She could lie. Probably should lie. Even knowing the consequences, however, Olivia couldn’t bring herself to deny the truth.
Refusing to let her last act on this earth be to tell a lie, she lifted her bruised chin, and stared straight into the camera.
With as strong a voice as she could muster Olivia said, “The only thing I did was try to save your brother’s life.”
The first strike of the whip was sudden, stealing her breath away. The searing pain was so fierce, her entire body felt the lick of its flames.
“Admit what you did!” Cetro yelled, but Olivia remained silent.
When the strips of leather slapped her skin for the second time, she couldn’t hide the small cry that escaped from her tightly pierced lips.
She drew upon every ounce of strength she had, but by the third strike, the pain became nearly intolerable. Soon, Olivia’s screams began filling the afternoon air.
****
Jake pulled his truck to the side of the gravel road and killed the engine. He and Derek got out and waited as Grant and Trevor did the same with theirs.
Everyone took care not to let their doors slam shut, unsure if Cetro had other men nearby. The team quickly assembled in small circle to discuss their plan of entry.
“According to this”—Derek addressed them all—“the vehicle is parked on the property just over that hill. It’s abandoned farmland the bank took over when the owner died, a few years ago. There haven’t been any recent offers or showings. And unless something’s changed in the last month or so, which I seriously doubt it has, there’s only one structure. An old barn.”
Sometimes it scared Jake when he thought of all the things D could find out about a place or a person. He was just grateful as hell that Derek was part of their team. Especially now.
Though he was itching to quit talking and get to his girl, Jake knew it would be crazy to go barreling into the unknown. Not only would it risk his and the lives of his team, if they alerted Cetro and whoever else he had here, it would most certainly mean Olivia’s death.
Like hell he’d risk her because he couldn’t keep his shit together.
To the others, Jake said, “I called Ryker on the way here. From what he told me, I don’t expect there to be a lot of men with Cetro. My guess is, when we get in there, we’ll find him and Marcus Anthony, the other prisoner who escaped with Cetro during the storm. He’s an African American male, age twenty-eight. Word is the two got pretty tight while they shared a cell these past couple months. But I don’t want to take any chances and assume those are the only two.”
Studying the map on the screen once more, Jake pointed and said, “Mac and Coop, I want you positioned here and here. Hill, you watch this side, and Trevor, you and I will approach from this area here. You go in through the barn’s front doors, and I’ll take the rear.”
Then, speaking to the group as a whole, Jake added, “Olivia is the priority. Do nothing to risk her, got it?”
They all nodded in agreement and went to their prospective vehicles to gear up. They didn’t have everything they usually did on a job, but it would have to be enough.
Not succeeding wasn’t an option.
“Stay alert. Use your coms, and don’t take any chances with your own safety. We get hurt, we’re no good to her.”
“We’ve got this, boss,” Coop assured him.
Jake nodded once. “This ends here.”
Several minutes later, Jake and Trevor broke through the property’s eastern tree line. The barn Derek told them about was less than ten yards away.
The SUV they’d seen on Olivia’s security footage was parked at the end of the gravel road leading to the building from the main road, and Jake nearly lost his footing when he saw the body lying on the ground behind it.
“Easy, boss.” Trevor put his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Whoever that is, he’s not Olivia.”
Looking again, Jake could easily see the body was an African-American male. “I’d say we just found Marcus Anthony.” Question was, why had he been killed?
As if reading his mind, Trevor spoke up again. “Probably outlived his usefulness. He helped Cetro get Olivia. Prick didn’t need him after that.”
Staying focused, Jake turned to his friend. “Listen. If something happens, and I don’t—”
“Put that shit away,” Trevor interrupted. “You’re gonna go in there, take that bastard out once and for all, and then, we’re bringing Olivia home.”
Though he appreciated the guy’s positive attitude, Jake had to say it. “Liv is the priority. If I go down, you get her the hell out of here.”
“Jake—”
“Damn it, Trevor, just promise me!”
Trevor shook his head but said, “I’ll protect her with my life, man.”
Jake squeezed one of Trevor’s shoulders. “Thank you.”
“Screw that. You can thank me by going in and gettin’ our girl back.”
The two shared a look of understanding and proceeded to make their way to the barn. They were half way between the run-down building and the tree line they’d just come through when a terrifying scream cut through the afternoon air.
****
She was fading, fast. Olivia had tried to get through to Cetro, but there was no reasoning with insanity.
She’d gone into detail, explaining medically, why it had been impossible to save his brother. In one moment of desperation, Olivia had even tried empathy.
She’d shared how the loss of her brother had devastated her. How her life had been forever changed and how there was no way, she would ever want anyone—even a sadistic bastard like him—to suffer that same fate.
Eventually, Olivia realized there was no point in arguing. No amount of reasoning or empathy would make a difference.
Not one of the agonizing screams that had come with the strikes of the whip had fazed him. And there had been so many. As much as she wanted to fight it, Olivia knew her
