Josh's Tale
Copyright© 2025 by EVHayes720
Chapter 14: Showdown at the Corral
Fiction Sex Story: Chapter 14: Showdown at the Corral - A drunken encounter leads Josh to failing upwards in increasingly unlikely and serendipitous events. This story is a humorous take on non-con stories where the MC is well-meaning, but truly oblivious (and will remain so) to his impact on those around him.
Caution: This Fiction Sex Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Teenagers Blackmail Coercion Consensual Drunk/Drugged NonConsensual Rape Reluctant Lesbian BiSexual Heterosexual Fiction Humor Rags To Riches Cheating Incest Mother Father Daughter BDSM DomSub MaleDom FemaleDom Humiliation Light Bond Spanking Group Sex Harem Anal Sex Analingus Cream Pie Exhibitionism Oral Sex Sex Toys
Part XIV Character Refresher:
Josh’s Girls
Beckie: Head of J-Drop business
Libbi: R&D lead of J-Drop business
Natalie: Tattoo-parlor owner
Yukina: Japanese gal with no English skills
Jeniffer: Josh’s pregnant daughter
Josh’s Collaborators
Teddy AKA TJ: Military vet and childhood friend of Josh’s.
Sevana: Previous head of production and distribution for Domingo.
Tiana: Black line worker for Sevana
Xian: Chinese line worker for Sevana
Williams: Chemist for Sevana
Sluts
Lainy AKA Slut One: FBI forensic accountant imbedded in Dana’s firm.
Julia AKA Slut Two: FBI field agent.
Anya AKA Slut Three: FBI field agent imbedded with the Russian cartels.
Antagonists / Others
Domingo: San Francisco drug-lord.
Davis: Dirty San Francisco police officer.
Mateo: Deceased operative for Domingo.
Abigail: Airsoft shop thot
Glow Up
Standing by the newly renovated window, now so thick it could stop a .50 caliber bullet, Sevana looked out at the manufacturing floor. It was nearly unrecognizable now, with state-of-the-art equipment aligned in neat rows gleaming without a speck of dust on them. Not only had the Sluts upgraded all their security measures, with reinforced walls and doors, electronic surveillance suite eclipsing anything she’d seen before, but Miss Libbi and Miss Nira had brought in some of the fanciest tools and gadgets she’d ever seen. They were churning out J-drops in crates at this point.
The central processing floor had been expanded, taking up nearly twice the space it had previously. They’d had to remove one of the old operation’s machines, one that had churned out novelty toys as a cover, in order to fit it all in. The other machines sat silent, the cover story no longer necessary. As they expanded, they’d trash those as well, but for now, they provided an extra layer of security with the twisting labyrinth of containers and crates.
The old offices on the first floor had seen an upgrade as well. Miss Libbi’s office sat off the production floor, with Williams’ office right next door. The break room had been spruced up to look more like a comfortable den with couches, TV’s and a snack bar.
On the opposite side of the offices sat the ‘special’ rooms. The Sluts had constructed the fully soundproofed rooms with a one-way mirror so that they could ‘chat’ with anyone they needed to, without anyone else hearing the screams.
Sevana shuddered at that thought. She’d only been on the receiving end of a rather tame, and humiliating, holding. That had apparently been them showing her mercy, as the tools they’d brought with them for those rooms left her quaking just thinking about them.
Tearing her gaze from those ghastly rooms, she focused on the operations again.
She’d assumed that the Sluts would be breathing down her neck about increasing production, but that had luckily not been the case. Miss Becky reviewed the numbers but actually trusted Sevana to maintain operations. Miss Libbi, oddly contrasting her mild demeanor from before, was a no-nonsense woman when it came to her formulas. Williams, who’d always been a bit of an ass, deferred to her like she walked on water.
And this entire operation barely needed any supervision. Nearly completely automated, they could run the show with only a handful of girls, who were now trained to the level of an engineer. No longer running around naked and parsing out shipments, they were now inspecting equipment, tweaking performance, and even bringing her suggestions on how to increase output.
Now this was a world-class operation. Domingo’s couldn’t even compare.
Sevana’s reflection glowered back at her.
Domingo still hadn’t reacted, but he would. It was just a matter of time. He knew his little pet Mateo was dead, but still he didn’t have the balls to confront her. He’d send a hit-squad sooner or later. And the Sluts were waiting for it.
