, Lisa shrieked when his boot kicked her ribs.

“Mel, stop!”

Lisa grunted when another kick landed, happy that she didn’t shriek this time.

“You gotta stop. We’re supposed to hand her over in good condition, remember?” Nellie was begging her husband to listen.

The next kick landed with much less force. Nellie’s words must have gotten through to her pussy-whipped husband. Lisa coughed. She hurt. God, everything hurt, especially her finger. Then it really hurt when she grinned, remembering how she poked that asshole’s chest.

“Here, let me help you up.” Nellie touched her arm and pulled. Lisa flinched away.

“Just leave me here,” Lisa said quietly.

“Can’t do that. I need to get you cleaned up.”

“Oh yeah, trying to make the merchandise look good,” Lisa scoffed.

She heard Nellie’s sharp intake of breath. Lisa felt another throwdown coming on. Really? The bitch was feeling bad about hearing the truth?

“Here’s some ice,” Mel said.

Nellie put an icepack on Lisa’s face. Guess I’m not getting any meatloaf.

* * *

Raiden looked across the moonlit desert. It was midnight and there was no light coming from the trailer. One white Ford truck registered to Melchor Gomez was parked out front. Lydia had provided the fact that Mr. Gomez had a thirty-eight Smith and Wesson registered to him. God knew how many unregistered guns he had.

“God, how old is that thing?” Clint asked, referring to the mobile home.

“I’m guessing it was built in the fifties or sixties,” Raiden said. Even in the moonlight, it was clear enough to see it was pink. It was up on cement blocks and had more cement blocks for stairs. It was about forty feet long and there were two big windows at the front end and another two windows that could be seen from that side right next to the door. At the other end, just two small windows near the roof.