He didn’t need to write his name on it. Fucking Carlos.
Anger rose inside of me like a volcano about to erupt, hurt swirled like a tsunami. How dare Carlos?I wasn’t asking him to fuck me. I was just trying to win for once. He had put frogs in my bath, poured ketchup on my seat, and got my clothes red, Luis had been so scared that he first thought it was blood. He had put pepper in my shampoo and got my eyes and hair hot. What was wrong with my trying to win for once?I made my way downstairs. I was so angry my head could pop. He was just standing there, waiting for me with that look of triumph on his face. I don’t know what I did to make the bastard hate me but this was the last straw for me. I am done playing games. I stopped right in front of Carlos.He had that ‘what the hell can you do' look on his face I raised my left hand to slap him on the face, I knew he was expecting that so I wasn’t surprised then he caught my hand even before it reached his face. My left hand was just a distraction. SMACK!!I delivered my planned slap across his face with my right hand. He didn’t see it coming. Louis and Juan had rushed in to see what happened.“What’s going on here” Carlos and I kept mute. When Louis saw he wouldn’t get an answer he gave me one last suspicious look and left. I stamp my foot back to my room. The guys were gone but anger against Carlos was still bubbling inside of me. I decided to put my emotions into my task.The kitchen was always stacked so I planned out my menu Taco Chicken Tenders,multi-grain quesadilla,chicken Enchiladas,then Mac and cheese. Cooking wasn’t hard for me. I had been able to cook since I was little but since I joined my new family. I loved not having to do anything. It also made them appreciate it whenever I cooked.Except Carlos anyway. Don’t think about Carlos.It was almost evening when I finished cooking and the guys weren’t back yet. Terrible thoughts attacked me.What if they had been caught? Or worse, Killed? What would become of me if I didn’t have them? In less than a year, I’ve been happier than I had been in all the first 22 years of my life.?“What would become of me if my men didn’t come home?” I prayed to God. I begged Jesus using his mother, Mary. Let my men come home safe.I wouldn’t tease Carlos anymore, I’d cook whenever Louis wanted me to, and I’d never mess with Juan’s computers. Just bring them back safely. They didn’t come. 6:00 p.m. They weren’t back.7:00 p.m. A dark hole had begun to form in my mind. I’d rather kill myself than let my father find me. He would sell me. He would kill me. When the clock chimed 8:00 pm. I couldn’t hold back the tears. Did God hate me this much? Do I not deserve happiness?At 8:30 my head was banging from the crying and screaming. I was too weak to move. I curled myself into a ball and waited for death. The underworld has rules. If the Dos Santos had been caught, everything that is attached to them would have been ruined as well, except if they could fight. Carlos had men but I knew nothing about them.I can’t even call for help.Then I heard the gates open. They were here, to raid the house and kill me. They would probably sell me along with girls, that would be better than sending me back to my father. I heard tires screech. That wasn’t the sound of Juan's truck. Juan wouldn’t even let anyone make his best truck screech like that.Fresh tears began to run down my eyes as I heard footsteps moving lightly. They sounded like at least 30 people. I hug myself tighter. This was the end. I heard them enter the sitting room.I didn’t lift my head. Until I heard… “Rayna?” I lifted my head, “Louis?”. Then I saw everyone. There were over 30 girls, I thought we had planned 6. That didn’t matter, my men were back and Louis’ arms were opened, calling me in. I ran into his arms and started crying all over again.“Why were you gone for so long? Why didn’t you call me? What happened?”Carlos stole one glance at me in Luis's arms when went straight to his room While Juan explained what happened. It seemed like they were something fishy going on, many parents hadn’t reported their children missing.It would seem like the girls had been sold. Now they couldn’t return even the six girls home because it looked too much like a trap. Meaning, the girls might be with us for some time. I didn’t mind. Having a full house might be fun.But what I had cooked would not be nearly enough for the kids. Juan and Louis had a rough day and I couldn’t ask them to help me with the girls. I let the guys go to their rooms to do whatever they do after beating the shit of some worse guys.