35. Nice Watch, Run It
nice watch, run it
César
I ’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what Emiliano said, and he’s right. Pero , I’m not telling him that shit.
Deirdre needs to know who I really am in order to take me seriously and the mask has protected me, but I’m still left vulnerable whenever it comes to her.
I raid the weed stash she keeps in her office to give myself a break from my anxious thoughts.
This is either going to go better than I planned or be a complete disaster, but a few puffs of a joint should soften the inevitable blow.
I would’ve appreciated more time to plan a grand gesture, but she went on a date with Xavier tonight and it may be too late for the bells and whistles. It’s possible I’ve convinced myself that she doesn’t like him because that makes me feel better about my chances.
She’s let me bring her to orgasm, but that’s vastly different from dating me in public, where I can’t wear a mask. Unless we rob a bank. Though, I’d reserve a robbery for an established relationship, not a first date. Or second, if she counts the drive-in as our first.
Now, I’m standing in the kitchen roasting a pork shoulder I’ve marinated for two days to prepare a home-cooked meal for a woman who’s going on a date with someone else tonight. Pernil y arroz con gandules can turn any night around.
It’s too late to turn back now, and something tells me she’ll still be hungry when she leaves a chump like him at the restaurant. I don’t want her to have a bad date, but I don’t see him keeping her interest beyond a half hour.
All he does is talk about himself and ask her stupid questions. He’s probably showing her pictures of Carl, because that dog is the only thing interesting about him. The least I can do is give her something to look forward to when she gets back and a good meal.
I see Deirdre in a way no one else does, and I don’t mean what I view through her camera feeds and windows. I see her . A flawed, anxious, overworked, and underappreciated woman desperate for success and her family’s approval.
My heart aches when I overhear her speaking negatively about herself because her family has led her to believe she isn’t worthy of taking on more responsibility.
I see how she runs that company, and it’s with pride. She is a leader who empowers her team, supports her peers, and is passionate about her craft.
She’s more than a beautiful woman with loads of generational trauma and some questionable sexual interests. She is comfortable with hiding layers of herself for the sake of business and her image, but Deirdre is a rare sight when she has even a moment of peace.
Freedom exists behind her front door, where there are no societal pressures, competitors seeking dirt, threats on her life, or blood relatives making her feel inferior.
I hadn’t planned on doing anything stupid tonight or intimidating anyone, but I may have followed her GPS to see for myself how their date is going.
I threw the pernil in the oven to keep warm and since the movie they saw should be ending soon, I planned on driving by to make sure she was enjoying herself before they continued the rest of their date.
But when I spot her walking down the sidewalk, I’m taken aback by how incredible she looks in a vibrant pink dress with a matching trench hanging off her shoulders.
Her dark hair is blown out in loose, voluminous curls like a movie star, and those glossy lips are begging to be kissed. She is radiating.
Xavier is so lucky to have even a moment of her time, let alone a date. Then my eyes follow him , and my lip curls in disgust as he allows her to walk curbside.
?Es un cabrón bien fresco, pa’ colmo!
I’m not letting you waste another minute of your precious time , I think as I prepare to do the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever done. Sorry, baby. I’ll beg for forgiveness later.
I reach into my glovebox for my balaclava and slip it over my face before grabbing my handgun, tucking it in my waistband when I step out of the truck.
I take a deep breath and do the sign of the cross over myself before following them.
I’m a good distance behind as I trail them, but to not alarm her, I do a coquí whistle three times. She maintains her stride with him, shaking her head in disbelief when she hears me.
Good.
It’s a quiet night without a lot of people around. I couldn’t be more grateful for little to no witnesses.
This is not what Emiliano meant when he said to get the girl, but I never said I was wise.
deirdre
8:45 p.m. | ‘the eight incident’
I hear three coquí whistles in the distance and shake my head. I don’t bother turning around so as to not encourage my shadow of a man. My provocations don’t drive him away, they only entice him. Scar is a prominent tail I can’t lose, and I’m not sure I want to.
Xavier walks to the left of me and is seemingly unfazed by the whistles. We just left a movie and are headed to dinner, as the restaurant is at the end of the street.
Tonight has gone smoothly so far. I enjoyed the movie, but the thing with movie dates is you don’t have to talk to each other.
I love that we’re heading to the dinner portion of the date, because his behavior will tell me everything I need to know about him. How he treats service workers, whether he tips, or closes his mouth when he chews. If he eats his vegetables, drinks water, or handles liquor well.
