Page 148 of Stains of Desire
My stomach only lurches further. They were at Santiago's compound for events. I don't know what side they are on, and it petrifies me what Gustave or Bernadette might be able to tell William.
They both rise and kiss my cheek, and Bernadette hugs me tightly, which she's always done. But it doesn't make me any less nervous. There are two other couples at the table, but I've not met them before. Gustave introduces all of us, but I barely catch their names.
William pulls out a chair next to Bernadette. "Sit," he orders.
I obey.
William sits next to me and picks up the bread basket and hands it to me.
I don't want to eat. My stomach is flipping.
Do it for Millie.
I sit up straighter, smile graciously at William, and take the roll. I cut it in half, spread butter on it, and take a small bite.
He puts his hand around my shoulders and clasps it on my right one.
I almost squirm but catch myself before it's too late.
"How are you?" Bernadette asks. Her blue eyes appear to have sympathy in them, but I don't trust my judgment if it's true or not.
I create a false conversation, lying about how great I am, and somehow getting the entire roll in my stomach.
The lights dim, and the MC introduces Zoe Diego. Music starts. Zoe comes out in hardly anything, but it's more than she had to wear when Santiago made her sing naked. Her bodysuit has glitter all over it and nude pieces covering her privates. The only jewelry she wears is a necklace. It's a rattlesnake pendant, and it hits her cleavage.
She holds it while she sings, and her eyes glisten. After her first song, she speaks in Spanish to the crowd, announcing that it's Jorge Cano's birthday.
The room erupts singing "Happy Birthday," and Zoe walks over to him. Jorge sits between the U.S. President and U.K. Prime Minister and eyes her up like she's his dessert.
The longer Zoe sings near Jorge, the more the men eye her. He reaches out, grabs her, throws her over his shoulder, and slaps her ass several times before releasing her. The men in the room all laugh and shout. Jorge gets up and yanks her back to him. He grinds against her ass.
Her eyes widen through it all, but she continues to sing. Suddenly, all the lights go out, and the power to the microphone dies.
Screams fill the room, and guns fire. I slide under the table with the others, shaking in fear.
It stays dark for a while as panic continues to fill the air. The lights finally turn on, and I gasp.
Blood pools out of Jorge Cano's head. Security details are under the table and on top of the U.S. President and U.K. Prime Minister. Frozen on the floor with blood gushing out of him is the Mexican ambassador, Eduardo Macias.
Zoe is nowhere to be seen, but the room becomes a chamber of chaos.
William quickly escorts me out of the room. He takes me to our apartment, and his phone rings the moment we step inside.
"Get ready for bed. I'll meet you when I'm done."
Millie will die if you deny him.
My chest heaves, trying to find air, but I don't question him and do as he says. With tears in my eyes, I pull lingerie out of the drawer, put it on, then slide into bed.
For hours, I lie awake with anxiety until I finally fall asleep. William never shows up.
Sunlight streams through the window when I wake up. The other side of the bed is still made. I shower, change, and sit in the armchair, not sure where he is.
Around eleven, he comes into the room. Red streaks through his cold eyes. "We're leaving in five minutes."
"All right." I rise, but I am not sure what to do since I never pack wherever we go. Clothes and toiletries always show up.
When we get on the plane, Gustave and Bernadette are already on it. Gustave sits in the back, with bloodshot blue eyes. Bernadette is near the front and pats the seat next to her.
I sit and William passes me. I ask Bernadette, "You're going to Panama City?"
She shakes her head. "No, dear. We're going to Colombia." She opens her purse and tilts it to me.
My heart skips a beat. A note says, "Axel is rescuing Millie."