With a look over her shoulder at the arsenal they’d brought, she could only chuckle at what Domingo would throw at her. High-powered rifles, armor-piercing bullets, even a grenade-launcher sat mounted on the wall, ready to annihilate anyone dumb enough to come through the doors uninvited.
The boss did not fuck around. That man was a force to be reckoned with.
Master. Right, he had all the Sluts and hired help calling him Master and all his executives calling him Daddy. It didn’t really sit well calling him that, but if it kept her safe and alive, she’d call him whatever he wanted.
If only she could get something on him to wiggle her way out of this. Davis had taken the money but hadn’t come back with anything. No contact, no notes, nothing. And she certainly wasn’t going to chance another meeting, not with the Sluts watching her.
Sevana twitched at the sharp knock on the reinforced door.
“Hey boss-lady,” Tiana called from outside the heavy door. “Got those numbers for ya.”
“Yeah, come on in.” Sevana keyed the door, the heavy metal thunking as it released the lock.
Tiana waltzed in, her hips swinging like she was about to go clubbing. Her high platform heels clacked against the newly finished floor. Completely impractical, but she’d really leaned into being able to dress how she wanted. As long as she wore the protective gear Miss Libbi had ordered, whatever she had on underneath didn’t concern her.
Chewing on her gum, Tiana held up her tablet, fingernail clicking as she tapped it. Her dark brown afro puff bounced lightly with her steps, her heavy gold hoops dangling in her lobes. The lab coat she had on, perhaps a size too small, only had a single button holding it together, right at her navel, displaying her dark skin proudly. A leopard crop top, golden hoops linking and wrapping around her elegant neck to keep it up, showed off the valley between her tits while barely hiding the swell to either side, ending high on her ribcage. Sequin shorts peeked out with every step, ankle bracelets jingling.
Unlike Tiana and her lackadaisical attitude, Sevana was far more practical; combat boots, tight pants with flexible material to allow rapid movement, and a sensible top that let her move naturally without constraint. Who knew when Domingo’s men would ride in and shoot up the place, so running around in stripper heels and a mini skirt was definitely out. Then again, that didn’t seem to stop the Sluts.
Sevana pushed down that grudging respect for those psychos. Sure, they were deadly. Yes, they were hot. And yes, their choice of revealing clothing probably did buy them just a moment of hesitation for them to capitalize on...
Maybe there was something to whatever fucked up mind games those Sluts were playing.
“Ah, lemme see,” Tiana muttered, scanning the tablet. “Here, got two machines at 80% and one at 83%. Think we need to pull that last one down as we’ve had some higher defect rates there.”
“How high?”
“Um, 3% over Miss Libbi’s approved rates.”
There had been a time they would have just tossed it all into the shipment and let the dealers figure it out. This quality control system Miss Libbi had put in place set a ridiculously high standard.
“Alright, drop it down to 82% and see how that goes.”
“Sure thing, boss-lady,” Tiana said with a little salute. She’d always been a bit flippant. “Oh, any word on when Big Daddy’s coming by?”
“Master,” Sevana corrected with a sigh. “The Sluts were very clear about that.”
“He’s got that big dick Daddy energy though,” Tiana said. “Did you see how he dicked down that bitty thing last time?”
“No, and I don’t need to,” Sevana said, rubbing her forehead. “Call him ‘Master’ until he tells you otherwise.”
“Fine,” she said with a roll of her eyes and a click of her tongue.
Tiana walked off shaking her ass like it was a maraca.
It was a good thing Master liked sluts...
Libbi squirmed under Daddy’s gaze from across the table, her face burning at how naughty she was being. Indecent even. The depths of her depravity left her woozy, knowing that at any moment, someone could see. Someone would know. They’d know what a little slut she was.
“What’s the matter, sweety?” Daddy asked, the cup of coffee hovering at his lips. His chestnut eyes wandered across her face questioningly, his brow furrowed in worry. “Are you feeling alright?”
“Y—yes, Daddy,” Libbi squeaked, goosebumps erupting across her skin as his hand stroked hers. “I’m—I’m fine.”
Nibbling her lower lip, Libbi almost couldn’t maintain her little moan as his finger glided softly across her skin.
“You look a little flushed,” he said, setting down his cup. Leaning forward, the backs of his fingers resting lightly against her forehead, he paused. “You feel a little hot.”
A shiver ran down Libbi’s spine, her thighs trembling as she squeezed them together.
“I’m ... just happy to see you, Daddy.” Libbi’s voice hitched as he gently brushed her cheek. “I wouldn’t trade this for the world.”
