Stealing Beauty (Stolen 1)

He rounded on me, his pale eyes gleaming with a fierce light. I swallowed, but I held my ground. “I’m fine,” I promised, meeting his gaze directly. There was no need for this posturing around the Americans. They weren’t a threat at all. The man staring down at me with something close to madness tightening his features was most definitely a threat. I’d be far safer with the other boys nearby. As long as we were in the dorm with them, Adrián couldn’t manhandle me or punish me.

Well, I supposed he could do anything he wanted to me at any time, but that would draw attention to us and complicate our journey.

After a few tense seconds, Adrián jerked a small nod in my direction before turning to the Americans once again. “We’re staying.” The growled words were definitely a warning, not a peace offering.

The redheaded boy swallowed hard and held up his hands in a placating gesture. “Sure thing. We won’t bother you.”

“We should get dinner.” Mateo punctured some of the tension. “I’m sure Valentina is hungry.”

My irritation spiked again, but I bit my tongue to hold in a snappy retort. I really was hungry, and I didn’t want to appear anything other than completely cooperative and thoroughly submissive.

Adrian’s attention returned to the hostel owner. “What are our options for dinner around here?”

The man swiped beads of sweat from his forehead, and his forced smile appeared to cause him pain. “There are two pizza places, run by Italian families. Or there’s a wonderful seafood restaurant. A little more expensive, but the best food in town.”

Adrián looked down at me. “What would you prefer?”

I blinked. Why did he keep asking me what I wanted to eat? I’d thought he was testing me when he’d handed me the room service menu last night. Surely, the man who’d been ruthlessly dragging me across Colombia against my will didn’t care about my dietary preferences. So far, he’d given no indication that he cared about my comfort at all.

I simply shrugged, uncertain what he wanted from me. Most likely, he desired a show of deference.

His lips turned down in a small frown, but he made the decision for me. “We’ll go with the seafood restaurant,” he announced.

I let out a small sigh. I’d made the right choice in letting him take the lead. Men like Adrián and Hugo liked to appear thoroughly in control, down to the smallest details. I was relieved I hadn’t challenged his control, even though he’d baited me.

I allowed him to tug me along to the restaurant, remaining silent throughout our meal. I kept my eyes on my plate—truthfully, the fresh-caught red snapper with coconut rice and plantain chips was heavenly enough to hold most of my attention. Adrián had ordered for me, and once again, I was surprised at the large portion he’d selected. I was careful not to overindulge, determined not to fail if this was yet another test. In a few hours, I’d be free to make my own choices.

I’d start by eating an entire brick of dark chocolate at the first opportunity.The Americans snored. I could hardly believe my luck. The sawing sounds of their breathing as they slept filled the dormitory, providing ample cover to mask any small noises I might make.

I wasn’t sure how long I’d waited in the dark, but I had to take my chances that Adrián and Mateo were also asleep by now. I’d watched the sky over the water, and it had only begun to shift from black to indigo. Dawn was approaching, which meant I had a shot at finding an early-rising sailor at the docks. With all the cash in Mateo’s backpack, I’d have more than enough to buy myself an early voyage into Panama.

My clothes were stashed in Adrián’s pack, but I could afford to abandon them, as long as I had the dollars Mateo carried.

I’d slept in my jeans and t-shirt. No way was I going to wear the slutty nightgown Adrián had purchased for me, and he didn’t comment on it. It seemed he didn’t want to parade me around nearly naked in front of strangers.

The fact that I was already dressed made this a little easier. Saying a quick prayer, I slid out of my bed and gingerly placed my weight on my feet. The floorboards didn’t creak beneath me. I blew out the breath I’d been holding and picked up my sneakers. I’d put them on when I got outside; I’d make less noise moving through the dorm.

The next part of my plan was the most dangerous.

I padded over to Mateo’s bunk, struggling to make out his sleeping form in the dim light. The dark mass of his blanket-covered body didn’t stir as I approached. I barely breathed as I slowly reached for the straps on his pack and lifted it up. All our documents and most of our cash were in his bag. I wouldn’t bother wasting time fishing my own passport out. I could steal theirs as well. That would slow them down considerably if they decided to chase me into Panama.