Primitivo

by Croft, Rose

  Me: Evans Park on Fifth Street. 3:00.

  Gatita: I’ll be there.

  I tossed my phone on my desk and stared at the computer screen in front of me. What now? I had nine thousand things I needed to do today business-wise, not to mention dealing with Los Malos potentially targeting us. I thought my family was home free from deadly problems in our lives when we took Rafael down.

  Emilio

  I pulled through the parking lot of the park that had been around for twenty years. It was Friday afternoon and school was about to let out, so there weren’t many people out here unless they were teens who skipped school or truants and dropouts.

  Eric’s class ended five minutes ago and my sister was picking him up to stay with her for the night. She’d promised him if he’d received all smiley faces for behavior, she’d take him out for the new Ninja Turtle movie he wanted to see and ice cream after. My phone buzzed.

  Lily: Eric’s in the car. Safe and sound.

  She sent a picture of a smiling Eric in his car seat in the back.

  Me: Okay. Have fun. Don’t give him too much junk food.

  Lily: Whatever. Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.

  I chuckled and heard a tap on the window. “Shit!” I jumped and saw blue-green eyes watching me. I signaled for her to get in the passenger seat.

  “Hi,” she said shyly like we were going out on our first date. Her brownish golden hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she had on a plain white T-shirt and jeans with holes. She looked as innocent as a sheltered princess with her sun-kissed face sporting a touch of mascara and shiny lip gloss. Sofía never wore much makeup. She didn’t need it. Her face was stunning. Her long-lithe body was to die for. Why was I dwelling on this? I sounded like an over-eager teen on his first date.

  “We need to talk.”

  “Okay,” she said slowly and turned in the seat to face me.

  I noticed her shirt had blotches of red and yellow. “What’s on your shirt?”

  She glanced down. “Paint.”

  “Paint?”

  “Art work. I, uh, work with students as part of my community service.”

  “What’s that entail?”

  “Umm, I work three days a week at a local school down the street.”

  I nodded absently and glanced around the park. I was trained to always be observant of my surroundings. “How’d you get here?” I didn’t see a car near me.

  “I took the bus.” She tugged on her ponytail and brushed the ends against her chin.

  “You don’t have a car?” I thought back to the thousands of cars that were parked in front of her house the other day.

  “No.” She ducked her head and pink tinged her cheeks. We were way past the embarrassment stage, weren’t we?

  Again, I felt a twinge of pity for her, but then I thought about the damage ES-22 did to our newfound property.

  “Is there something you’re not telling me? Like another vandalism incident?”

  “No, what happened?” She dropped her hands and stiffened. Her eyes widened. If she was faking surprise, the girl should win an award.

  “I told you. No more lies, Gatita.”

  “I don’t know what happened!”

  “The strip club where you worked. The one that our company acquired was destroyed. You sure you know nothing about it?”

  “I swear, Emilio.” She hung her head and ran a hand over her head. “Ohhh, I never wanted you involved.” Her voice was barely audible. “I thought I did the right thing. The only thing.” Her shoulders slumped.

  I saw more teens walking around the park and a few families with kids who they must’ve taken to the park right after school. Goddammit! What was with the cryptic bullshit Sofía kept hinting at? I hit the ignition.

  “Where are we going?” Her head shot up.

  “Somewhere private to talk.” I jerked the gear in reverse. “You’re going to tell me what this all means.”

  “The Omni?” Sofía asked as I pulled up to the hotel valet parking.

  “Yeah.” I opened the door, while an attendant rushed to her door. “Relax, this isn’t a weekend staycation. We have things to take care of and neither of our places works for what we need to do.”

  My mother, aunt, and uncle all used to work here for years when we first came to Texas. I knew the manager here if I needed help getting a room when they were booked.

  I went up to the front desk. “We need a room.” Sofía was behind me with arms crossed over her chest rubbing her elbows. She glanced around warily as though she were expecting someone to slip around the corner and attack her.