Who could have known it would feel this good to be such a bad girl. To be so brazen in public. To sit in a café, her pussy twitching while everyone walked by, unaware of what a slut she was.
Libbi seemed a bit feverish, her cheeks flushed as she breathed through her slightly parted lips. Her blue eyes sparkled though, looking away shyly at times, unable to meet his gaze for long, a little smile playing on her lips.
“I’m happy to see you too, sweety,” Josh said with a smile.
It was great seeing Libbi so often now that she made regular trips back into the city, even if it was just a quick coffee before he had to run. It seemed like Becky’s venture was really picking up steam. Maybe she could even hire Libbi full-time soon. It’d be great to have his good girl be closer. He always felt so bad when he parted from her. Her big, puppy-dog eyes watering was just a stab in his heart.
Peeking out from Libbi’s high-collared shirt, Josh spotted something around the base of her throat. Just barely visible from up-close, it looked like very fine lace, so sheer he could easily make out the contours of her skin beneath.
Daddy paused, his eyes traveling down her neck and resting at her throat. “What’s that?”
Libbi’s entire body trembled as his eyes landed on her black lace choker, hidden under her high-collared shirt from view. She’d left the top-most button undone, the threat of anyone possibly seeing how racy she was making her core quiver.
“Do you like it, Daddy?” she asked, her voice barely audible as she watched him in rapt attention. “I made it for you.”
Libbi nearly fainted when Daddy tipped her chin up, exposing the graceful lines along the center of the choker. In elegant, flowing script, she’d crocheted her dirty secret for anyone to see.
It was cute seeing Libbi’s face burn so hot as she pushed her own boundaries. Following that talk with Becky at the lab, which had been sorely needed, Libbi was back to her conservative outfits. Each meeting she’d push it just a bit further though, and Becky had been great about it, letting Libbi set her own limits. Last time it had been sheer stockings, the tops hidden under her knee-length skirt. Before that, a sleeveless blouse under her blazer.
This choker seemed a cute way for her to express herself while still safely hidden from all but the closest viewer. Barely more than half an inch wide, something akin to willowy vines encircled it. It bloomed into little flowers here and there, with tiny circles dotting various curves and arches.
“It’s very pretty,” he said, his eyes flicking back up to meet hers. “You made it yourself?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she murmured, lower lip caught between her teeth. “It’s a special script I found online. Crescerys.”
“And what does it say?”
Libbi’s face heated. Her eyes darted to her left and right as she leaned forward, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Daddy’s little slut.”
Libbi shrunk back, her hands covering her face as she giggled like a schoolgirl caught doing something bad. A naughty little smile wouldn’t leave her lips as her cheeks burned a deep crimson, slowly creeping down her neck.
“Well now,” Josh drawled, casting furtive glances around in case anyone had overheard. “That seems awfully racy for you.”
“I know,” she squeaked adorably, scrunching further back into the chair. “I’m so bad.”
“You know what would be ever worse?” Josh asked with a grin. “What only really bad girls would do?”
Libbi’s eyes widened as she breathed heavily, shaking her head as she began to unfurl from her protective ball.
“What?” she asked.
“Well, I don’t know,” Josh teased. “It would be really really bad.”
“What, Daddy?” she breathed, leaning forward. Her soft breath tickled his chin as she neared, her voice dropping to whisper. “I can be bad.”
“Unsnap the second button,” Daddy ordered, his voice smooth as silk.
Breath caught in her throat. Eyes never leaving his commanding gaze, she raised her hand slowly. Soon, it brushed the high collar of her shirt, traveling along the inside to where the second button, right at her throat, hid her dirty secret.
Fingers trembling, she pinched the flap of fabric over the button. It strained as she tugged at it, the material rising from her chest as she panted through parted lips.
“Yes, Daddy,” she whispered, that tightness in her abdomen growing more insistent. “I can be your bad girl.”
The snap thundered, echoing the sharp crack of that building tension. Her pussy quivered and drooled, soaking her panties.
Surely, everyone in the café had heard it. The sound of her giving in to her darkest desires. Of being such a dirty little slut.
This might be a bit much for Libbi, given how she was trembling in her seat after opening that button. Her voice caught, the slightest tremor running through a tiny moan that slipped from her parted lips. Her eyelids hooded, eyes rolling toward the ceiling as the front of the choker showed between the crisp, white collars of her shirt.
“Such a good girl,” Josh said.
His only response was a whimper as she closed her eyes, her lower lip caught between her teeth again.
