Page 11 of Game of Revenge

“Yes.” He raised a brow in my direction, looking annoyed.

“Do you usually use your house to hold people captive?”

He glanced at me. “No, not usually,” he answered, leaning back in his chair and facing me.

He moved slowly, almost sensually, the way a panther moves right before it catches its prey. I was terrified, but part of me was fascinated. I considered if I should try to run again and take my chances with the animals in the forest instead.

Dolores walked outside with a big tray. She had a younger woman with her to help set the food on the table. Dolores smiled at me, and I smiled back. Dolores and the other woman put down various plates with chicken, beef, and pork, a good amount of corn and flour tortillas, and all the necessary condiments for fresh homemade tacos. They also set down a water pitcher and an orange juice pitcher.

“Muchas gracias, muchachas. Pueden retirarse.”

The ladies immediately walked away with their empty trays.

“Ladies first,” said Alejandro, turning to me.

The man spoke both perfect Spanish and perfect English, a slight accent present when he spoke English, but so far only when he was upset. I wanted to ask questions, but really, where he was from wasn’t quite relevant to my current situation.

I wanted to pretend I wasn’t interested in the food, but I was too hungry to be prideful. I started making myself various tacos and sat back down to devour them. Alejandro proceeded to do the same.

I forgot that I had company as I was enjoying what were, hands down, the best tacos I had ever had. As I was getting ready for my second serving, I noticed Alejandro looking at me, seemingly amused.

“I bet they don’t make tacos this good in your little castle,” he said.

“No. In my castle, as you call it,” I retorted, “we don’t eat Mexican food.”

“Of course you don’t. You and your family are the worst kinds of Mexican immigrants. You assimilate completely and lose all touch with your roots.” He gave me a disgusted stare, his eyes dark with judgment.

I realized I might have offended him. He must have misunderstood what I was trying to say. If anything, I hated that Richard had banned what he called “dirty street food” in his house. But I did not owe this man any explanation.

“You don’t know me,” I said. “You know nothing about me, so stop pretending that you do to make yourself feel better about what you are doing to me—and god knows who else.”

“I know you. I know your kind.” His jaw clenched in warning, but I ignored it.

“My kind? What does that even mean? It’s the stupidest—”

“Enough!” he cut me off, his lips tight. “I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

As I was about to answer him, Dolores stepped in. “Everything okay?” she asked, clearly concerned by the screams she heard when she entered the office.

“Call Juan to take her back to her room. She’s done here,” ordered Alejandro.

Dolores hesitated, disappointed to see that lunch had taken a turn, but she clearly knew better than to contradict Alejandro.

“And you call me a spoiled brat,” I said, standing up, “but you are the one being a jackass the minute someone disagrees with you. You, sir, are a fucking asshole and a criminal!”

Alejandro violently pushed his chair back as he got up, grabbed me by my left arm, and pushed me inside his office.

“I've had enough of you and your attitude.”

“Then let me go home!” I screamed.

Dolores had already returned with Juan. He was still wearing a mask. He came straight to me, put a bag over my head, grabbed my right arm, and proceeded to take me with him.

I was tired of being the cooperative victim and decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. I stepped on his foot, and he let go of my arm, in pain. As I was lifting the bag past my forehead, Alejandro grabbed me by my upper thighs and lifted me. He put me on his right elbow like I weighed nothing and proceeded to walk. The bag was no longer on my head, but I couldn’t see anything since I was upside down. I kicked and screamed.

Alejandro finally opened the bedroom door, walked in, closed the door behind us, and threw me on the bed.

I opened my eyes wide, my pupils dilated with fear, realizing the error of my ways, provoking a criminal like that. And now he was towering over me, mouth open, teeth showing, panting, fury coming out his pores, the room seemingly too small for his presence. I had provoked the beast, and now I was at his mercy. If he decided to rape me or harm me in any other way, there wasn't a lot I would be able to do to protect myself. My body was shaking, and my eyes were round with fear.