Page 12 of His Other Half

She grimaced. "I need to tell you something that isn't my secret to share."

"About?"

"Cami." She closed her eyes a few seconds and then met his gaze. "It's important for me to save her, not only because she's my best friend, but because she's pregnant. Nobody knows, except me. She's only three months along and not showing. If the men who are holding her find out, they won't sell her. If they can't sell her, they'll..."

He jerked, not needing to hear more. He knew what would happen to her and the baby if Shaw sold her. "The father?"

Josie shook her head. "He's not around or involved in Cami's life."

A crushing heaviness settled over him. He knew what the outcome would be before it happened.

Josie wrapped her arms around her middle. He had no strength to lend her. Going after her had opened up a nightmare.

"Give me a few more minutes, and I'll have an answer for you." Paco opened the door and walked her back to the main room, handing her care over to Chrischris.

Alone in the hallway, he failed to control his anger and burst into the meeting room, slamming the door behind him.

Everyone turned toward him. Inside his body, his blood boiled. His hold on reality slipped the more information he gained from Josie. The outcome flashed in front of him, and his reaction never changed. It never changed.

"Cami Johnson is pregnant," he blurted. "I'm riding out."

"Son of a bitch." Priest walked around the table. "Give me five minutes to get a crew together and say our goodbyes."

He walked out of the room, needing air. Cami's pregnancy had changed Priest's opinion of the situation. Tarkio was in.

The outcome would be anyone's guess. None of them were strangers to the prison system or losing a brother. Paco stepped into the main room. He'd killed when the situation came down to his freedom or losing his position within the club.

Taking out men who sold women, pregnant women, disgusted him.

Josie spotted him and rushed across the room. He needed to talk to her, but he needed to get out of here first.

Finding it difficult to breathe, he guided her down the hallway to the back door. Out of view of the main road, it would be safe for him to talk to her privately.

"Well?" she said, facing him.

"We're going in after her." He grabbed his pack of smokes with a shaky hand, needing to distract himself. "You'll stay here. Don't think about running off. There will be others watching over you."

"I want to go with you." She reached for him and stopped before making contact. "Cami will be scared. She doesn't know you."

"No." He exhaled harshly, needing something stronger than nicotine to calm him down.

"What are you going to do if someone catches you?" Her gaze intensified. "Who will help her?"

Her cheekbones became more pronounced as her mouth tightened. Paco's thoughts came fast and furious, knowing her past. He could come up with a hundred reasons why she wouldn't want to deal with the men at the casino, and despite her own fears, she was willing to step forward to save her friend.

He admired her bravery and hated her foolishness.

Someone needed to take care of her to make sure she stayed safe from herself, not to mention from others.

"I'll stop Robert Shaw," he said. "So, he can't do this to any other woman."

"There's more than just him." Her brows lowered. "You have no idea."

"I know."

"You can't." Her eyes narrowed. "You're an outsider."

"I know." He'd poured through her journal so many times, he'd memorized every word.