AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Go? You aren’t going anywhere.”
“Why not?” I flinch and watch as Aziel’s eyes narrow. I shouldn’t have questioned him. “I’m sorry.”
His upper lip curls. “Quit fucking apologizing.” I shrink back, and that seems to only aggravate him further. And spur him on by the looks of it, because he takes a step towards me. “You aren’t going anywhere because I’m not even close to being finished with you yet, Ivy.” I can feel the double meaning in his tone. The gravel in his words makes me instinctively press my legs together. I watch as his eyes zero in on my legs. “Definitely not finished with you yet.”
Like the devil he is, Santiago comes to mind and it’s like I submerge myself in a bucket of cold water. I’m suddenly cold and uneasy. I take a step away from him. I can tell he doesn’t like this by the way he puffs out a humorous laugh. Pulling a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, he slips one out and light it.
“That’ll kill you, you know.” Is the only thing that comes to my mind.
Smoke streams out of his nose. “Right now, I’m thinking that’s the better option.”
“Then what?”
“You don’t want to know.” He turns around and walks towards the bench, bending over to pick up a bag on the ground I didn’t notice before. He walks back towards me and lifts the bag in my direction. “Here, take these.”
“What is it?” I don’t make a grab for it. I don’t know what it is, and honestly, I don’t think I want anything from these people anyway. I just want to get out of here.
“They’re clothes. You’re going to get your ass inside and change. Then you’re going to get something to eat so I don’t have to hear that horrendous noise come out of your stomach ever again. Finally, I’m going to have to sit you down with my club and we’re going to have to go over what you know.”
“What I know?” I cock my head to the side.
“About Santiago.” He lifts an eyebrow, inspecting my face when he says the name
I keep my face blank. What I want to do is curl up into a ball at the name of El Jefe, but instead I barely even blink. “And then I can go home?”
He takes one last drag and flicks hit cigarette on the ground, stubbing the cherry out with the toe of his boot. “Then, we cantalkabout you going home.” He turns his gaze towards Lilah. “Hey, kid. Go get dressed and go to the kitchen. Your mom is hungry.”
I watch Lilah snap her head up and smile at him, like they’re best friends. Like they’ve known each other forever. She listens to him, too. She doesn’t put up a fight like she usually does with me. She drops the dandelions like flowers don’t mean the world to her. Running up toAziel, she asks, “Mommy going to eat the yummy pancakes, too?”
“Maybe. I’ve got to go to work for a bit though. You be good to your mom. I’ll see you in a while.”
He walks off, leaving me and Lilah standing in the middle of the yard. It feels like the world left with him, leaving us in silence with nothing and no one around. The wind stopped blowing and the birds stopped chirping. It’s like time stopped all together.
I don’t know what it is, but I feel like he walked off with a part of me in his pocket.
“You hungry, Mommy?” Lilah pulls on my hand, and I snap out of whatever trance Aziel put me in and look down at Lilah. “I am. Should we go get dressed and see if we can find something for Mommy to eat?”
“Yeah!”
We walk back inside, and I can instantly feel eyes on me. Looking up, I see a group of guys staring at me. One of them is the guy who was guarding my door last night. I don’t trust anyone, even these people. It doesn’t matter nothing has happened to us yet. Everything could change in the blink of an eye.
“Come on, Lilah.” I pull her with me, giving the group one last side eye before making my way back to Aziel’s room. The floors creak as I make my way upstairs, the worn wood protesting from my weight.
No way I would have made my way down these stairs last night without no one noticing.
Once I make it to his room, I shut the door behind me and place the bag on the bed. The first shirt I pull out is Lilah’s. A miniature Harley Davidson shirt. Black and pink. Simple. There’s also a pair of black shorts in there. And a brand-new pack of princess underwear. A pack of diapers. “Look, Lilah. These are for you.” I show her the outfit.
“Wow.” She looks at them with wide eyes, like it’s the best gift she’s ever received. “Can I put them on?”
“Sure. Let me help you.” I squat down and get her dressed quickly, discarding Aziel’s shirt on the bed. I don’t see a hamper anywhere. This will have to do.
Walking back to the bag, I pull out a black tank top with the Harley logo on it, a pair of jean shorts, a bra, and underwear. Plain and simple, but now I’m curious who the hell picked these up for me. No way in hell could I picture Aziel walking his huge, tattooed self into a lingerie store to buy me a bra. How the hell does he even know my sizes?
I slip them on and admire how well they fit. My long blonde hair lays in a mass wave around me. I’ve been getting all dolled up, putting makeup on, dressing like I’m going on a date every day for the past five years. Finally, I’m makeup free, my blue eyes shining with relief, my hair natural and free, and my body… comfortable. These clothes aren’t modest by any means. The shorts are a bit short, and the top is a little skimpy, but nothing like what I was used to in Mexico. I’m comfortable, and for the first time in a while, I feel like I’m dressed for my age.
And it’s all thanks to Aziel.
For a moment, I wonder what would have happened if Aziel wouldn’t have taken me. Would I have ever made it out of the compound? Out of Mexico? Would Santiago have found me and punished me even more, this time for something I didn’t do? It wouldn’t be the first time.
