Page 8 of Iced Out

Tae choked back a sob and wrapped his arms around his dad’s waist, his watery eyes flicking to the man who had been in the back seat with him. “He… He was gonna… rape me.” He swallowed a couple of times. “They… they both were.”

“He’s lying!” the driver shrieked. “I wasn’t! It was just him!”

“You lying fuck!” the other man cried.

“I’m not lying!” the driver insisted. “I wasn’t gonna touch him—I swear to God!”

Clint grabbed him by the hair and wrenched his head back. “Children are precious in God’s eyes,” he hissed. “God hates child fuckers.”

The other man rubbed his throat where droplets of blood had streaked his skin. “What’re you going to do to us?” His fear of the answer was evident in his voice and eyes.

His eyes narrowing, Clint said, “Why ruin the surprise?”

“Let’s get this done.” Cochise looked up and down the two-lane highway. “Before any traffic comes along.” He glanced at Cruz. “Can one of your men take Tae home?” His hand rested on the boy’s back as Tae trembled against him.

“I’ll take him.” Rodriguez, a young man in his mid-twenties, stepped away from the red Mustang and walked over.

Cochise nodded. He had a deep affection for Rodriguez, who was nursing a grief-stricken heart after losing the love of his life not long ago.

Tae tightened his arms and pressed his face into Cochise’s chest. “I knew you’d come for me,” he whispered through quiet sobs. “I knew… you would.”

Wrapping both arms around the boy, Cochise kissed the top of his head. “I’ll always come for you,” he murmured. “You’re my son.” He hugged him closer as his eyes rose to the two men trapped against the car, and he let the rage burning through his veins take hold. “I love you.”

Rodriguez stood at the rear of the Dodge Durango and glanced at the two captives. It was men like these who had shot the man he loved right in front of him. Cochise saw it in his eyes—he didn’t want to be around them right now.

Untangling himself from Tae’s arms, Cochise cupped Tae’s face and kissed his brow. “Go with Rodriguez; he’ll keep you safe and get you home.” His mouth twitched. “He might be a runt, but he’s badass to the core.”

The young man smiled and shook his head. There was a time when he would’ve shot back a snappy retort. The Egyptian missed the cocky boy he used to be… before his heart was ripped out.

Tae hugged his dad again. “When’re you coming home?”

“Later,” Cochise said. “In time for dinner.”

The boy raised his head, tears in his eyes. “You’re my hero,” he whispered.

Cochise stared at him, then kissed his head again as he cleared his throat. “Go on, now. Let Rodriguez get you home.”

Nodding, Tae reluctantly left his dad’s side and approached Rodriguez, who smiled. “Ready for another ride in my cool car?”

Tae sniffed. “Yeah.”

CHAPTER 4

When Tae was gone, Cochise walked over to the two immigration officers. Clint stepped back and stood beside Cruz and Sanchez. Cruz’s other men lingered around the two cars blocking the road. Clint wouldn’t blame the Egyptian if he gutted the officers right here. He had wanted to as well. Cochise must be considering how close Tae came to being raped by these men.

Cochise reached out and slid his hand around the man’s throat from the back seat, slowly pressing his thumb against his jugular until the man gagged and grabbed the Egyptian’s hand in panic.

“Do you know what happens to men who use their dicks as weapons?” His words were barely audible, yet carried a threat heavy enough to crush a man’s will. “They lose their privilege to have a dick.”

“I…” the man wheezed, clawing at Cochise’s hand. “I… didn’t… I wasn’t going to…” Cochise ground his thumb deeper into his fleshy throat. The man choked, gagging wetly. “I was just… trying to… scare him… I wasn’t going to… to rape him.”

Clint held his tongue; he didn’t need to tell his Egyptian brother that the fucker was lying. Even without Tae’s confirmation that the men had meant to rape him, the lie was easily detectable. Liars had a stench about them.

“You think it’s fun to scare kids?” Cochise’s words came out in a low growl. “How about I scare you… and we see if you still find it fun?”

“No…” The man shook his head, eyes bulging and watery.

Cochise stared at the man, his thumb digging in harder. “Did you ignore my boy when he said no? You did, didn’t you?”