Page 18 of Blood Spilled
I crawl forward, trying to get a good look of the hallway. No one is out there, and I don't hear any footsteps nearby. I get to my feet and walk toward the open door, taking in the house more this time with my heart racing. Angel's office is empty and so is everywhere else my gaze lands. I walk further out of the room, sliding my feet against the floor as quietly as I can. When I reach the steps, there's still no one to be found. It can't be this easy.
There's no way he left me in here alone. Surely there are men with loaded guns waiting for me outside the house. I reach the door without anyone stopping me, and pull it open effortlessly.When I take a few steps on the front porch, there’s nothing there but an empty lot of land with a few trees, and a long road hiding behind it.
I walk forward, shielding my eyes. As soon as my feet reach the grass, I run. The closer I get to the road, the faster I move my aching legs. I'm so close to getting away from the house. I don't want to even look back until I'm far enough off the property. I smile when I can hear a car driving down the road. I’m about to step onto the black gravel when something sharp hits me in the neck.
I reach for it, wrapping my fingers around the narrow object. I pull it from my neck and stare at it, cursing myself when I register the dart resting in my hands. I need to finally come to the realization that I’m never getting out of here. Not alive. This is his way of reminding me of my reality. I begin to fall to the ground, passing out before my body even fully hits the pavement.
Fourteen
Angel
I lift Santiago’s body from the ground, quickly moving behind the large tree before a random car drives past us. Someone has been a really bad pet. Today was a test to prove I can’t trust him, even though he’s been leading me to believe I can. I know his games. I’ve played them all before. When the coast is clear, I carry him the long way back toward the house.
He isn’t heavy, becoming lighter the more the days go on. Still, it isn’t easy carrying one hundred and seventy pounds of dead weight up a hill. Once over it, I stop to catch my breath as Diego appears out of nowhere smiling. “Someone keeping you on your toes this morning, boss?”
“More or less. Got anything new for me today?” I set Santiago's limp body down on the nearby porch swing. I didn’t have to worry about him for a while. He’d be out for an hour or two and I plan to be right there when those pretty green eyes open.
He shakes his head. “Just want to let you know we made the deliveries this morning, everyone is happy with their product per usual and our little problem with the drug switch has been dealt with. Tony found the guy who was responsible, he’s a stick-up boy working for a dealer who goes by the name Manivela. Rumor has it, he may be a friend of Santiago’s mom.”
I already knew she was involved in some way based on the note she left for me. I run my hand through my hair, eager to get my hands on the man who tried to sabotage my good name. “Where is he now?”
“Manivela? No one knows. Everyone we ask says they haven’t heard of the guy, but most of them seem too scared to say anything.”
“No, his stick-up boy. Maybe if this Manivela guy didn’t want to be found, he should have hired a better man for the job. If the pendejo himself up so easily, I bet he’d give up too.”
Diego smiles wide. “I don’t think you have to worry about that. Your brother already has it taken care of.”
Before I can ask any more questions, my phone vibrates in my pocket. When I pick it up to read it, I grin, satisfied with my brother’s words.
Gabriel: Because I’m the sweet brother I am, I took the liberty of solving your little problem. Turns out it was nothing more than that.
Me: I take it he talked then?
Gabriel: Oh, he sang like a canary, and all it took was a quick snip of one of his fingers. Turns out Manivela is a whole lot closer than we thought and his little canary is going to bring us straight to him.
Me:Good. When you find him, bring him to me.
Gabriel:Why? So you can add him to your collection. How is your little pet today? Still alive?
Me:For now.
Gabriel:How about this big brother? Mateo and I take care of Manivela. And you take care of your little pet. Hopefully, the next time we talk, he will no longer be breathing.
I stare down at Santiago curled up on the swing, appearing peaceful and small. I don’t want to think about killing Santiago today and, if I do go through with it, will it really solve our problems? Would his mother really go away, or would she continue to form her army and use it against us?
Releasing a sigh, I dismiss Diego and turn to my little mouse and lift him in my arms again. When I get to his room, I lay him on the floor, pulling off his pants. Clothes are a privilege and he has once again lost all of his. I chain him back up and set him inside the cage, leaving it open. I walk out of the room to grab a bottle of water and set it inside the cage before locking it. Not only will he wake up with an awful headache, but his mouth will also be as dry as the desert.
I stand there watching him for a little longer. How can someone I harbor so much hate for also give me this sense of possessiveness and need to protect him from anyone who isn't me? I have to constantly remind myself why he is here and suddenly I forget the reason.
My brother is right. This is no longer about revenge, it's about something else. He moves against the cage and I leave before I do anything else I may regret later. The more my brother mentions killing Santiago, the more I have the need to claim him as my own.
He isn't mine. He was never supposed to be. I'm not supposed to want him, but it’s all I can do whenever he is near. Each day that passes, that want becomes more of a need.
Fifteen
Santiago
A sharp pounding in my head stirs me awake. When I spot the water bottle in the cage, I down it. I've never felt so damn thirsty in my life. I lay on my side, watching the door in anticipation. He never comes no matter how long I lay there waiting. I become desperate, needing to hear his voice. I had broken his trust and that's all I can focus on. I should be angry he’d tricked me. I should hate him for putting me back in this cage, but all I feel is guilt from disappointing him.
