Chapter 5
DAYS LATER...
I shuffle through some papers on the desk, sorting them into folders.
Each nightclub has its own folder with huge numbers on the front.
When I finish, I pick up a document to sign and start reading, but I get distracted.
I start over, and halfway through, I’m thinking again about that mouth and those mysterious eyes telling me I’ll never lay hands on her.
“Oh, if I want to, I will. Of course I will. You’re going to be mine, Lola,” I mutter to myself.
I hear a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
The door opens and Yná walks in. She seems uncomfortable or anxious—I can’t tell which—because she’s wringing her hands and her eyes are downcast. She places her hands on the back of the chair and grips it tightly.
“Can I talk to you, young Lorenzo?” she murmurs.
“Of course, Yná. You always can.”
She lowers her head, and I can tell she’s not comfortable. She fidgets with her hands, and I admit it makes me a little uneasy too. I give her time, and she begins.
“Do you remember I have a daughter? The one who went to live with her father because she wanted to?”
“Of course. I remember.”
“Well, Lorenzo, her father wasn’t a good man, and he ended up getting killed. Carla was seeing someone and decided to stay there, but the boyfriend was mixed up in bad stuff. When she found out, she broke up with him, but this ex won’t leave her alone.”
“I understand. What are you thinking of doing?”
“I wanted to ask if I can bring her here. She’ll stay in the same room as me and help with the housework. She’ll help the other staff too.”
“Of course, Yná. She can come. Don’t worry, that’s not a problem.”
“Thank you.”
Yná leaves. My phone rings, and I glance at the screen—it’s Giovani, my brother.
“What’s up, Gio.”
“Lorenzo, we’re at Alberto’s place—Aurora’s father—and he wants to talk to you in person about the younger girl.”
“I’m on my way.”
I grab my car keys and my gun, and head out.
A while later, I arrive at the house and go inside. The old man is sitting on the couch. He looks at me, and he seems hungover.
“What is it? What’s going on here?”
The man looks at me and speaks.
“Don Lorenzo, these two,” he points to Giovani and Marco, “told me you want to buy my younger girl. But she’s not for sale. I gave you Aurora to settle a debt, and my life became hell after that. My conscience haunts me every day, and I don’t think my daughter will ever forgive me.”
“You owed, and you needed to pay. And just a reminder—you were the one who proposed this exchange to me.”
“I know. But my Lola will never see me as a father again.”
“I wouldn’t either. But what do you want in exchange for your other daughter?”
“I won’t sell her. I can rent her out—every month you give me a sum of money and you can take her.”
“Fine, but I’ll only do this until she comes of age.”
“Fine.”
“Where’s the girl?”
“Selling flowers at the traffic light.”
“Your daughters are the ones supporting you, aren’t they, you dirty old bastard? That’s why you want money every month.”
“I took care of them. Now they have to take care of me.”
“So you can go lose it all at the casinos, right? I don’t know why a piece of shit son of a bitch like this even wants kids,” Giovani says loudly.
I pat his shoulder.
“Calm down, bro. Let’s go get the girl at the light.” I look at the man in front of me. “I’ll have the contract drawn up, and Marco will bring it for you to sign. Then we’re settled.”
“Fine.”
The three of us leave. I pull up to the light where I first saw Lola, and there’s the younger sister. I stop the car and call out to her.
“Sofia, come here.”
She sees me and smiles.
“Hi, Lorenzo.”
“Get in. I’m taking you to Lola.” She doesn’t even hesitate—just gets in the car. “Starting today, you’re going to live at my house.”
“Really? That’s great. But what about my things?”
“You can go back for them another day.”
“Okay.”
We arrive at my house. I ask Sofia to wait in the living room while I go upstairs to find Lola. I knock on her bedroom door.
“Lola, can you come here, please?”
“One moment.”
A moment later, she opens the door.
“Yes?”
“Come downstairs with me. I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise for me? I can't imagine what it could be.”
“Come with me.”
I head down the stairs and she follows me. I lead her to the living room and call out.
“You can come out.”
Sofia comes out from behind a door and Lola looks at her sister in surprise, then smiles.
“Sofia, it's so good to see you.”
They hug. Smiling, Lola kisses her sister's face, and Sofia responds with the same intensity as they squeeze each other tighter. Sofia cups her sister's face with both hands, and Lola pulls her close again, kissing her hair. Sofia is the first to speak.
“Lola, I missed you so much. You can't even imagine—I came to stay.”
“What do you mean, Dad...”
She looks at me. I shake my head.
“Yná,” I call to the housekeeper, who appears right away.
“Yes, Lorenzo.”
“Take Sofia to the guest room. Lola, come to my office. Please.”
“Of course.”
We head to the office. I gesture toward the chair.
“Have a seat.”
Lola perches on the edge of the chair, as if ready to bolt at any moment.
She grips the armrest tightly, takes a deep breath, then rubs her hands over her thighs, smoothing the hem of her dress.
She presses her lips together and blinks several times, glancing at me then looking away whenever I focus on her face.
Her eyes have a power over me I can't explain—as if she can see into my soul.
I don't know what it is, but it's so sexy that I feel weak around her.
If she wanted to, she could get anything from me.
“Did my father sell her to you?” she asks right away.
“No, he rented her out,” I say bluntly.
“What do you mean?” She furrows her brow, her expression hardening.
“Exactly what you heard.”
She stands up and walks to the window, hand on her chin.
“That can't be right. Why did you do that?” She turns to me, crossing her arms.
“Since you got here, I've noticed how worried you are about her...”
She comes at me, angry, jabbing her index finger in my face.
“My sister is a child, Lorenzo. Whatever your intentions are, don't forget she's only fourteen years old.”
I catch her finger, folding it into my palm, and pull her against my body. My face hovers close to hers. I can feel her breath.
“Calm down. My only intention is to put your mind at ease about her safety,” I say, my gaze traveling over her face before settling on her beautiful mouth.
She pushes me away and steps back, placing a hand on her hip as she turns her back to me.
“It's just that my mother left, and ever since she vanished, I've been taking care of Sofia. And as you know, my father can't be trusted. She's all I have.”
“I know. That's why I made sure to find a way to bring her here.”
I move closer and catch the scent of her hair, a hint of light perfume.
“I feel so bad about all of this.”
“Don't. You're innocent—a victim in all this. But relax, because you and your sister are under my protection now.”
She licks her lips, her chest rising and falling.
She's wearing a yellow dress that leaves her shoulders bare. I can't resist—I kiss her shoulder. She startles and tries to pull away.
I turn her to face me, caress her cheek, and tuck her hair behind her ear.
She looks at the floor.
“Look at me,” I say. She doesn't. I lift her chin and hold her gaze. “You're beautiful.”
She looks away.
“Don't say things like that, Lorenzo.”
“I'm telling the truth. When I look at you, I imagine so many things.”
“Like what?”
“I think about how one day, I want you all to myself,” I confess.
“I don't want you, and I never will.”
I smile, stung, but hide it by adjusting my collar and running a hand through my hair as if out of habit.
“You want me. If you didn't, your chest—” I place my hand above her breasts “—wouldn't be heaving like this. You wouldn't be so breathless. Sooner or later, you're going to be mine.”
She stays silent, and I think about how one day she'll have some man wrapped around her finger and she'll deceive him. But by the time that man comes along, I'll have already been here first—I'll have claimed this beautiful body and those gorgeous lips for myself before he ever could.