“Are you the good guys?” one of the girls asked me. “There are no good guys sweetheart. What’s your name?” I asked her. She seemed like a bright kid “Anna. I’m seventeen” That was good enough for me.I didn’t know how to put them in order because even our dining table just wouldn’t fit them. Eventually, the food managed to go around, so we made lots of substitutes and emptied the fridge.I took the girls to my room. I loved it. My room was crawling with girls. I asked them their names till I couldn’t even remember the name of the first person. I didn’t forget Anna though.After getting a suitable sleeping arrangement for them all, Those who had helped with cooking slept on the bed, and I asked them to sleep. Then, a very tiny girl, I remember her to be the youngest, she was 14, spoke.“The first guy, wearing a blue shirt,” I remembered only Carlos wore a blue shirt. “ He is hurt. I saw them hurt him. He saved me” ‘Carlos is a strong guy kid” I went to her and ruffled her hair. “He’ll be fine”“Will you check on him?” The last thing I wanted to do was to see Carlos after such a hectic day. But I nodded. I went to his room.I almost changed my mind. Twice.But I went anyway. What was the worst that could happen?I almost changed my mind. Twice. But I went anyway. What's the worse that could happen? Because he was probably in pain. His room door was opened. I had never been in Carlos's room before so I couldn’t tell if that was a norm. He was sitting on his bed, his head was up like he was waiting for me. Carlos didn’t say a word as I came in. “Heard you were injured. How’s it?” He gave a painful smile. “Hurt’s like hell” I had planned to stay by the door and offer my condolences, but it was the first time for me to see Carlos shirtless. I couldn’t stop my legs from moving closer to him even if I tried. “Why don’t you sleep, it’ll feel better by morning.” “I tried. It hurts no matter how I turn.” “What happened” I wondered how he got injured. “Was knifed.” He answered roughly. I looked at the haphazard bandage he’s wrapped around the wound. “I’ll redress it.” “NO” His response was vehement. I acted like I didn’t hear him. I brought the first aid box to the bed. “You’ve got two op
Then I was lost. Hot, hard, fast. His finger was sliding in and out of me and my head couldn’t count. Yes, yes. Fuck, hard. Just like that. Perfect. The room filled up with slutty sounds, coming from me. My moans filled the air. The sultry sounds of his fingers fucking me were like music in my ears. Turning me on. I could myself going crazy. I wasn’t going to be the only one. I lifted my back from the bed and looked at his crotch. He was so fucking hard. Just for me. Following my gaze, he smiled. And fucked me harder. I forgot my plan. I forgot my name along with it... Then my soul probably left my body because I came so hard, I saw the sun and moon and started circling planet Earth. When I came back to myself. I found Carlos looking at me with tamed hungry eyes. “You’re the one who’s going to be waking 32 people now.” He joked. And we both laughed. I wanted more. But I knew this was all his wound could let him do. I sat up and placed my hands on his very hard chest. “What ab
I sneaked out before morning. What have I gotten myself into?I didn’t feel like cooking so I decided we would all eat out; I hadn’t left the house in a long time too.Morning came and Juan didn’t feel like going anywhere, Carlos didn’t leave his room either. I was stuck with Louis who didn’t mind going out with me. So, we went out.One of my favorite places in Mexico City was Restaurant Rosetta. They had outdoor seats and the most delicious food. The vibe there was nice. I wondered if I would like to eat here with Carlos.Louis and I decided to eat there and order a take-home for Carlos and Juan.It almost seemed like a date. Louis and I sat on the same table, opposite chairs and he was looking directly into my eyes. It almost felt like he knew something was up with Carlos and me. Yet he said nothing. He just watched me.“Rayna.” Louis broke the silence. I shifted my attention away from my food to him. “Got any idea what’s up with Carlos?”“Nah.” It technically wasn’t a lie because I
