Finding Forgiveness

“All in good time, Blanca,” he said in a smooth tone as I felt his hand on my knee from under the table. “Now be quiet and enjoy Mexico. Eduardo!” he called seconds before the man came scurrying back. “Dos chilaquiles, por favor.”

“Si. A drink?”

“Two beers,” he replied and the man left again.

It wasn’t long until the food came and it was delicious. When I had finished that (which was pretty quickly), Andrea ordered me some flautas and fajitas and an enchilada and a burrito and a taco and some other stuff I didn’t even know what was. The point is, by the end of it, my hunger was gone and I had a new appreciation for Mexican food.

“Can I get you any more drinks, Se? or?” Eduardo asked.

“Another tequlia for the American,” he said and Eduardo left.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re trying to get me drunk,” I said lifting up one of the empty shot glasses on the table.

He let out a short laugh and leant forward, “You’re bold, Blanca.”

Eduardo then returned with the tequila.

“I’ve encountered enough men to know what you’re doing,” I said before knocking back the shot. “But I’m surprised it’s a tactic that a man like you has to resort to.”

“A man like me?” he asked.

“Don’t tell me that cute little face doesn’t have the girls lining up,” I said running my finger along his smooth cheek.

“Maybe I don’t want other girls,” he replied, his hand brushing against my leg under the table.

“And why would you bring me to a nice restaurant if your objective is to intoxicate me?”

“Maybe I’m a gentleman. Or maybe I just think good food and a nice date will increase my chances,” he said with a shrug and a grin.

I spent the next afternoon back in the warehouse. He didn’t tie me up this time but he still sat watching me. After I uncovered his novice tequila plan, he made no further advances on me, especially since I was doing a fairly good job of appearing sober.

About an hour later, a man, practically a boy, came rushing through with a phone in his hand.

“Se? or, es importante,” he said holding out the phone to Andrea.

“Watch her,” he ordered gesturing to me as he took the phone and left the warehouse.

The boy nodded and stood bolt upright and motionless. He looked tense and for whatever reason obviously desperate to? please Andrea.

“Who was on the phone?” I asked. I would guess that that meant something along the lines of ‘I don’t speak English’. “Yo no puedo decir,” he replied.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and he? brought his finger to his lips and then shook his head as if to say ‘I can’t say’.

Jesus Christ. What did Andrea do to deserve loyalty? Or maybe it wasn’t loyalty, maybe it was just fear.

Fifteen minutes later, Andrea returned and strode towards.

“I have something, I’d like you to do for me,” he said tying a blindfold over my eyes before he grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. “Come with me.”

We were soon back in the car with Pedro driving and far enough away from the warehouse for Andrea to remove my blindfold.

After my eyes had adjusted to the light again, he lifted his suit jacket and withdrew a gun from his belt before pushing it across the back seat of the car towards me.

I looked down at it with wide eyes and then up to Andrea.

“You’re giving me a gun?” I asked. “I thought I was your prisoner?”

“Sweetheart you are,” he said running the back of his forefinger along my cheek. “Think of this as a test. If you pass, you will earn a little more freedom. If you fail, you will receive punishment.”

“What do you want me to do?” I asked. “Where will I spend the night?” I asked wondering if it was going to be any better.

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and find out,” he said before roughly pulling me onto his lap.

I let out a tiny gasp with the surprise of his sudden movement and once again I felt the pain of being so close to a man that wasn’t Leo.

“But I’m sure you have a pretty good idea,” he said kissing my chest. “Oh, and if you fail or try to escape from me, I will have you hunted down before killing you… after getting what I want from you, of course. So let’s do this the right way, yes?”

“And what if I don’t like the sound of either option?” I asked with my most flagellant smile.

I ran my fingers through his hair as his hands drifted from my waist to my hips.

“You drive me insane, Blanca,” he said kissing my neck. “But you can’t decline my offer.”

“So is it really an offer?” I asked brushing a thick strand of hair from his eyes.

“It was until you said no,” he answered as I felt his hand slip up my shorts.

I slapped it away and pulled my shorts back down.

“Hands off,” I snapped. “You’ll have to wait.”

With an amused expression, he took his hands off me and held them up with a grin plastered across his face.

“Is it even loaded?” I asked picking up the gun from the seat beside us.

“Why would I give you an unloaded gun?”

“Why would you give me a loaded gun?” I countered. “You don’t trust me.”

“What gives you that impression?” He asked twiddling my hair as I remained straddling his lap.

“You cover my eyes and drag me around like a dog on a leash,” I replied. “I could do anything with a loaded gun. Shoot you, for example,” I said holding the gun to his head.

“Well, you see, Blanca. That would only be suicidal,” he said allowing me to hold the gun there. “I offer you protection whilst I’m alive. As soon as I am dead, there is nothing stopping the vultures swooping in, Guillermo being the first.”

“Guess I won’t kill you then… yet,” I said.