As much as Josh would have liked to continue this little game with Libbi, he had promised Teddy that he’d meet up with him for a couple rounds of airsoft. Teddy had also wanted to introduce him to a couple of his friends from his army days, so it’d be rude to be too late.
Before Josh could say anything, Libbi’s phone went off, rumbling up a storm on the wooden table.
“Oh, um, I’m sorry, Daddy,” Libbi said, grabbing the phone and clutching it between her hands. “Um, I ... I should probably take this...”
Josh got up, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. “Go ahead, sweetie. I need to get going, too.”
“Um, Daddy?” she asked hesitantly, the phone still rumbling in her hands. “Can ... can I see you again tomorrow?”
“Of course, baby. Would you like to spend the night?”
“Y—yes, Daddy,” Libbi stuttered breathlessly. “I’ll—I’ll pack something special.”
“Such a good girl,” Josh said, giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Now, don’t miss your call.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
Assembled
Alexei Reyes drummed his fingers on his desk, thoughts on how to resolve this issue clicking through his mind. Domingo leveraging his services to take care of his problems smacked of opportunity ... and pitfalls. Those that failed him rarely got a second chance.
The request was simple; scrub a target. Sevana Mora Ortiz. A lieutenant who’d gone soft on Domingo. It happened all the time, but something about this one bugged Reyes.
Why had Domingo tapped him to do this? To keep it quiet? As he wasn’t part of Domingo’s operations, nothing could be traced back to him, but why not make an example of her? Why hire outside contractors?
Still, this wasn’t something he could turn down. Doing Domingo a favor would pay off down the road. He’d just need to play it carefully.
As Alexei continued to dissect the request, looking for every way it could possibly go sideways, someone knocked at his door.
Pressing the button below his desk, the doors unlocked, letting his right-hand man into his sprawling offices.
While Reyes liked to keep things on the down-low, he certainly didn’t like skimping in his personal life. There was a fine line between being garish and being classy. Garish was being driven in a Lamborghini or chauffeured around in a limo. Classy was taking a BMW or an Audi. Garish was lining a multi-million-dollar estate with armed guards as if to signal to the feds where all the illegal activities were occurring. Classy was furnishing an office in a non-descript office park with mahogany and crushed velvet. No one but those inside needed to know how he lived his life.
“Mister Reyes,” Walter greeted with a deferent nod, his greying hair perfectly in place as if frozen even as he moved. “You called?”
The doors snapped shut behind Walter with another press of the button, Reyes leaning back in his leather chair and pointing to a sheet of paper on the desk. “Got a commission.”
Walter remained at attention, his glancing at the note. “And you need a team?” he asked, one brow raised as he awaited the catch.
Walter always knew when something was up.
Reyes grunted, shifting in his seat to cross his legs, the imported silk barely making a whisper as the material rubbed.
“Who do we have that’s expendable?” Reyes asked.
Walter’s eyes scanned horizontally as if reading some invisible ledger only he could see. It was a bit of a disconcerting habit of his, like he was a cyborg masquerading as a human. Still, his memory never failed him.
“Maya, the hitter from the Stockton job. The twins are reliable and unattached. Have a few from the House that have been bucking for promotion. How many do you need?”
“Let’s make it at least eight,” Reyes said, hedging his bets. The more he sent, the more potential there was in getting exposed, but he needed this wrapped up quickly. “Go in expecting trouble.”
“Yes, Mister Reyes.”
“Good. And speaking of the House, what are those numbers looking like?”
“We’re down ten percent, sir. Some of the talent isn’t up to our clients’ standards.”
“Lovely,” Reyes said, clicking his tongue in annoyance. “Didn’t Anong bring in some from overseas? What happened to those?”
“Several got caught in immigration,” Michael said, his face stoic as ever. “They’re cracking down on human trafficking more these days. It’s harder to bring in foreign talent.”
“Fuck. What do we pay them for then?”
A rhetorical question, Reyes wasn’t expecting an answer. The profits of the House kept everything else running, but that just meant he needed to pour that much more into keeping it moving smoothly. A dip in their income there would trickle down into everything else they ran.
“If I may, sir? We might be able to solve both issues.”
“How so?”
“Well, our collections group has a few delinquent payments. Maybe we collect for the House instead?”
This was why Reyes liked Walter; always thinking outside the box. Once delinquent, most debtors either ran or shut down. Either way, that meant their usefulness had come to an end.
“Who did you have in mind?” Reyes asked.
“Was thinking about that Heidi girl, sir. Dancers frame, pretty face; she’d do well at the House.”
Ah, the muff diver. She’d come in with some sob story, like they all did, and had pleaded and begged for help. Something about a sick kid, if he recalled correctly. She’d been all too happy to accept the terms, though she always struggled to make those payments.
“What was her girl’s name?” Reyes asked, clicking his fingers as he tried to recall. “Cat?”
“That’s her girlfriend,” Michael corrected, “Mia is her daughter; the sick one.”
While Reyes could clearly recall Heidi with her lithe figure, wavy blonde hair and piercing eyes, he couldn’t quite remember Cat.
“Short hair, surprisingly big tits for a dyke, kinda gruff attitude,” Michael offered. “Makes up the difference in payments by taking the odd job for you. Don’t think she’d get many buyers at the House, not with her dour attitude and resting bitch-face, but maybe she goes on this job and doesn’t come back...?”
Now it was coming back. Cat, a plain-looking woman with a chip on her shoulder. Had somehow fallen hard for that Heidi girl, going so far as to hire herself out as a hitter, though she had little talent for it. They’d used her to fill out the body count, more than anything. Seemed a waste to keep her employed in the field.
“Oh, I think we can do better than that,” Reyes said, a predatory smile spreading on his face. “Add Cat to the roster. And, regardless of how it turns out, take them both to the House. With little Mia in our care, they won’t put up a fuss. Surely someone will pay well to break in new pussy.”
“Of course, sir,” Walter said with a bow.
The gentle hum of the air-conditioning unit hanging at the window filled the small bedroom. Decorated in arrays of colorful ceiling drapes radiating from the central lamp, the room itself was inviting and warm. Mismatched cushions and pillows decorated the twin bed and old couch, knit blankets hanging from every available surface.
Besides those two pieces of furniture, not much else filled the apartment. In fact, only the bedroom showed any signs of life. The kitchen was bare, the living room empty, and beside a single roll of toilet paper, even the bathroom was barren. All that Heidi and Cat owned that they hadn’t sold or pawned off, resided here. Their one refuge from all of life’s challenges.
On the bed, Heidi and Cat panted and giggled in each other’s arms, flushed from their morning activities. While not a rare occurrence, it had certainly been some time since they’d found the time or the energy to satisfy one another. Too often did they come home, bone weary and exhausted just trying to scrape money together for Mia’s medical expenses, that they’d just collapse in bed, hardly paying each other attention. But sometimes, the stars aligned, and they could forget about everything else, and just focus on one another.
Heidi’s elegant fingers brushed Cat’s short bangs from her eyes, her radiant smile lighting the room like a megawatt bulb. Cat could get lost in those baby blue eyes of hers, wiling away the hours just counting the tiny freckles dusting her nose and cheeks.
“What are you thinking?” Heidi asked playfully. Her tousled blonde hair and flushed cheeks spoke volumes to how she’d enjoyed their fun. “You can’t possibly want more?”
“Always,” Cat murmured, pulling Heidi closer into her embrace.
Cat trailed soft kisses along Heidi’s long neck, tasting the sweat she’d worked up. Cat’s palms squeezed and massaged Heidi’s soft breasts, laying exposed over the dainty midi dress she’d tried to wear before Cat had pulled her back to bed. Cat rolled Heidi’s sensitive nipples in her palms to Heidi’s lusty moans.
“Oh, Cat,” Heidi moaned, pressing her chest against her palms as she licked at Cat’s lobes, “You can’t do this to me. You know my nipples are my weakness.”
“Everything’s your weakness,” Cat chuckled as she savored Heidi’s whimpers. “I’m starting to think you’re just one giant g-spot.”
Heidi’s gasp as Cat rubbed her fingers through Heidi’s slick lips brought another smile to Cat’s lips. Heidi’s little shivers as her hips wiggled against Cat’s fingers reminded her once again how animated she could get.
“Only for you, Cat,” Heidi whimpered. “Only for you.”
The sharp ‘ding’ from Cat’s phone brought their play to an immediate stop, their eyes going wide as they froze. As though foreshadowing an ominous fate, even the air-conditioning turned off, the air stilling uncomfortably around them.
‘Ding’.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Cat forced a smile on her lips even as that sinking feeling returned.
“Just a moment, lovebug,” Cat said, reaching for her phone.
The blood drained from Cat’s face, that reassuring smile of fading like a peeling sticker. As much as Cat tried to hide all she did to keep Heidi and Mia safe, Heidi knew.
It was him.
