AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Finally, we arrived in front of a massive wooden structure, more so a huge compound than house, stretching out into the depths of the swampy wilderness. A behemoth birthed by nature and raised by men, it stood defiant in the heart of the bayou.
Towering wooden walls wrapped around the compound, like an intimidating shell safeguarding everyone within.
No conventional lights illuminated this fortress. Instead, large, ferocious fires blazed in strategically placed pits. Their flickering glow danced on the murky waters surrounding the compound.
This is ridiculous.
Massive men guarded the entrance. Each built like a brick wall. They wore their brutish expressions as badges of honor. A cold, detached readiness flashed in their gazes.
Unfortunately for them, they were not the scariest men I had ever seen.
Tisha grinned. “Is this it?”
I smiled.
“We must be careful to not step on these little ants.”
I snorted.
Valentina grabbed the gifts off my lap. “You may need your hands.”
“But, let’s hope that I will not.”
Tisha spoke, “Do you have a plan to get the Eye?”
“Money. Land. Power. He should want one of those things.”
Tisha bobbed his head. “That would make things easy.”
Valentina looked Rafael’s way. “Cutey, what do you think?”
Rafael glanced over his shoulder and blinked. “Are you talking to me?”
She chuckled. “Is there anyone else that is a little cutey in this vehicle?”
Rafael blinked again. “I do not know how to answer that.”
I scowled. “Do you think it will work with the Don or not?”
Rafael let out a long breath. “I must be honest with you. The Don is an asshole. Therefore, I honestly expect the worst.”
He better be on his best behavior with me.
Wassily parked the SUV.
Rafael kept his voice low. “Also, they will take our guns before we enter.”
“I assumed as much.”
One by one, we stepped out of the vehicle. Men rushed to us, taking our weapons and checking for others.
I handed over my gun and further took in the space around me.
The air was thick with the musky scent of damp earth and stagnant water. A pungent perfume filled my nostrils. Every breath was too intimate a taste of the wilderness.
Odd, unnerving noises sounded—the soft splashing of water in the swamp that hinted at reptilian predators lurking just out of sight.
And even more, I could feel the moisture in the air, clinging to my skin, making my linen shirt uncomfortably stick to my back. It was a dampness that seeped into everything. I desperately yearned for air-conditioned air.
