AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He releases his grip, smiling, and it nearly causes the bile to rise up my throat. I run out of the car and through the glass double doors. My father is in the middle of the dining room, standing in front of the large wooden table that we never sit at. “Father!” I lurch myself into his arms. He wraps them around me, and I can't remember the last time my father held me. It was probably after the last time I went missing. My arms tighten around him and the scent of his spicy cologne is comforting for once.
He breaks apart from me and holds my shoulders at a distance, getting a better look at me. “Mateo. I'm so happy you are home and safe. Look at what this man has done to you. Santiago has reassured me he will be dealt with. Now, how about we have your mother take you to your room, and help you get cleaned up and in bed. You are getting married tomorrow and need your rest.”
My mother comes running down the stairs, her eyes full of tears. “Oh, mijo. Thank God you're home.” She holds me to her chest but something about it seems off. “Don't worry. It will all be better soon.”
Her words come off more unnerving than reassuring. Something deep down inside tells me it's going to only get worse from here. But I have to trust in Gabriel's plan.
Thirty
Gabriel
Two large men walk me blindfolded down the stairs, into what I can only assume is a basement. I'm practically shoved down the last two steps, falling forward. I crash to the ground and fold into myself to lessen the fall. There's a stench in the air that’s a mixture of blood and vomit. I must not be the only person who's been brought down here recently. Footsteps hurry up the stairs and the door slams shut. But there's a lingering presence nearby that tells me I may not be alone.
I lay on the cold hard ground with my limbs free. No one tied me up, which was a stupid move. The blindfold must have been to keep me from seeing where we were. I yank down the cloth from over my eyes and am surrounded by darkness. Shuffling comes from the corner.
“Don't worry, Gabriel, you will be nice and comfortable down here for the night. It's way more than you deserve.”
The voice isn't Santiago's. It's deeper and smoother. The man gets closer and a light comes on, shining against his tired brown eyes. His mouth morphs into a frown, reminding me of Mateo. He points a gun down at me as if that will be enough. A door opens behind me and I am outnumbered again. Miguel is smart enough not to trust being alone in a room with me. He glares down at me, his eyes bulging with rage. “You should have let it go and walked away, instead of coming after my son. No one hurts my family and gets away with it.”
I get more into a sitting position and his gun is taken off the safety with a click. “I wouldn't move if I were you.”
“Listen to me, Miguel. Your son is in way more danger here than he was with me. Santiago is the man you want dead, not me.”
He clicks his jaw, turning his gun to the side. “You think I’m stupid, don't you? You forget, Gabriel, I know who you are, and I know who your father was.”
“I no longer care about that. I'm willing to leave the past where it belongs as long as it guarantees Mateo's safety. He isn't safe here and he won't be as long as Santiago is alive. And at this point, yes, I do think you're stupid for putting your trust in the wrong man.”
He tilts his head to the side, his eyes reaching into mine. He's reading me. I hope all he finds is the truth in my eyes. He slides a hand through his hair. “How about we start with the real truth as to why you are here then?”
“I'm here because I love your son. I rescued him earlier from a warehouse on an island, about an hour away from here. I took down at least ten of Santiago’s men and tricked him into thinking I killed you. He believed it long enough for me to get him away from Mateo.”
He eyes me tentatively, lowering his gun. The guys behind me remain on high alert. He lowers his head to mine. “And why should I believe the man who thinks I killed his father? The man who has been seeking revenge against me this whole time?”
I swallow hard. “I don't think you killed my father, I know you did.”
He laughs. “And here I thought you were a man who knew everything. From what I can see, you barely knew your own father.”
“What are you talking about?”
He shakes his head. “You were way too young to see what was right in front of you. If what you are saying is true about my son, then it appears you and I are more alike than you think.”
“I am nothing like you,” I spit. “Mateo is nothing like you, and he is way too good for this world you've dragged him into.”
He shakes his head again. “Soon he will realize everything I do is for him. Even this.”
He points his gun at me again and, as he cocks it, I close my eyes for what's to come. I knew the plan could go this way. My brother warned me, but it was worth the risk. I would do it all over again if it meant a better life for Mateo. It's funny how things work. This is exactly what I wanted before. That was, until the day I stumbled upon the alluring, beautiful man who was about to marry a monster.
I open my eyes again when no bullet ever comes. “Please. All I want to do is help your son.”
“The best way you can help my son is by being dead. Lucky for you, today won't be the day I end your pathetic life. After the wedding, my son will be the one to do it himself if he so chooses.”
He slides the gun back into his holster, moving past me so quickly he nearly knocks my kneeling body to the ground. When I try to stand, the barrel of a gun is slammed against my head, causing me to crash to the floor, temporarily losing my vision.
When I wake, it feels like way too much time has passed. I roll on my side, cringing at the pungent smell around me. The room is dark and the still silence tells me I'm alone. When I move to the stairs, a bright light comes on, forcing me to shield my eyes. Someone's footsteps are pounding down the stairs. “Good morning, Gabriel. After speaking with a man who managed to survive your visit to the warehouse and stumbling upon some of my wife's emails, I think I'm ready for us to talk some more.”
I stare up into a pair of dark eyes. His suit is crisp and perfectly tailored to his body. There is a red flower sticking out of his front pocket. It must be nearly time for the wedding. I must have slept all the way through to the next day. He is alone and there are no guards in sight. He bends down closer to me. “So how about you tell me every single thing you know, starting from the beginning.”
Miguel strokes his chin with his fingers, never taking his eyes off me. He came down here alone because he no longer trusts the people in his home, and he shouldn't.
