What I saw in that cell was inhumane. It was scary—a good cause for nightmares.
Patanza leads the way towards a tall brown door and pushes it open.
“Keep up,” she snaps.
I pick up my pace, delighted to be outside again. Freedom rings, but only for a short while. I do myself the liberty of enjoying this moment. My friends, the gulls, caw loudly, as if they’ve been awaiting my presence.
I inhale the salty air, and then I look towards the beach. It is just as I imagined—if not, better. The turquoise water is clear, shimmering beneath the pinkish sky.
The sand is white—almost spotless. The setting sun is breathtaking. It’s been so long since I’ve felt the warmth on my skin.
“Where are we?” I ask.
“Don’t ask any fucking questions. Just because this is happening, it doesn’t make us friends or you in the fucking clear. He’s not done with you.”
I stare at her, focused on the long, black hair beneath her black cap and the dimples on her lower back. The clothes she wears… How can she wear them around these brutes? Belly shirts and low riding camouflage pants. I wonder if she’s always been a bitch. Why the hell does she even work for him?
She’s the only woman I’ve seen down there, and she’s not ugly at all. She’s stunning, really. How can she stomach any of what we just saw?
When we walk up a set of stone steps, I see the mansion come into view. It’s made of a cream-colored stucco, the roof dark, offsetting the overall appearance. It is so amazing that I almost stop walking just to take it all in.
Gold spotlights illuminate the house from the ground, revealing it for what it truly is.
A beautiful residence.
We walk across a short wooden bridge, and there is a garden of various colored frangipani flowers that look like they have recently bloomed. I can smell them from where we are. Sweet and fresh.
As I study each aspect of this home, I wonder how a man like him can live in such a lovely place. Surely he doesn’t deserve any of this.
Not after knowing what he does to people in those cells.
Not after witnessing him switch from rational to a complete maniac in a matter of seconds.
Patanza enters a code on the box at the gate and when it buzzes open, she walks past a wide, oblong shaped pool. A small waterfall drifts down from the far corner of it, the lounge chairs decorated in white and black cushions.
She jogs up the steps and reaches for the doorknob. Once the door is open I’m greeted by a large chrome and black kitchen.
There is an older woman standing in front of the oven, waiting for something to finish baking.
She looks over and frowns at Patanza. Patanza rolls her eyes, muttering, “This way,” to me before looking away.
The woman sees me and her eyes grow wide. She’s older, with her silver and black hair pulled up into a tight bun, and a sharp nose, just like the boss’s.
“Patanza, who is this?” she asks. “And why is she covered in so much blood?”
“I don’t know,” Patanza snips. “Ask Jefe.”
The woman thins her eyes at Patanza before looking at me again. I pick up my pace, knowing it’s best to keep walking. I know I look and smell hideous right now. I definitely don’t look like I belong in a home like this.
I look down and there is fresh blood on me. First Toni’s blood was on my dress and now Axe Man’s blood is.
Jesus.
We are up the stairs before I know it. Patanza walks down the hallway and takes a left. We pass six doors before she finally stops and grabs a doorknob. She pushes it open and then walks in.
I cautiously follow her inside. When she steps back and looks towards the bed, I know she won’t try anything. She’s no fool. She won’t disobey her boss’s orders.
“Clothes are in the closet. All sizes, so you should find something that fits you. Soap and shampoo is in the bathroom. When you’re finished, I’ll be waiting out in the hallway so you can eat. You have two hours to do all of this before we meet Jefe. Better make them fucking count. They may be your last.”
She smirks on her way out the door.
I watch her leave. Does she think she’s intimidating me? My father received death threats and warrants for breakfast. This isn’t anything new.
One thing Daddy taught me was to never fear a woman. A woman will always carry some sort of emotion. A woman is much easier to manipulate and much more lenient than a man. When Patanza told Axe Man to let me come out and pee, that was her femininity showing.
When the door is shut completely, I turn back around and take in the bedroom. The bedspread is turquoise and white. It’s a beautiful, unique design, with a sheer white canopy that can’t be beat. I walk towards it and start to touch it, but then I remember the blood on my hands.