5. Rosa
CHAPTER 5
Rosa
S cratches cover my face and arms from the climb and jump. I hadn’t realized how far off the ground the roof was for a one-story house. I don’t care. I have to get out. Vinny isn’t a protector. He is dangerous and would’ve killed me eventually. I must flee to stay alive. If I can sprint swiftly enough, there's a chance I'll come across someone on a nearby path and ask for help.
The journey stretched on for what felt like an eternity, the last thirty minutes dragging out like a never-ending nightmare. The tall grass and gnarled trees clawed at my clothes, slowing my escape through the dense underbrush. But finally, as I emerged onto the road, the moon's light illuminated my path and I could see clearly in the darkness.
Maybe this is a mistake. I have no idea where I am and he’s likely going to find me, I think frantically. There’s a light at the end of the road that looks slightly promising. It flickers on and off. I assume it has to be a fire so I make my way to it. The sound of my heavy breathing and the wind fills the air.
Now, as I get closer, I can see that the flickering light is definitely a fire, but I hear voices. Men’s voices. I stop. I’m only a few feet away and the figures of the men come into focus. There are four of them and I spot tattoos on their faces. Even without them seeing me, I know I shouldn’t be anywhere near. My heart pounds as I take baby steps backward. There’s a small pathway I can take to try the other way.
A twig snaps.
The men stop talking and look up. I’m in plain sight. Initially, the tattoos made me think they’d rob the small Kindle in my pocket. But now, as smirks take over their faces, I realize my situation is a lot worse.
“Looks like someone is going down the wrong road,” one of the guys with a blonde buzz cut says. My throat feels dry as I see the huge, dark trees surrounding me. I’m all alone and no one would hear me scream.
“My…my boyfriend is on the way,” I lie as I start to back away but without me realizing it, one of the guys is already behind me.
“She’s got real pretty hair. Nice and blonde,” he mutters as he runs his fingers through it. I jerk away and slap his hand. They all erupt into laughter.
“Oh, this one is feisty,” the buzz cut-blond says. “I think that’ll make this even more fun.”
I take the Kindle out and hurl it at them but it misses. They roar with laughter and bolt in the opposite direction. I know I won’t get far. There’s no place to go. One of them grabs me by the hair and drags me closer to the small fire. I kick and scream, wailing like a banshee. My cries pierce the quiet night but they only make the men laugh harder. Dread washes over me as I see the darkness in their eyes. I thought Vinny was awful but these men are pure evil. I wish I’d never left. This feels like an awful punishment that I somehow deserve.
In between kicking and scratching, a blow lands on my left cheek. It knocks me to the ground and my vision gets hazy. I can taste the metallic flavor of blood in my mouth and my hair is pulled again. I swear they pulled a clump of it out.
This is it. These thugs will kill me and I’ll be out of this world for good. Maybe then my parents will— I start to think to myself before three explosive gunshots sound through the darkness. The heavy shadows behind me all fall to the ground like a thunderstorm. Whoever had my hair is still grasping it in his fingers, taking another clump as he falls to the ground sputtering. It takes a few moments for me to turn around and see all three men bleeding out.
I push myself away as a fourth shadow approaches the last living guy. I see the barrel of a shotgun.
“Well, I’ll be damned. You Montoyas are like rats in the city,” he says right before another shot fires. I close my eyes. I can’t bear to see any more bloodshed.
“Just shoot me,” I whimper. “I know that’s why you’re here.”
I open my eyes and see Vinny standing there with the shotgun. He’s sweating and visibly angry.
“You’re gonna help me get rid of these,” he says. I don’t move a muscle as Vinny drags each man’s body into the back of a huge black Chevy. How did I not hear it pull up? Was I screaming too loudly?
Once the last guy is in the back, Vinny grabs me and carries me to the truck. The ride is long and quiet and I’m shuddering badly. I thought I wasn’t afraid to die until death stared me in the face.
“Vinny, say something,” I go on. Vinny only drives faster. My anxiety picks up as he takes a sharp turn and we finally make it into an open cornfield. Now the panic rises again.
“Can you blame me for running? You would do the same if you were in my shoes!” I wail with tears and snot trailing down my face. Vinny takes the keys out of the ignition. His breathing picks up.
“Those…sons of bitches,” he says in a low tone. “Those cowards.”
“Wait, what?” I ask in confusion.
He keeps his eyes set straight ahead. “The Lewis brothers. They have the nerve to be on our turf. And tampering with our business.” My panic turns to shame. For a second, I thought I mattered to him.
But Vinny turns to me with his mouth twisting into a nasty scowl. Tears well in his eyes and he slams his hand on the steering wheel.
“That… asshole, Branson, he…he…” Vinny’s voice cracks. I never thought I’d see him this broken up.
“He what?”
Vinny draws a shaky breath. “Leanne…my sister. She dated that prick for years until he…” The words don’t need to come out. I see it all over Vinny’s face.
“My baby sister. I buried my baby sister because that asshole couldn’t control his temper,” Vinny says. He slams the steering wheel again. “he was on the run and sought protection from our rivals. It was just my luck today. I’ll be damned if I let him do that to anyone again.”
He brings his hand to my face and wipes away my tears. I don’t know if I should be scared or sympathetic.
“You ran away because I scared you,” Vinny says. “I’m a scary person because I have to do things I never wanted to do.”
He squeezes his eyes shut, this time turning his eyes back to the road. “Leanne was all I had. Her dying was my ticket into all of this. I didn’t have anything left to lose.”
“I’m so sorry, Vinny,” I whisper.
“I’m sorry your asshole parents got you wrapped up in this,” Vinny replies. “You’re good like she was. Leanne. You’re smart and you could do so many great things.” I reach over and take his hand. The rage and fear is gone. All I see is another broken person who is a victim of his upbringing.
“I think the same for you,” I assure Vinny. There’s a moment when we stare at one another with new eyes. The night no longer feels scary. I see Vinny differently as a streetlamp shines through the truck. His sultry eyes and sweaty hair make him irresistible. It’s like a strange thirst takes over me.
Vinny’s eyes look me up and down, and before we can make any logical decisions, I take off my seatbelt and Vinny pulls me into his lap. My shirt is pulled off and I quickly unzip his pants. Everything happens in a blur as we kiss each other passionately. Our sweat mingles and all our clothes are finally off. The sensation of our sweaty skin pressed together is incredible. Vinny is even stronger than I realized. But why should I be shocked? He’s massive. Nearly every inch of him is covered in tattoos and muscles. What’s most surprising is that he's not rough. He holds me tight with his calloused hands. However, every kiss is tender.
Vinny eventually grabs my hips as he enters me and the pleasure replaces the confusion from before. It rushes through me like a wave as we go faster and faster, shaking the truck. Vinny's chiseled, tattooed body is delicious as I drag my nails down his chest. The frustration of being a prisoner melts away. His touch is electric and I no longer care. I want only him. After what feels like an eternity, warmth rushes down my legs and my body tenses. I collapse on top of him, exhausted.
“Wow, I didn’t think you had it in you,” Vinny whispers in my ear.
“I could say the same about you,” I say. We stay there for a while as the combined sweat and heat lifts. I don’t think about the bodies or the rush of me trying to break free. My plan to escape had been hazy anyway. All I notice is how in sync my heartbeat is with Vinny’s.
He is not who I thought he was.