* * *
Cade stared around the empty room, his hands clenched into fists. He strode angrily to the nightstand, seeing the truck keys gone.
“Motherfucker!” He went back downstairs where the desk clerk gave him a frightened look when he stormed up to the desk.
“Have you seen the woman who was with me?”
“She left about an hour ago. I saw her drive that way.” He pointed outside the grimy window in the direction she had taken.
“Did she leave a message for me?”
“No, she didn’t say anything. She was running very fast.”
“She was running?” His anger turned to worry.
The clerk nodded.
“Was anyone chasing her?”
“No.”
Cade’s anger returned with a vengeance. He was going to strangle her. He had told her to stay in the hotel room.
Turning on his heel, he headed out of the hotel. He took his cell phone out of his pocket and called Luis.
“I need a favor,” he said as soon as Luis answered.
“Depends on what it is.”
“I need something to drive and cash. Can you make it happen?”
“Si. Give me thirty minutes. Where are you?”
Cade gave him the address then disconnected the call. He glanced up and down the street then back at the hotel. He had thirty minutes to find out what had caused her to run from the hotel. If he didn’t find her, he had basically lost a hundred thousand dollars, and he didn’t fucking like losing money.
He refused to acknowledge that money wasn’t the only reason he was furious at Jane for being gone. She was just another job. That was all. He would find her and return her to her father. She would never cross his mind again. Thank God for that because she was a pain in his ass, constantly complaining about being hungry, thinking she was too good to talk to him. What’s more, when he told her to stay put, did she? Hell no!
Bitch!
Chapter 7
Jane laid her head down on her knees. She was sitting on the bed with her knees pulled up to her chest in a luxurious bedroom she had been locked in for two days.
When she heard the door open, she raised her head, thinking someone was bringing her lunch. The only time anyone entered was to bring her a tray of food.
“Bailey!” Jane jumped off the bed, running toward her sister.
When she would have hugged her, Bailey coldly sidestepped Jane, setting down a small suitcase she was carrying.
“Why are you here?”
Jane stared in dismay at her younger sister. “I came to help you. Dad and your mother were worried when you told them Raul wouldn’t let you leave.”
“I over-exaggerated a bit. We had a small fight.” She shrugged. “Now we’ve made up.”
“Then why haven’t you called?” Jane looked her sister over carefully. She didn’t look like she had been hurt or was in distress. In fact, she looked fucking fantastic. “Why haven’t you come to see me before now? I’ve been here for two days!”
“I’ve been busy.”
Jane wanted to smack her sister.
“I had to take off work. I’ve spent days traveling to get here. I even worked in a bar.” Jane took a deep breath. “And you’re too fucking busy to come to my room in the same house you’re living in?”
“I don’t live here. This is Javier’s home, Raul’s uncle.”
“Oh.” That made Jane feel marginally better. She could have lived in another city, and it might have taken time to get her here.
“We live a mile away. Our house was the first one on the road.”
Jane remembered seeing the huge house as they drove past. She could have walked to see her.
“Fine. I’m glad you’re okay. I’ll tell Dad and your mother. Now, will you please ask your husband to give me a ride back to my hotel? I want to go home.”
Bailey waved a hand dismissively at her request. “Raul wants you to stay and visit for a while, so I brought you a few clothes since Raul told me you didn’t bring any. You really should have come better prepared.”
“But I want to go home. I need to get back to work,” Jane argued. “I didn’t bring any clothes, because I didn’t plan on getting kidnapped.”
“Your job can wait. Raul wants you to stay, so you’ll just have to stay.” Bailey ignored Jane’s angry face. “Besides, you weren’t kidnapped. You were the one chasing after Raul.”
“Bailey, you’re married to the man, so it’s your choice if you want to listen to his lies, but I don’t have to. I think it’s crazy, and I want to leave.”
“It’s different here in Mexico. Here, women respect their husbands.”
Jane wanted to vomit. “No, it’s not. What’s different is your willingness to put up with this bullshit.”
Bailey’s pretty face flushed with anger. “I never could talk to you!”
“You could always talk to me. You just never wanted to, because I’m not going to just spout off shit to make you happy. Bailey, I’m telling you this is a fucked up situation.”