Page 96 of Scarred King
“Where’s our money, Mama?” one of the men, who has a snake tattooed on his arm, places his hand around her neck. I clench my fists and struggle not to leave the room.
“I have until midnight,” she replies calmly.
“So the box with our cash is on its way?” another man asks sarcastically and kicks her legs. I stifle a shout, but she doesn’t even blink.
“Look, I've thought about it,” her voice is steady, even though the man’s arm is still wrapped around her neck. “There is not a chance that I will be able to get the whole amount by midnight. But if you kill me, you’ll never get it—”
“What did you say?” the man holding her neck slaps her hard, and I put my hand on the door handle. She shakes her head as if she's watching me and I let go of the handle, trembling.
“I was going to say that if you agree to let me make payments, you will receive all the money. It will take some time, but—”
The guy slaps her again and the third one, who was standing by the door until now, punches her in the stomach. She groans in pain and shakes her head again. Tears fill my eyes and I realize that if I’d thought I was in hell before, I was wrong. This is hell and there is nothing worse.
“She thinks we’re a bank?” one of them asks and laughs and his friends join in. My stomach boils, I feel sick, and I put my hand on my mouth.
“I already have some.” Their laughter doesn’t seem to affect her. “Here, I’ll get it for you.” The man takes his arm off her neck and she disappears from my sight. When she returns she gives them a wad of bills. “There is 2,000 dollars here and I will give you more each month.”
The guy with the snake tattoo takes the money, looks at it, and then slaps her hard again. She sways but stands up straight again.
“You’re a little confused, Mama. This is nothing, this is just part of the interest.” He holds her against the wall by her neck and looks at his friends with an evil expression. “I have an idea,” he says, smiling and revealing a gold tooth. “If she doesn’t get the money by midnight, we’ll take her to Carlos’s cave. I hear they like older women there. He’ll give us a good price for her. Who will look for that old bitch?”
“I am not old,” she says, offended. I can’t believe that she chooses to answer them about something as stupid as that.
“You don’t look too bad, Mama.” He puts his other hand on her chest, and I feel my stomach turn. “But in Carlos’s cave you’re old.” All three laugh and I close my eyes and pray for the nausea to subside. “In other words, an old bitch.” He takes his hand away from her chest and wipes it on his shirt. “We’re men of our word. You have until midnight to get the money or we’ll drag you by that long hair and get our money from Carlos. Remember that once you go in there, the only place to go after that is the graveyard.” They laugh again, and after each of them gives her one more humiliating slap, they leave and slam the door.
I turn around to the toilet, raise the lid and vomit. I stand up heavily and walk out to the hallway, where my beautiful, classy mother is lying on the floor, groaning in pain and crying.
37
I lie on the floor with my mother, holding her and crying with her. I have no words to comfort her, only deep pain that's exploding inside me and I can't contain it.
“Good thing they didn’t see you,” she mumbles. “Good thing they didn’t see my beautiful daughter.”
“Mom,” I can’t stop the tears. “You’re so brave.”
“I must lie down in bed for a while.” She sits up and I help her stand. “I think we should call the police again. Maybe this time they'll come, maybe—”
“Mom, ‘maybe’ isn’t good enough.” I shout and she lowers her head. She looks exhausted and helpless. I help her up the stairs and tuck her in bed, I cover her with a blanket and stroke her head. “I’ll fix it, Mom,” I say and burst into tears again as she groans in pain. “I’ll fix it,” I say again and go back downstairs. I pick up my cellphone and smile bitterly. Suddenly I’m grateful for my new dark world. I dial Liam’s number and he picks up after one ring.
“Elena,” his tone is cold and my stomach clenches.
“Liam,” I just say his name and I burst into tears.
“Elena, everything’ll be okay. I’m on my way,” his tone has softened, and my heart explodes inside my body.
“How did you know?” I whimper.
“It wasn’t easy. But when something is important to me, I find a way.”
I sniff. “Do you think you’ll be able to get here before midnight?”
“We’re boarding the plane,” he answers, and I hear the concern creeping into his voice. I peek at my watch in panic and calculate quickly in my head.
“Liam, you’ll land at eleven thirty. By the time you get here it'll be too late.”
“The Duchess I know doesn’t talk like she’s lost already,” he says firmly. “Elena, you've dealt with the Russians, the French and the Italians. You can stall three Mexicans for a few minutes.”
“But… but…” I stutter. “If I can’t, then—”