All my braveness seemed to come only when I was in bed with Carlos because I don’t think I’d be able to be a Dominant. Why didn’t I ask for a million dollars instead?I’m glad I had a good excuse to hide but I'm not glad my period is here.Period cramps should be a terrible disease.I used my last sanitary pad and had to go buy another.My cramp wasn’t bad yet, but it was hurting a little. I didn’t carry a car because I didn’t plan to go far, but when I got to the closest store and all my favorite brands had been sold out, I started regretting not carrying the car.I walked forward hoping I’d see somewhere to buy a good brand.The feeling came suddenly, like something cold was crawling up my back, I felt my hair rise.I was walking beside a glass building when I noticed a guy in all black, wearing a face cap and nose mask.Maybe that was the new style in town.He couldn’t be following me, right?I took a turn, and he followed.Okay, he was following me.I reached for my pocket to take
“If you ever had to choose between Louis and me, who would you go with?”“Choose as in?”“Let’s say you wouldn’t be able to see the other person ever again”That wasn’t even something I had to think about.“If not for Louis you would have sent my body to my dad and he would have fed it to vultures.”The words came out laced with hurt. I had forgotten about that and he just had to bring it back.I sat up, ignoring the pain in my stomach, and removed his hands from me. “I’d choose Louis over and over again.”He said nothing. Just stood up from my bed and left my room.That was the end of any situation ship between Carlos and me.One evening we had visitors. Some guys who worked for the Dos Santos.They brought bad news.One of their hideouts and been attached and five men were killed.Louis looked like he wanted to explode, and Juan looked like he wanted to cry. Only Carlos seemed calm.“Did you drop a message?”The guys looked at Carlos, surprised. “Yes, they did”The one named Jose op
Carlos came home a few minutes before midnight, his shirt was soaked red with blood.I was surprised to see he could still walk upright; I ran to him.“What happened? Where do you hurt, where you shot, knifed?” I was trying not to touch him but I wanted to help. I was very infuriated when he stretched lazily and gave an amused smile.“It’s not my blood”Oh, why was I even worried about him? Not like I cared anyway. I dropped my hands to my sides, it felt awkward so I folded them under my breasts.Carlos didn’t change his bloody clothes.When Louis got back, we did our progress check.Carlos’s day had been very eventful, he had discovered where Doom’s precious daughter was hiding and we were going to keep an eye on her in case Doom moved mad.The girls had been successfully dispersed. Now the battleground seemed fair.Juan had checked out Doom’s main source of money. It was right under our nose and we didn’t even know.On the streets that were claimed by Dos Santos, Doom had been using
I got to the car and moved immediately.I had noticed a little traffic jam earlier so I decided to take another route, it was a longer one but I would be able to speed up.I stepped up the gas.Frustration hit me when I saw a slow sign down ahead I slowed down even before I got to it, I almost didn’t notice the big truck coming at me.It didn’t horn or do anything to hide its intentions. I was about to be murdered.I hit the brakes immediately.Fear gripped my hands and then began to shake, I tried taking a U-turn but it would be of no use. There would be no surviving that.Sweat broke out on my forehead. Never have I felt death so close. I couldn’t die like this.There were so many things I needed to do. Carlos was waiting for me. Everyone was waiting for me. This cannot be my end. NOOOO.Then all of a sudden, another truck horned behind me.I almost accepted today would be my last day. Whosoever wanted me dead had planned it thoroughly.I wondered what to say as my last prayer.I c
I offered to go to wherever Anna was to protect her, I might not be the best in fighting but I knew how to defend myself but Carlos strongly objected but everyone else thought it was a good idea.“No, it won’t, we would be putting both women in one basket, Doom gets one, and he gets both”“But I do nothing here, I would go crazy if I didn’t do anything.” I was almost screaming, why wouldn’t let me breathe? He fills me with sexual frustration, he is never nice to me, he expects my absolute trust, and doesn’t want me out of his sight. Why doesn’t he understand he had no claim on me?Carlos seemed to have a very important card because everyone eventually sided with him.On day 5, Jose taught me how to play cards and the rules of gambling.I was quite good already. One of my past bodyguards was good at it. Miguel was very handsome and I tried hard to mess with him, but he never even kissed me. He said I was twitchy because I had nothing to do so he taught me how to play cards. He once pro
EpilogueRAYNAI smoothened my hands over my off-white dress. It had been a long and dramatic year but even through it all, this day had come.My wedding day.Because I was married once, I couldn’t wear a white gown so I decided to stay put with off-white instead of baby pink. I still wanted to feel like a bride.Planning for the wedding had been fun but I didn’t like how I didn’t get to see much of my new husband.Juan came in the door with a small smile on his face, he’s been smiling more lately, Surprisingly he was also good friends with the couple. Anna and Zane.They both had moved out after everything settled and were now staying in their own home. We tried convincing Anna to have an official wedding but she insisted the one she had was enough. She was married and satisfied.“You look pretty.” He said tentatively. I raised my brows at him, it was almost the first compliment I’d heard from him.“I just wanted to do this one more time.” He breathed, “Are you sure about this?”I sm
CARLOSIt would have been insensitive for me to ask Zane to check the car for the remains of his brother’s body so I managed to do it myself.Even as we raced down as we heard the explosion, there was nothing we could do other than to watch the car burn into crisps, they would have been dead even before we got there.We had to wait for the fire to be completely put out while Rayna was taken to the hospital, She had been given excess sleeping pills but they had been too strong for her body, and we could do nothing other than wait for her to sleep it off, it was torture watching her look so lifeless.Louis and Juan didn’t leave her side all day, I knew they would insist on taking her back to Mexico as soon as she was unconscious but at this point, I knew I would just have to live with whatever choice she made.Zade had disappeared as soon as Rayna was settled in the hospital, both of us were hesitant to return to the side, not ready to see or collect the bodies. Zade might not show his
CARLOS“None of your business, where is my money?” He barked.We stood approximately 10 feet apart. I tried to look at Coco who was behind him, she looked okay, not bruised or injured, but I had learned that wounds were beyond the physical, they were mental and emotional bruises too.I raised my hands to signal for Zade to come out of the car with the briefcase, which he did. I had a trick waiting for him in it.Zade came forth and handed the money to him, while he tried to open the box, Zade brought Coco over to us, Monday didn’t even try to stop him because he had sighted the many that had been neatly arranged in up the box, little did he know that there was a surprise awaiting him if he searched a little further.“Are you okay?” I asked, holding her face up and searching for any form of wound on her skin.Her lashes were already wet with tears as more threatened to escape. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect her. I told her to stay, but now he’d taken her away.”Even at this m
CARLOSMiguel Sinclair“He used to work for me, He was a big man, skilled, good with guns, knives, anything, I used to wonder where he came from but I appreciated his skills. That was why I put him to guard my daughter, she had just clocked 16, I couldn’t keep her locked in forever, she wanted to go out to make friends, so I needed someone to watch over her. He wasn’t the first I put to guard her but she hated it, she had hated them all before she met him. I could tell she liked him. It was fine with me, she was a kid, and this infatuation would die before long, but I began to feel wary when I noticed it wasn’t one-sided. It wasn’t her at all. It was him. He was obsessed with her.” He covered his face with both hands. I could feel his pain, the guilt, that It was all his fault, he brought Miguel into her life. I placed a hand on his shoulder because I knew he wasn’t alone, I had my share of faults too.“Now isn’t the time to point fingers and blame, we need to find him.” My voice came
CARLOSReinforcement wasn’t here yet, but calls had been made and strings had been pulled. I held the list of every active member of the cub for the past few years, I had gone through it twice but there was no familiar name or word, there was nothing fishy about the organization I had to admire whosoever was in charge, he did a very good job, he did well to pay necessary taxes and maintained order.The gambling club might rid people of their wealth, but it didn’t try to rob the government. If anything happened and they were taken to court, there would be nothing to use against them.I was getting frustrated, it was almost dawn, and all the leads we had led to dead ends. Blueblood was doing his best but no result seemed to be showing forth.“I’ll go through the names again, you should eat.” Zade took the papers from me, and I let him take them, I had gone through them over and over, and I could almost recite the names offhand, I stood up to brew myself a cup of coffee. Sleep wasn’t an
RAYNAMonday came in with a smug smile on his face.“I’ve decided to treat you well since I’m getting a huge sum of money after this, it wouldn’t have been possible without you.” For some reason, I had the feeling he was talking to Coco and not me, which was strange considering he had both of us.“I’m about to get dinner, What would you like to eat?” He finished.Just to test my assumption, I spoke fast. “I would like a sandwich.” It was a safe choice, sandwiches were sealed in their pack, and I wouldn’t eat them if the seal was broken.“I wasn’t talking to you.” He shot back without even looking at me, his eyes were all for Coco.I remembered when he had said earlier that one of us was for exchange, I knew at that moment that he had no plans of sending me back, no matter how this turned out. But why?“We would both like a sandwich,” Coco said, I could tell the attention he was giving her was freaking her out.He smiled at her, “If you insist.” He turned and left smiling.“Something i
CARLOSIt’s been six hours and there were no traces of Coco and Rayna’s whereabouts. It was an easy guess that this was Monday in action but he was yet to contact me, and it was not an exaggeration that I was freaking out.Monday was normally dumb but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was up to something this time around. I had expected him to give up on the whole inheritance thing a long time ago. Ordinarily, the guy lacked tenacity, but when he kept coming back, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that someone was behind him. He was getting advice and help from someone and the fact that the person was yet to show face meant there was more to come.I hated not knowing what I was dealing with, especially now that the two most important women in my life were in their care.It was also unnerving that both of them had been taken, they could have taken one and left the other, but no. he took both of them.I had a sick feeling that I could have to make a choice, that I might be able to
Monday, I collected the keys from Coco and switched seats with her while I was held down and taped in the mouth by a man I didn’t recognize.They tied both mine and Coco’s hands after collecting our phones. Coco’s mouth was left free while mine was taped.Where was he taking us? I looked at Coco, but she was still and calm, she probably trusted Carlos to come to save her, but he didn’t even know where we were. They might have not even gotten home yet.“You might be wondering why or where I’m taking you. Where I’m taking you doesn’t matter, but what matters is why I am taking you.” Monday began rattling, very dumb man. I could guess what he wanted.“I intend to make an exchange—a woman for a woman. Kavinsky gets to take one of you if he gives me Anna, I haven’t decided what to do with the second person but I’m first excited about who Carlos is going to choose. His wife or his mother.“I’m not his mother,” Coco said quietly. It was the first thing she said since the ride began.“You’re
There was no serious talk after that, we drove, we sang, we laughed, but most importantly, I called her mother, and she called me daughter.The birthday we delivered cookies for was for a very beautiful 6-year-old. Her mother seemed very nice and invited us to the party, Coco was sad she had brought no presents, but we stayed, nevertheless.It was the evening before left.The house was quiet when we got home, I didn’t see Carlos, but I couldn’t help but wonder where he was, he didn’t text me all day neither I he.“Rayna?” Coco called.“Yes?”“Can you spend the night in my room? Just tonight?” She asked in a small voice. I had been hoping to talk to Carlos tonight, but it would have to wait.“Sure.”We ate the cookie we had kept aside for Carlos together and talked. Coco had a big heart, but as much happiness she had in her, there was so much pain too and she had no one to tell.“Are you still in love with him?” I asked later that night, I wondered how she must have coped all these yea