The list is endless.
My excitement for dinner dims when a large dark figure looms in the corner of my eye. I sigh in preparation for whatever he’s up to.
This motherfucker.
Scar approaches us, cosplaying as a mugger, and I stifle a laugh, hiding it in a cough. He’s dressed in black sweats and a hoodie, wearing that damn mask. Xavier shrieks when he finally notices him, nearly jumping out of his skin, and I pin him with a stare.
Now I know his lack of situational awareness will get us killed.
This can’t be my life.
“Gimme all your money,” Scar grunts with a finger gun in his pocket.
I’m convinced he has a wire in my brain, because he proves me wrong when I hear the unforgettable sound of the safety being switched off, but his hand remains in the front pocket of his hoodie.
Oh God.
“Please, I don’t have any money. I’d give it all to you if I did,” Xavier begs, and any plans I had of giving this man more of my time have flown away in the breeze.
My eyes bounce back and forth between them as this foolishness goes down.
“You don’t have any money, but you’re on a date? With her ?” Scar asks, staring incredulously at me. I know he’s grinning beneath that mask, and my blood is boiling.
Just because he’s supposed to keep tabs on me doesn’t mean he gets to scare off my dates.
Scar sizes him up. “Run me that watch, then,” he orders.
Xavier removes his watch with trembling hands to give to Scar and raises his hands in surrender.
Why me? I’d love to disappear right now.
“You know what? Never mind. I feel bad for you, man. Keep the watch,” he says, tossing the watch to Xavier, who catches it and stares in awe.
He hasn’t looked at me once since this occurred. It’s like I’m not even here. What if this was a real stick up? Would he even protect me?
“You’re shaking like a leaf, man. Get the hell out of here,” Scar jeers, shooing him away.
As if he remembers I exist, his fearful eyes finally meet mine, staring expectantly for me to join him.
He wants to proceed with this date? This is mortifying. I think the fuck not.
“Don’t worry about her. She’s better off without your broke ass. Bye,” he sounds jovial as he dismisses Xavier.
When he doesn’t turn away, Scar jolts toward him, and Xavier scurries down a nearby alley until he disappears from view.
I’m fuming. Bare. Vulnerable. Unprotected. I’m a deer in the headlights, and he resembles a lion admiring its prey, anticipating a vicious kill.
He corners me against the brick wall, enveloping me while his scent sends heat to my core. “Like I said, you can’t outrun me, Doe.”
“Now, what if he calls the fucking cops?” I ask, changing the subject.
“He won’t. Plus he left you here with me , the big scary man in a mask. A guy like that wouldn’t tell a tale unless it makes him look good. So, fuck him,” he assures with a shrug.
“You have some fucking audacity. White man audacity,” I spit, my anger growing at the sight of him in that stupid-ass mask.
He gasps. “Well I never,” he says in a fake country accent. “ Nobody has more audacity than white men. How dare you insult me like that?” he adds playfully.
I love seeing him loosen up like this, but I’m still annoyed.
“I’m just saying, you either need to shit or get off the pot,” I tell him, struggling to avoid eye contact as he encases me.
“I can’t,” he whispers, his breath hitting my cheek as I try to look around.
“Can’t what?” I finally glare up at him again.
“Can’t get off the pot because I’m shitting,” he answers, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
He’s such a fucking idiot.
“Wanna go home?”
“No. I came to eat and that didn’t happen thanks to you ,” I argue, booping his nose.
“Lucky for you I cooked us dinner at home.”
Dinner at home. I like the way that sounds, but I’m still annoyed.
“Was this little stick up planned, too?”
“No. That was my first time. How’d I do?” he asks, humor in his tone.
“Not bad for your first armed robbery, I guess.”
As we exit the alley, he rests his hand on my lower back, leading me to the parking lot. He stops at a large navy pickup truck.
“C’mon, Doe. Get in. I want to take you somewhere.” he says, tilting his head toward the door he opened for me.
He holds his hand out for me to take as I climb onto the sidestep.
“Watch your head , mi beba ,” he warns.
I try to ignore how my stomach flips when he calls me that. Mi beba.
To a passerby, I look like I’m being kidnapped by a masked man. If only they knew.
I settle in the passenger seat when we both reach for the seatbelt, and his large hand rests over mine. We stare at each other for a moment before he leans in closer.