Mister Reyes.
Cat’s hand slipped from her grasp, even as she tried to hold on, though she knew she couldn’t.
This was all Heidi’s fault. She’d dragged Cat into this. She hadn’t wanted to. She’d tried to push Cat away so that she wouldn’t go down with her, but Cat had refused. Her eternal rock, her one safe place in this entire world, Cat had stayed with her through it all. Through the illness. Through the pain. Through the payments.
Cat didn’t deserve this.
But still ... she did it.
Heidi sniffled, watching Cat slip from the bed, her back turned to her as she lifted the phone to her ear. Reaching out to her, Heidi’s hand fell short, Cat standing up and leaving her on the bed.
She’d done this. This was all Heidi’s fault.
“I’m here,” Cat said, stepping out of the bedroom and into the barren living room. Only faded carpeting and peeling walls greeted her here.
“Have a job for you,” Mister Reyes said without preamble, his harsh voice shooting ice through her veins.
How many jobs had she done for him? A dozen? Two? Each one worse than the last. Extortion. Blackmail. And the worst ... assassination. The look in his eyes as Cat had had to take his life ... it still haunted her.
But this ... all of this ... it wasn’t for her. It was for Heidi and Mia. And for them ... Cat would do anything. Whatever it took.
“Y—yes ... sir.”
“After the mess you made last time, I want this clean, you hear me? I don’t need muscle that pukes her guts up at every dead body. You do your job, either in the field or in the sheets. The House could always use fresh meat, and that girl of yours would make such a nice fit, don’t you think?”
The House. The black pit where women who couldn’t pay back their debts disappeared into. Anything to get him his money back.
“No, please, I’m sorry, sir. You— you don’t need to worry about me—”
“Oh, I worry, Cat,” he said, the enunciation on her name crystal clear. “I worry that you’re forgetting how good you have it. Very few of my debtors get to run around free like you and your girl. You know who else I worry about? Hmm? My cleaners. You know, their stomachs get all jittery when it comes to kids. I think the screaming gets to them.”
Cat’s stomach churned, her knees growing weak as she leaned heavily against the barren wall, her chest tightening in panic.
Not Mia. Anything but that. If Cat had to go the House to spare them, she would.
“I’m ... I’m sorry, sir. I haven’t forgotten. What ... what’s the job?”
“Glad to hear it,” Mister Reyes said with a grunt. “Head to the address now. Get a squad up, you got a place to sweep. No. Mistakes.”
Heidi pulled her legs to her chest, adjusting the thin straps of her flowery dress to cover herself. Only hearing one side of the conversation, she already knew what was going to happen. Another mission. Another chance she’d never come home.
Heidi should have just gone to the House. Using her body, she’d be able to make enough that Cat didn’t need to endanger herself. They’d make enough to pay for Mia’s treatments. This could all be over if she just had the guts to do what she needed to do.
“You’re thinking about it again,” Cat said softly, wrapping her from behind, the bed sinking under their combined weight. “Don’t worry, Heidi. It’ll be fine. I promise.”
“Please, Cat,” Heidi begged, gripping Cat’s hand tighter. “We—we can find another way. Something where you won’t get hurt.”
“No, I won’t let you get hurt in my place.”
“I ... I don’t want this,” Heidi cried. “You—you should just go. Take—take Mia. Please. I’ll—I’ll get the money.”
“Stop it,” Cat said, her voice gentle as she rocked Heidi. “I’ll be back. I always come back to you. And to Mia.”
“But ... what if you don’t? What if something happens? What if—”
“Shush, silly,” Cat interrupted her, turning Heidi to face her. “None of that. Nothing will happen. I’ll be back. Like always.”
Cat swallowed hard, desperate to keep her voice calm for Heidi. Every time Cat had to leave, this sinking feeling in her gut grew colder and heavier. While she tried to assure Heidi that it would all be okay, Cat knew that one of these days her luck would run out.
And where would that leave Heidi and Mia? With no-one to rely on, what would their fates be? With Mister Reyes, there were no happy endings. The best she could hope for was to die somewhere after she’d paid off the insane loan Heidi had been forced to take. Every day, they chipped away at that debt, but Reyes would never let them off that easy.
“Now, why don’t you go visit Mia, hmm?” Cat asked, kissing Heidi’s wavy honey-blonde hair. “You can read her a story and just wait for me to come and see you two. Okay? I won’t be long.”
Heidi’s clear blue eyes searched hers as though desperately looking for an answer to her prayers.