Chapter 17 August 22, 2024
Steel
Every pulse of his blood sparked at her nearness. His skin tingled with electricity leaping from her to him. It took every ounce of control to slow his breathing down and fake sleep. To not reach out and touch her.
From the barest of slits, he watched her shift restlessly next to him.
She studied the folded hands in her lap, her fingers twisting around each other.
She crossed her legs. Then she switched and crossed them the other way.
She looked out the window briefly, then back to her hands.
Shifting was her tell. The fact that it was happening so rapidly meant she was extremely agitated.
Despite her discomfort, he realized she had nowhere to go since the plane was so small and he was blocking the way to get to another row. He allowed himself to slip into a doze. While he did, his mind drifted back in time to their wedding night.
He leaned back against the door, the snick of the lock sounding like a gunshot. Daleyza stood in the center of the living area in his suite of rooms, a soft golden glow from the table lamps forming a halo around her still form.
From his position against the door, he said, “In the bedroom, on the bed, is a nightgown. I want you to put it on, get in the bed, and when you’re ready for me to come back in, turn off the light next to the bed.”
Her voice was soft and unsure. “I need help,” she whispered. “I can’t reach the buttons.”
He pushed off the door. When he arrived at her side, he took her by the hand and led her into the bedroom. At the side of the bed, he turned her so her back was to him, and time slowed to an infinite crawl as he slipped each one of the pearl buttons from their crocheted loops.
With each button released, another small portion of skin was revealed to him. His heart pounded against his rib cage, and his blood surged throughout his body until it all gathered in his cock.
He took a deep breath through his nose and allowed it to escape in a controlled exhale. Control. Control. He mustn’t scare her yet. Not any more than necessary.
The final button released, and he backed away. “I’ll be out on the balcony.”
Once outside, he leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette.
The harsh burn of the nicotine, combined with the smoky flavor of the tobacco, soothed the tumult he felt inside.
Over the stone balustrade, the dozens of jacarandá trees and their purple blossoms reminded him of Daleyza.
Beautiful. Vibrant. Strong. Like the wind moved the trees, she moved with her circumstances. Bendable, but not breakable.
The light in the bedroom went out.
He took a final drag of his cigarette, then dropped what was left on the stone floor and crushed it out under his foot.
After reentering his suite, he poured himself a shot of tequila and shot it back. The smooth agave settled the burn in his throat.
He crossed to the low table in front of his sofa and used the remote sitting there to turn on his stereo. A popular music playlist came through hidden speakers around the space.
Walking into the bedroom, he slipped the knot in his tie, removed it, and threw it into the chair in the corner of the room.
From his pants pocket, he removed the switchblade he carried there and set it down on the dresser.
Piece by piece, he removed each article of clothing, throwing them haphazardly in the same direction as his tie, uncaring whether they landed in the chair or on the floor.
Naked, he walked over to the bed and slid under the covers. He reached out for Daleyza and pulled her back to his chest.
He pitched his voice low and soft into her ear. Notes of jasmine flooded his nose. “Are you a virgin, belleza?”
The tension in her body strung even tighter.
“Ildefanso—”
“Shh. Quietly. Answer the question.”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“I need you to trust me, belleza. Can you do that?”
“I don’t…”
“I understand.” He kissed her shoulder. “I know it’s difficult, but it’s very important that you do. Some things I do will not make sense. Some may even seem cruel. But I need you to know that I will always protect you from anyone who wants to hurt you.”
“Okay.”
“Buena chica.” Another kiss to her shoulder.
He picked up the knife from the bedside table, then quickly rolled on top of her.
Fear made her eyes go round and wild, but before she could utter a single sound, he pressed the button on his blade and slit the nightgown from breast to waist.
She gasped.
A tearing sound followed as he ripped the garment open the rest of the way until she lay exposed beneath him.
Once more, the knife cut its way through silk, this time at the thin bands of her panties that rested on her hips. With two quick cuts, they were destroyed.
He ripped the pieces of her nightgown and underwear from beneath her body and threw them to the floor.
“Scratch me, belleza,” he whispered. “Fight me off.”
Her hands scrabbled against his chest. Her hips jerked as she tried to dislodge him.
He felt the sting as her nails caught and gouged his skin.
Quickly, he brought the blade across his thigh, making a long, shallow cut that began to bleed. He swiped his palm across the wound, then shoved his hand between her legs, palm down on the sheets.
She stopped fighting him. “Jesuchristo, what did you do?”
“I just saved your brother’s miserable life.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Tomorrow, when the maid comes to clean the rooms, she will be required to take the sheets to my father to prove that we consummated this marriage. You said you were a virgin. If there was no blood, it would appear as if you’ve shamed your brother.
“Your father tried to cheat mine, and he paid for it with his life. Your brother paid his debt by giving you in marriage to the Colonel’s bastard son. Now, he will be allowed to serve my father and stay alive.
“If my father believes you were not a virgin, or that you did not consummate the marriage, the sacrifice will be useless, and he will execute your brother. While I’m guessing your brother’s not on your list of most favorite people, I’m also guessing you don’t want his blood on your hands.”
He wiped his hand on the inside of her thighs, smearing the last of the blood up near the apex.
After a few moments of holding it there to help stanch the slow trickle of blood, he rolled off her body toward his side of the bed and placed the knife beneath his pillow, where it stayed every night in case he needed it.
She stared at him. “You’re hard against me. You want me. You could have just raped me. Taken what you wanted.”
“I could have. But I don’t rape women.” He pulled her close, her back to his front.
“I told you. You must trust me, no matter how difficult it may be. I won’t always be able to explain things, so when I tell you to do something, I need you to do it without question.
I will never harm you willingly, belleza, and I will always protect you. Always.”
Someone tapped his shoulder. He opened his eyes, instantly alert, the remnants of the memory pushed aside.
It was Demon. “We’re landing in fifteen and switching planes. There’s been a… development.”
Glancing over to his left, he saw Daleyza watching them.
He looked back at Demon. “What development?”
“God’s going to fill us in when we board.”
He didn’t have a good feeling about this.