do to help with your investigation is yours for the asking."
Chad watched and listened, observing with his full senses. Everyone was being very polite, and backing away slowly from the large elephant in the room. After a few more moments, Cesario reached for some food to fill his plate, Dante followed, and then Jeff.
Cesario looked up to his guards, "Please see Raul to his room, and when he recovers let him know that his presence at our meeting is no longer required."
The guards moved efficiently, lifting Raul from the floor by his arms, and hauling him out between them, closing the door softly as they left.
Cesario then looked to Victoria, "I apologize for Raul's actions. Such things should never be allowed toward a guest in my house. He will be punished for his lack of respect for my home, and his aggressiveness toward you, I assure you."
Victoria nodded, but couldn't find her voice.
Cesario seemed to accept her state, and gave her a smile, and then returned to eating.
They ate for close to an hour before Cesario said, "I believe our meeting has progressed as far as it can for now. I will call you in six weeks and let you know what I have uncovered."
"Thank you. We should be heading out before it gets too late," Mike told him.
"Of course, and have a safe journey," Cesario offered.
The members of the Lords of Darkness walked out of the front of the house together, Chad with Victoria's hand in his. He led her to the bike and settled the saddlebags in place.
Looking at Mike he said, "We're probably going to stop at a hotel for a day. We ran all night to get here, and didn't get much sleep last night. A day of rest will do us good."
Mike looked Victoria over, her body was visibly shaking with the reality of almost being killed. He nodded his head, "I agree. At least a day. We'll be heading on though. I'm anxious to be back at home. This whole thing lasted much too long," he told Chad. "By the way, perfect work in there."
Chad nodded and got on his bike. Victoria hesitated and then got on behind him, her arms wrapping around his waist, holding him much tighter than she normally did. Chad rubbed her thigh, trying to sooth her, and then started the bike. She jumped at the roaring thunder, and let out a small, choked cry.
The others started their bikes and soon they were riding out of the large metal gate, heading back for the border, and home.
CHAPTER SIX
Victoria held tightly to Chad, her body shivering uncontrollably as adrenaline soured in her blood. That man was going to kill her. Right there at the table. It wasn't a threat. If Chad hadn't stopped him when he did, he would have slashed her throat, like she was just an animal and not a person at all.
She was a person. A real person. But that man didn't see her. To him she was just a whore. A club bitch, like Kathy. Just an ass that Chad fucked, whose life was unimportant and could be taken without reason. That man was going to kill her just to show Chad he was serious. Raul fully expected Chad to let him too! It was like it was normal! Like killing her would have been as eventful as dinner being served. As common an insult to Chad as lifting the middle finger at him, or something stupid like that!
Chad didn't let him. He stopped Raul. But she could still see Raul's shocked eyes when Chad broke his wrist. Raul couldn't believe that Chad would do that in front of the others, over a simple whore. She saw his disbelief was pure and deep. Chad's actions made no sense to him at all.
She wondered briefly what Raul thought about being slammed into the table afterward.
These men, the bikers and the Mexican drug men, they were far more vicious and violent than she ever imagined. Including Chad. He was so calm when he did that to Raul. He just smashed him against the table and let him fall like he was nothing, like he was meat. Then he calmly went back to eating, and talking
Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee