"Wh... Whatever you want!" he gasped, hips flashing.
The Slaver moved back. "Squeeze harder. She breathes too easy."
That had been in the heat of lust and fear. Now, it would be a morally conscious decision, and Rick wasn't sure which way he would fall, only that he would.
As he entered, Cesar was on the bed, rolling a thick line of white powder into a blunt paper, something that Rick had never seen anyone do before, and he lowered his bandana. He waited just inside the awful-smelling Mess, shifty green eyes going over the man in the dirty gray robe who claimed to be the bastard son of Fidel Castro.
Trying not to stare at the naked slave kneeling at her master's booted feet, his gaze went over filthy clothes, a blanket, and scraps of food. Her dog collar and chain purposely prevented the shivering girl from reaching any of the items. He had time to think he liked the look of the heavy metal around her slender, bruised ankle, and then reality crashed in on him.
"Un momento, Reechard. It ees time to pay for the second month of life I have decided to give you."
The Mexican's accent was thick but clear enough to understand, and Rick's stomach dropped the rest of the way. He rubbed his damp palms down dirty jeans, trying to cover his nervousness. "What do you want me to do?"
Slightly distracted, as he was meant to be, Rick was trying very hard to ignore the naked teenager. He could see tears falling, but not the face covered by shiny brown curls.
"Trinidad, Colorado," Cesar sneered, making it ugly. "We will be there in a few days. You go with la salida del sol."
Although Rick said nothing, knowing not to tell the ruthless Slaver he wouldn't leave at sunrise, Cesar looked up at him with hard, black eyes as a warning. The Mexican's left hand clenched into only half a fist; two fingers on that side missing. "Si?"
Rick lowered his eyes, "I can't do that." The former janitor's voice was low, apologetic, making his 5'11, 190 lb. frame appear much smaller as he stood in the flickering shadows. "I'm sorry. Not again. You'll have to kill me, I guess."
Cesar smiled, revealing a single gold front tooth that flashed in the dim lantern light of the drafty tent. "All in good time, Reechard."
Cesar waved a ringed finger, am his slave quickly climbed onto the large pile of blankets behind the ruthless man. She looked terrified, tender flesh shaking. Rick felt a small measure of pity, but it was mostly drowned out by the envy that Cesar Castro Diaz was getting her all to himself, when Rick hadn't had a woman since they'd left the prison, and taken the first town. Salem, where he'd helped to kill them all.