"I think we can discuss business on the way. You don't strike me as a ball gown and shoes girl." "And who ever thought you were the type to be smitten." She whispered against his neck. The feel of her breath against his neck caused El Russo's skin to crawl. "We'll see " he replied through gritted teeth. As they approached the door of the hotel to leave, El Russo nodded at Biggie, before leaving. The night air blew against her bare skin, sending chills down her spine. Noticing her discomfort, El Russo took off his jacket and covered it around her shoulders. "A gentleman. Who would have thought?" She smiled at him. His gait was slow, and he maintained a cool expression. "Tell me, how often do you take women on walks, or is it just special women?" Irina asked curiously. "It is surprising at all that you would think I take women on walks frequently. It is like asking you how often you save strange men from death." He replied tactfully. "Smart response." she beamed. The
"Boss, I need to tell you something," Biggie muttered to him. "Let it wait, until we're done with this." He replied and shut his room door. El Russo put on his t-shirt and jeans trousers before rejoining his guard outside. "Where did you put her?" He asked him. "At the spare house," Biggie replied. His blonde nappy hair shining in the sunlight. El Russo was led to the back of the large mansion grounds which belonged to El Puerto. The second house was a two-storey building. It was where the El Puerto bodyguards lived during working days. Immediately the door opened, Irina froze. Her hands were tied behind her back and she could only try to make out the sounds of the men in the room. "Take off the bag". Her ears perched up at the sound of the familiar voice. "No!" She thought to herself. Her heart took on a rapid rate. "He could not be the same person", she thought. Biggie walked up to her, and pulled the bag off her head. El Russo froze on the spot. Irina glanced up
Mr. Madrigal was a bomb waiting to explode. His face was filled with wrath and his eyes blinded by rage. He let out an angry scream and threw everything off his desk."El Russo!!!!!" He roared out. Everyone who stood inside his office was frozen to their spots. Mr. Madrigal looked like he was ready for murder. Antonio, his older son, stepped forward."Father, we must act fast. I have already sent predators marking the streets of El Puerto. By night fall, El Russo will get enough messages to last him a lifetime.""Blood, I want blood!!" Mr. Madrigal growled beastily. "Spill blood!! The blood of children, adults and pregnant women!!! Spill everyone in El Puerto's blood!"Antonio nodded and rushed out of the office with series of guards. Mr. Madrigal picked up his phone and sat on the edge of his table.El Russo's study telecom phone rang out. He had been lost in thoughts that he did not hear it ringing. He pressed the phone to his ear."You have twenty-four hours to produce my daughter,
With no further response from El Russo, the men turned around and left the room.Devon turned to his brother. "Is this what you wanted? A war with our associates? Come on, El Russo, let the girl go." "She is none of your business, little brother. Get the men to sort out the abductees. I need a report by morning.""What are you going to do with her?" Devon asked. In the dimly lit office, El Russo's face was only visible by a fragment.The silhouette of the moonlight cast a light glow on his hard features, and from that light, Devon caught El Russo smiling.As El Russo stormed into his bedroom, a wave of guilt washed over him. He picked up a piece of furniture and threw it against the wall, screaming out."What have I done?" he muttered to himself. He sat down on his bed, and the thoughts of Irina kept roaming through his mind. How could he have been so careless?Then, he remembered his words to her. "I owe you my life." His eyes froze open, and fury was reflected in them. What was he
Her mouth burnt from the bitter taste of the medicine her father gave her. "Are you okay?" He asked her. She nodded slightly. "You have always been resistant to the idea of a war on El Puerto. Now, you know what kind of beasts those people are."Irina's eyes brightened in the dim light of her bedside lamp. Unshed tears reflected in them."We must retaliate. Blood for blood, Irina. Rest now. In the morning, we will talk better." Mr. Madrigal kissed her head and left the room.The next morning, Irina sat up in bed, her arms wrapped around her body as she thought about everything. El Russo in particular. Her heart ached from the pain she was feeling, her cheeks damp from having cried all through the night.He had occupied a certain part of her brain, and she found it hard to believe that he was the same man she had despised her whole life. She remembered the wrath in his eyes, the materialistic nature of the hate she had felt when he spoke to her.Something new awakened in her. It wasn'
He cut it open with a letter cutter and pulled out some photographs which he scattered on his table for El Russo's viewing.Stepping forward, El Russo stared at the photographs one after the other. They were all images of Irina and him. From pictures of them at the masked ball dancing together to photographs of them at the bar.The last set was a few of them walking into the hotel, and others were of him walking out of the hotel the next morning.El Russo's brows creased in a frown. " How did you get all these?" He demanded of his uncle in silent rage.Everyone knew that El Russo's anger was bad. Many said he had the anger of an enraged bull. Yet, his uncle remained calm."I have trained you boys from when you were little boys, even before your father died, bless his soul. I have done my best to raise you both to keep the standard of this family intact. Your father, my brother, was an honorable man.""Ruthlessly murdered when you were merely a teenager. By the same people you see now.
Then, he fell flat on his stomach and leaned towards the edge of the cliff. He used the hand which was tied with his tie to secure his hold on the cliff, while the other hand reached for Irina. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, shaking with fear. "Come on!" He shouted at her. There was equal terror in El Russo's eyes, and he could hear blood rush to his ears. "Reach out to me, I'll grab you!" He said to her. The branch which Irina held onto was frail. It was quickly losing its resolve because of her weight. "No." Irina whispered in tears when the first part of the branch broke. "Come on!" El Russo shouted. "Let the branch go! Trust me!" He said to her Irina looked into his eyes for a moment, and when she saw that he meant what he said, she decided to trust him. She reached up to grab his hand, and just as her fingertips touched his, the branch lost its stability and broke. But El Russo was quick enough to catch her wrist before she fell with it. Irina's screa
"That's rich. Is that the “Thank You” I get for saving your life?" El Russo asked in a cool voice. "Saving my life? You were the one who sent those men after me in the first place!" Irina yelled at him. El Russo's face pinched with anger. "If I wanted you dead, Irina, you would be dead by now." He replied coldly. "Then, what am I doing here? Why haven't you killed me yet?" El Russo backed her, he had his face turned to the window. He turned round on his heels slowly, and walked towards the bed. "Marry me, Irina Madrigal." He said to her. Irina gurgled out a chuckle. She assessed his face, waiting for him to laugh in return, but El Russo's expression remained serious. "You can't be serious. You're insane! Why would I want to marry the man who killed my sister?" She asked him bitterly. A shadow passed over El Russo's face, and he turned towards the window, and murmurred in a deep, husky tone, "I did not kill your sister, Irina." Irina scoffed at him. "And my father did no