  “We have a room with a king, if that works?” The young desk clerk took my attention away from Sofía.

  “Yeah, that’s fine.” I pulled out my credit card.

  “Are we staying the night?” Sofía asked and uneasiness was written all over her face.

  “Why? You in a hurry?”

  “Here you go.” The receptionist held out the keycards. “You’re in room 305. Call us if you need anything.”

  “Thanks.” I took the cards and motioned with my hand. “Let’s go.”

  As soon as the elevator doors closed, I glanced down at her. Again, she had this haunted look on her face as if she were some kind of martyr, and so fucking beautiful that I wanted to pull her into my arms and hold her and chase all of her demons away. Unfortunately, she seemed pure as snow, but I knew better. She was poison and danger wrapped in an innocent package.

  She clutched her backpack close to her side and sighed unsteadily. The doors opened, and I held them for her to pass. “You got a confession to make about what happened last night?”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t know.”

  I stepped up to the room and keyed in holding it open for her to pass. I watched her as she walked slowly through the door, yanking on her ponytail as she gazed around the room. It was a modern place with a king-size bed, TV, and sitting area off to the side with a couch. I wasn’t here to discuss the comforts of the damn room. It served its purpose. At the moment, the space was only a background for us.

  My body surged with unbridled lust, which seemed to be the norm for me every time I’d been near her lately. It was irrational, unthinkable, but it was there, nonetheless. I moved over to the sofa and sat down while she stood in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do. I leaned forward clasping my hands on my knees. “C’mere.”

  She moved slowly over to me until she stood in front of the coffee table dividing us. I crooked my finger. “Closer.”

  She stepped around the edge of the table. I leaned in and hooked the strap of her backpack off her shoulder, laying it on the table. She watched me and kept pursing her lips.

  “Why are you so nervous?”

  “Why did you bring me here?” She gazed around the room pointing haphazardly at the bed. “I thought you wanted answers, not another roll in bed.”

  “I will get answers. Besides, I don’t need a king-size bed to do what I want and don’t pretend you have no interest in taking the magic cock ride because we both know better.”

  “Is that all I am to you?” she asked quietly and studied my face trying to will some kind of confession or truth from me.

  “Yeah, that’s all you are to me anymore.” Fuck her if she thought we were going to have a therapy session right now. “Stop trying to make this into something it’s not. I clearly stated our terms, and you agreed.”

  She squeezed her arms around her stomach and shook her head. After a long exhale, she raised her chin and leveled me with a serious look obviously fighting tears. “Do you remember that night at the restaurant?”

  Her raspy question hung in the air, clearly meant to make me feel guilty. I did remember that night when she saved me and I in turn, took her virginity. I couldn’t eradicate the memory if I tried, and believe me… I. Had. Tried. It was as ingrained in me as my DNA. However, her little guilt trip she was giving me could go fuck itself. “Why are you bringing this up? This isn’t the time
for a stroll down memory lane.”

  “You were so lost and angry that I hurt for you.” She reached out and took my right hand, caressing my knuckles as though she were easing the physical pain I’d suffered long ago after almost beating some punk asshole to a pulp. It didn’t help that I was in a messed-up frame of mind since it was the anniversary of my mom’s death. Like the movie Groundhog Day, the desolation of what happened to Mami never faded, and my brother Vince and I were just the right amount of gluttons to allow ourselves to reflect in a destructive way by doing something stupid and borderline crazy—like taking it to the limit on weed and alcohol. Against my better judgment, I dropped Vince off at home and drove to El Volcán to see Sofía since her shift was almost over wanting to dive into her comfort. Needing her gentle words and selfless understanding to temper the insane rage I felt over losing my mother. Then, like a great white who sensed blood, I saw violent red when some douchebag patron at the bar reached out as Sofí walked by and cupped her ass pulling her close.

