In the Shadow of Betrayal

(Kelly's POV)

The boat, which everyone had thought they were free and adventures took place, now felt like a floating coffin. The once lively chatter of the crew was replaced by a deafening silence, broken only by the occasional sob from me and the soft lapping of the water against the boat.

Carlos, his face a mask of grief and anger, pointed a gun to Rashad's head and turned to one of his men. "Tira tu arma, átalo," which means go tie him up, he ordered in Spanish, his bazz voice loud and clear. The man nodded, quickly disarming Rashad and tying his hands behind his back.

Rashad didn't resist. He just sat there, his back against the pole of the cargo, his face devoid of any emotion. His eyes, once filled with ambition and determination, were now empty, reflecting the hopelessness of our situation.

As the boat slowly moved towards the riverbanks, I couldn't help but look at Rashad. The man I once loved, the man who promised me a life of adventure and excitement, was now the reason for our despair. His plan, his ambition, had cost us Diego's life and left us in this mess.

Carlos's men were on high alert, their guns pointed at Rashad. They were ready to hand him over to the attackers, hoping that it would save us. But I knew, deep down, that it was too late. We had crossed a line that we couldn't go back from.

I held onto Diego's lifeless body, my heart aching with grief. His once vibrant eyes were now closed, his face pale and cold. I couldn't believe that he was gone, that I would never see his smile again, never hear his laughter.

Carlos, despite his grief, was trying to keep us together. "We need to stay strong," he said, his voice choked with emotion. "For Diego."

His words, though meant to be comforting, only served to remind us of the grim reality in which Diego was gone.

As the boat neared the riverbanks, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen next. Would we be able to survive this? Or was this the end of our journey?

Only time would tell.

The boat finally reached the riverbanks. Carlos and his men, along with Diego's lifeless body, disembarked. Rashad was still tied to the boat pole. They were all on high alert, their guns trained on the surrounding bushes, ready for any potential attackers.

Carlos made a gesture, and his men made Rashad kneel down, while they formed a protective circle around him. Carlos, his men, and Diego's men were all there, their faces grim and determined.

Carlos took a step closer to the bush, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. Suddenly, he shouted in Spanish, "My men, run!" He was speaking to his men, who immediately understood and began to run.

However, before they could get far, Diego's men opened fire. Three of Carlos's men fell instantly, their bodies hitting the ground with a thud. The remaining men stood their ground, their guns trained on Rashad, my so-called boyfriend.

The air was filled with tension as Diego waited for the next move pointing their guns at me and Rashad and staring at the bush at the coming of the Zetas gang.

Everything came to a pause. Out of the bush, men emerged, their guns pointed at Diego's men and me. Rashad was still tied to the floor. One of the men who came out was in a suit, looking like their boss. There was a pause on both ends, each waiting for the other to make the first statement.

Finally, the man in the suit broke the silence. "I'm here for him," he said, pointing at Rashad. "You all can be gone. All I need is him."

One of Diego's men retorted, "We want money as a peace tribute to our late boss Diego, whom your men killed for this traitor," referring to Rashad as the traitor.

The man in the suit didn't flinch. "Name your price," he said calmly. "I will pay."

The same man who had demanded a tribute for Diego spoke up again, his voice firm. "Vamos a cobrar 50 millones de pesos mexicanos," he said, which translates to "We are going to collect 50 million Mexican pesos."

The air grew even tenser as the Diego men waited for the man in suit's response.

After a few tense seconds, the man in the suit finally responded. He casually threw his hand into the air, and one of his men emerged from the bush. I could see a Brabus G Wagon hidden behind the foliage. The man in the suit whispered something into his ear, and the man disappeared back into the bush, only to return moments later with a suitcase.

He opened it to reveal stacks of money, so much that it took my breath away. The man in the suit gestured towards it and said, "It's all yours." His gaze then turned to me, a predatory glint in his eyes. "But then I want the lady also," he added, referring to me.

A chill ran down my spine at his words. "Oh my gosh does it always have to be me getting cut up in their dangerous games." She muttered to herself.

The man who had made the bid nodded at the man in the suit's words. "She's all yours," he said, referring to both Rashad and me. The man in the suit nodded in agreement and handed the suitcase to one of his men. The man brought it to the Diego man who had made the bid. He passed it on to one of the other men who counted the money hastily. "Está completo," he said, which translates to "It's complete."

And so Diego men pushed Rashad and me towards the men in the suit. They ushered us into the Brabus G Wagon.

Just as they were about to drive off, a gunshot rang out. The men in the suit were instantly on alert. I peered out of the window and saw all of Diego's men falling to the ground. Carlos and his men were running towards the suitcase, shouting, "¡Somos ricos!" which translates to "We are rich!"

The man in the suit laughed as he got back into the car. "A la calle," he said, which translates to "To the street." The car roared to life and we sped off, leaving the chaos behind.

I couldn't help but wonder what would happen next.

Inside the car, the man in the suit lit a large cigar and blew a cloud of smoke into Rashad's face. He nodded to one of his men, who promptly delivered a punch to Rashad's stomach. Rashad doubled over in pain, gasping for breath.

"You think you can run away with the money?" the man in the suit sneered. His words echoed in the confined space of the car, each syllable dripping with menace.

It was then that it hit me - we were in the hands of the Zetas gang from Monterey. A chill ran down my spine as I realized the gravity of our situation.

We were in the clutches of one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in Mexico. What would they do to us?

I had never been with these people nor seen them anywhere in my life, but from the little I had seen, I could tell they were dangerous.

I tried to avoid the gaze of the man in the suit, but he reached out and lifted my face by the jaw. "What's your name?" he asked. I mumbled something in response, but he wasn't satisfied. He yelled again, this time in Spanish, "¡Dije, cuál es tu nombre!" which translates to "I said, what's your name!"

With fear in my voice, I managed to stutter out, "Kelly Williams." The man in the suit seemed to consider this for a moment, his gaze never leaving my face. I could only wonder what he was planning next.

After a few seconds of holding onto my jaw, he let go and leaned back into the car seat. He then yelled at the driver, "¡Conduce rápido, maldita sea!" which translates to "Drive fast, damn it!"

The car immediately lurched forward, speeding off into the deep bush. I could only sit there, my heart pounding in my chest, as I wondered where we were heading next.

Suddenly, the car stopped moving. The door was opened, and the man in the suit stepped out, revealing a large white mansion. He took off his suit and threw it to one of his men. "Bring her upstairs," he ordered, pointing at me. "Take him to a closed room downstairs," he added, referring to Rashad.

The men did as they were instructed; they picked up Rashad like a sack of potatoes, still tied up with ropes, and carried him away. I was left to walk freely up the grand staircase of the mansion, escorted by one of the men.

As I ascended the stairs, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.