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“I don’t have to because this is just the first of many,” he said and grabbed my wrist, he pulled me to himself again. We kissed and left the church’s laundry room with my arm linked in his.
Our feet scraped against the stone floor of the hallway as we walked back towards the altar.
“What do we do if the priest sees us now? He’ll know that we were alone in here,” I said in a whisper, the color rising in my cheeks again.
“It’ll be our little secret then. Just between the three of us,” he said, as we walked out into an empty altar. The priest and the rest of the parish were long gone, and I laughed aloud openly once again.
xxx
I decided to walk back to Moira’s place. King told me that he had some stuff to take care of and I decided that I needed the fresh air, even though he insisted on calling me a cab. After some convincing, King finally relented and let me walk back home.
I walked the whole way with a smile on my face, and I found myself humming a tune as well. I just couldn’t wrap my head around how well everything had worked out. I knew I would have to wait just some more time until King could sort out the trouble with the gang and after that, I could move in with him, and we could finally start living our lives together.
I saw the black Mercedes pulled up outside Moira’s building, the moment the avenue came into view. I squinted my eyes to see, but the windows were tinted. A sudden cold fear had gripped my belly the moment I saw the car; I knew something was wrong.
I looked over my shoulder and saw that I was completely alone and whoever was inside the car, would have seen me already. If they wanted to cause me any harm, all they would have to do would be to follow me down the street. I was on foot after all.
So, my best bet would have been to somehow make it past the car, into the building and to lock myself up in Moira’s apartment. Keeping my head down and my face turned away, I tried to pick up pace and rush towards the entrance.
I had crossed the car, and I fumbled with the lock on the door, and before I had even put the key in; I’d heard the sound of the car door opening.
“Valentina, where are you going sweetheart?” I heard a voice behind me, and immediately, I knew it was Juan. I would have recognized that voice anywhere. My hands shook as I tried to get the key in the lock, my body quivering with fear, and I heard his footsteps behind me.
A hand reached over my shoulder to keep the door shut and slowly, with my breath caught in my throat, I turned to look at him. He had a greasy smile pasted across his face, and he was looking down at me with accomplishment. I winced, as he brought a hand towards my face, tracing the faded and hidden outline of the bruise on my jaw.
“You’ve done a good job of covering it up, beautiful,” he said, and my skin crawled from his touch.
I yanked myself away from him, glaring deep into his eyes. I couldn’t believe that he’d found me.
“Get away from me, Juan! I’m under the protection of the Rogue Rebels now!” I barked at him, which only made him smile a little wider.
“Are you? Well, it doesn’t work that way, sweetheart. You belong to us. Your precious Papi gave you to us, and you shouldn’t have even tried to get away,” he said and reached for my wrist, he pulled me. I struggled against him, but Juan was much stronger, and he was dragging me down the steps, towards his parked car.
I didn’t stop screaming or calling for help, but nobody heard, I was all alone. Until I heard someone else’s cries. It was coming from the car. I looked up, and now saw through the open door, Paola sitting in the back seat. She was crying; her makeup was running in puddles down her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry, Valentina…they made me! I’m so sorry!” she was crying, and when I saw her, my body went limp. Now I knew how Juan had found me. Paola had either given up the information willingly or maybe they had her phone bugged. Either way, calling her had been a mistake, giving her my address had been an even bigger one.
I held her gaze, shooting darts at her through my eyes. Paola was shaking her head, hollering more.
“What are you going to do to her? Please, Juan…don't do this!” she wailed, as he shoved me into the backseat of the car with her.
“That is none of your business, bitch,” he hissed at her, sticking his head into the car.
I was lying on my side on the back seat, close enough to Paola to be able to smell her cheap perfume. How was this happening? Just when I thought everything was going to be all right, just minutes after I was so truly happy?
“Juan, you’re making a big mistake,” I said through gritted teeth, straightening myself up.
“Juan, please let her go,” Paola continued to wail, and instead of targeting me, Juan extended his hand past my shoulder and landed a cracking slap on Paola’s face. With enough force to jerk her face sideways. She cried out with pain, and another volley of tears p
oured down her cheeks.
“Stop battering her. Hit me if you have to!” I snapped at him. Juan turned to me with a smile and then reached for my face again. I was cold to his touch, my body slithering from his proximity.
“We wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty face of yours, would we? Besides, I have other plans for you, sweetheart,” he said and slammed the car door shut on us.
Paola was sniffling beside me, and I tried to calm myself as Juan sat down on the front seat beside the driver.
“Let’s go,” I heard him say, just as Paola wrapped her long cold arms around me and rested her head on my shoulder in solidarity. I wasn’t really in the mood for hugs, even though I forgave her. Whatever she had done or not done, this wasn’t her fault. All I needed to do, was figure out an escape plan or somehow get in touch with King.
