Page 10 of El Malo

She nods and pulls her hair into a ponytail. “Let’s get this house ready. I have a date tomorrow and I’d like to spend the evening preparing.” She waggles her brows at us. “I have to shave everything.”

All the girls giggle, including myself and Leticia.

My heart is full and I’m ready to face the day.

I’m just stepping out of Marco Antonio’s room with my broom when I run into a giant, manly wall. Julio. He stops long enough to drop his gaze to my chest that is modestly secured behind my uniform. But it’s as though he takes the time to imagine what’s hiding in there. It causes a shiver to run up my spine.

He simply grunts as he staggers toward the stairwell at the end of the hallway. The sun is dipping below the horizon outside the windows and this creep is already drunk. I’m inclined to tell Arturo, but he’s not here today. He and Alejandro have left to acquire some guns. I overheard that conversation when I was dusting the plants in the living room. Javier has been with Marco Antonio all day, showing the men entry points on the perimeter. The men following him are straight-spined and serious. They’ll do his bidding because Javier pays really well.

I’m shaken from my thoughts when I hear a door slam upstairs. Those girls better not be playing again. With my broom still in hand, I rush down the hallway and quietly up the stairs. All the doors are open. Yolanda is in one room with her headphones on dusting a ceiling fan. Silvia is scrubbing a bathroom down in another room. Her soft voice rings out as she sings. So that leaves Araceli. I walk down to the room that’s to be Emiliano’s. Earlier when I’d checked on them, she was unpacking toys for his stay.

I hear her cry out from beyond the door and anxiety floods through me. Julio headed up here moments before. So help me if he touches her…

I burst through the bedroom door and the scene before me stuns me for a moment. She’s bent over the bed with her dress pushed up her hips and her panties wrenched down her thighs. Her legs kick and flail, but Julio is holding her down, working to get his cock out of his pants, is much stronger.

“¡Suéltala!” I yell, rushing forward. Let her go!

“Vete, puta,” he growls as he reaches for his weapon tucked in at his waistband behind him. Leave, cunt.

My instincts take over and I rush for him. I swing my broom hard against the side of his face. He lets out a groan of shock and then he’s no longer interested in Araceli. Rage gleams in his eyes as he charges me. I strike him again, harder with the broom, and it breaks in half, hitting the wood floor with a clatter. He stumbles and knocks into the end table, sending the lamp crashing to the floor. His gun falls from his waistband and also hits the ground. Araceli redresses behind him and when our eyes meet, I see tears streaming down her cheeks.

He rushes for me again, but I drive the now pointed end of my broom into his gut and push him against the wall.

“You do not touch her,” I hiss. “You do not touch any of them.”

He reaches a long arm for me and grabs my throat. I can smell the tequila on his breath. I’m starting to see stars at his grip, so I push the pointed end of the broom harder into his stomach. Any harder and I’ll break the skin. Obviously he doesn’t care because he chokes me harder.

Pop!

His gun goes off and for a moment I worry I’ve been shot. But then I realize I’m staring at his lifeless eyes and blood is spattered all over the wall behind his head. I let out a surprised shriek the moment his hand falls from my neck and I rush backward, stumbling over my own feet. Araceli stands beside the bed with both arms raised, his gun in her grip. Her entire body trembles and tears don’t stop rolling down her face.

“Araceli,” I cry out. “What have you done?”

She turns her gun on me, a wildness in her eyes I’ve never seen. “H-He was going to r-rape me. I t-told him no.” Her bottom lip quivers uncontrollably. “I was s-so scared.”

“I know,” I say, forcing my voice calm. “Hand me the gun, cariño.”

Her arms drop and I rush over to take it from her grip. Marco Antonio bursts through the door, his eyes flaring with fury.

“What happened?” he roars.

Araceli flinches and I hug her into my arms. “He was assaulting her.”

“He tried to rape me and I shot him,” she explains, her voice shaking. “He was going to kill Rosa.”

He glowers at us and I lift my chin. If I have to fight my way out of this room to protect us, I will. Marco Antonio may be big, but I do have a gun in my hand.

“Go to your rooms,” he barks out. “I’ll handle this.”

As we pass, he yanks the gun from my grip. I allow it because I don’t want to cause anymore strife. We’ve already done enough damage. I don’t know what they’ll do to us, but something tells me this won’t go ignored.

Yolanda and Silvia are waiting in the hall with fear in their eyes. When they see us, they rush forward and envelop us in a sisterly hug that has my heart swelling. These people—the ones hugging me—are why I am here. To bring down bastards like Javier and his men in order to protect them. To protect other innocent people in this city who are prisoners in their own town because violent men run the streets destroying everything. Eventually it will happen. Every last one of them will be brought to justice in some way.

“Let’s get to our rooms,” I say, attempting to sound authoritative despite the shake in my voice. I quickly usher us through the house. Yolanda and Silvia retire to their room, but I bring Araceli into my room. She lies down on the bed and curls into a fetal position. Quickly, I fetch her some clothes from her room and then help her get comfortable. Once she’s settled, I change out of my bloody dress and pace my room. I’ll see Michael tomorrow and can report this to him, but protocol dictates that I notify the agency immediately of anything detrimental like this.

You’ll have to leave her alone.

I struggle with what to do. In the end, my job wins over. I kiss her temple and then change my clothes. After I ask the other two ladies to keep an eye on her, I leave the estate. It’s getting dark and I hate to be out here so late by myself, but Michael and my superiors need to know of this latest development.

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