AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You. You’re working in the back today,” a guard told him in Spanish, grabbing him and a few other men, ushering them to the back of the temple where some of the facade had fallen off. There were scaffolds already in place and two men were working on restoring the shape of the building.
Rafaelo didn’t protest, simply doing as he was told. He wasn’t in the mood for a confrontation when he was still warring with himself.
In total, about twenty people were ordered to work on the outer side of the temple, and they soon found a rhythm as they coordinated their movements.
“I’m Jackson,” a man around his age told him as he came by his side.
“Rafaelo.” He nodded in reply.
“I haven’t seen you around here.”
“I came a few days ago.”
“Lucky,” the man whistled. “I’ve been here for a month,” he sighed.
They both went about preparing the clay to repair the facade, making small talk in the meanwhile.
Rafaelo learned that Jackson was from a poor family in Texas and he’d borrowed a lot of money from a cartel. When he’d been unable to pay, he’d been forced to work at the hacienda until his debt was paid in full.
“And how long is that?”
“A decade. If I’m lucky,” he said, and pursed his lips.
That promptly ended their discussion as the man turned taciturn.
Rafaelo could understand where he was coming from. At the same time, he knew he was not about to waste his life at the hacienda. One way or another, he had to find a way out.
But first, he needed to study his surroundings and get as much information as possible. More than anything, he needed to be on his best behavior, so to not arouse suspicion from the guards.
Whereas, with Armand he’d been too drugged to function normally most of the time, at least now he was at full mental capacity. He was still weak, and the drugs still held a certain grip on him, but he could think clearly for the first time in too long.
As such, he knew he needed to take it slow, so he could recover first while planning his escape. And getting more friendly with the other slaves was one of the first items on his list, since they had the information he required.
He’d already gotten a summary about how the hacienda operated and the fact that el señor was more or less a saintly authority. His wife was as feared as she was admired by people. He hadn’t been able to figure out yethowthey had such sway over people. But all things in due time.
According to his calculations, he was somewhere close to the coast in the northeastern part of Mexico. That meant the closest border was with Texas.
The sun was scorching, sweat beaded over his forehead as he continued to work. He wasn’t the only one affected by the heat, and water was rationed for everyone.
When he’d wished for heat, he certainly hadn’t meantthat.
Even his thoughts became foggy as he strained to withstand the dehydration.
Luckily, the lunch break was soon announced, and everyone made a quick queue to where food and drink were being served.
Rafaelo was enraptured by the sandwich in front of him and the bottle of water that he tried to ration as best as he could. He found a corner that was safe from the battering sun and sat down, making himself comfortable. He barely noted the flash of silk that appeared in his field of view. But as he did a double take, his eyes widened in shock as he spottedher.
She was wearing a purple silky dress that flowed down her body, her hair bound atop her head as a few curls slipped down her beautiful face. Her sun-kissed skin glowed, her light freckles more evident in natural lighting than they’d been in the enclosed space of the banquet room the other day.
And just like that, Rafaelo realized it hadn’t been his erroneous perception at the time.
Shewasthe most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. So much so, even the word beautiful could do her no justice.
Just like he stared in awe at her, so did everyone else. All the men seemed to be in her thrall as they ate her up with their eyes.
But of course they would,Rafaelo thought as a scowl pulled at his lips. The slaves were eighty percent males, and he could bet that none of them had been with a woman in a long time.
The female slaves he’d seen around had been few, and they were segregated from the men. What had Charles said? That all the women belonged to the master so no one could touch them.