  Before I knew it, I went into kill mode and blacked out until I felt myself being yanked off the guy laying lifeless with a battered face and broken nose while Sofía pressed her hands against my bowed up chest pleading for me to calm down. Not that I didn’t want to murder the fucker, I did, but I didn’t want to serve time over it either, and because of Sofí, I wasn’t arrested. Because it didn’t take a rocket scientist to know I could’ve been charged with assault and battery, public intoxication, and a fuck lot more. Instead, she convinced the manager not to call the cops and took me aside and doctored my wounds.

  “I was in a bad way, and you knew why. What do you want… a medal?”

  “No.” She brought my hand up to her lips. “I want to see you, Emilio, the real you who held me close and spoke honestly about how devastated you were when your mother died. And how inadequate you felt that you couldn’t save her.” She slid her lips slowly over my knuckles. “The one who asked me to kiss it and make it better.”

  “The real me got fucked over by the real you, so where do you think this story is headed?” Despite my cold tone and harsh words, her hand caressed my palm and her tongue trailed over my index finger. My erection was rock solid in my pants, and my thoughts were unwillingly on that night. Damn her for making me feel unwanted emotions. I killed those feelings long ago, or so I thought. But today, I was starting to feel way too much.

  “Do you remember what you said?”

  How could I ever forget? That night came back like it was yesterday.

  Sofía pulled me with her to the back kitchen and found a towel and wet it before taking me out back. “You hurt yourself.” She examined my knuckles before gently swiping the damp cloth over my bloody skin. “I don’t like it.”

  “I’m fine, Sofí. Just a flesh wound.” I shrugged covering a wince from the sting because I had to keep my tough guy persona intact, thank you very much.

  “You’re hurting,” she said quietly, her forehead crinkled as she studied my face trying to find the harsh truths I kept buried deep inside.

  “Then, why don’t you kiss it and make it feel better?” I teased lightly although my words were more truthful than I led on. I was hurting inside. I wanted her kisses to salvage me like anointing oil. I needed to be saved… by her.

  She reached up and smoothed my hair back as though I was a little boy. “Tell me what’s bothering you?” I didn’t know why her touch felt like sweet absolution. Or why I was blinded by everything but her when I gazed into her expressive, kaleidoscope eyes. Her full sensual, pink lips parted as she exhaled. “Talk to me.”

  And I did. I told her how my mother had been a drug smuggler for a big time cartel leader in exchange for our passage into the United States. And how the balloon of heroin burst in Mami’s petite body, as she convulsed and died in my arms when I was a teenager. “But the worst part is I watched helplessly as she slipped away.” My throat felt thick like it might close up, and I stifled my emotions so I wouldn’t cry like a fucking baby in front of her. However, the words kept spilling out. “I couldn’t save her, Sofí. I swore to always be there for her. I failed her. When she needed me most, I wasn’t there for her.” I stood helplessly in front of Sofía as her palm caressed my stubbly cheek. “That’s something I’ll always have to live with.”

  “It wasn’t your fault, Emilio.” She leaned in and curled her arms around my back pulling me in tight. I sagged into her comfort. “It wasn’t your fault, baby,” she repeated again. Her words were my forever-release from the self-damning hell I’d kept trapped inside. She caressed my back and gazed up at me. “I know you loved your mother and would’ve done anything within your power for her. She knows it too.”

  We stood locked in each other’s arms outside by the back entrance to the restaurant, and as more time passed, I felt the rage and insecurities I kept locked down in the pits of my soul subside. I’d never shared this with anyone, and yet I stood before my little angel feeling no regrets. Wanting to share everything with her. A slow romantic song from years gone by floated around us from the outdoor speakers of the patio section. I lifted my head and cupped her chin swaying to the music. “Are you real?”

  She smiled. “I think so. Don’t think I’m a ghost.”

  “Definitely not a ghost, more like an angel.”

  “Like your guardian angel,” she teased.

  “Yes. My guardian angel…”

  I knew exactly what I said that night, but I sure as hell wouldn’t admit it. “You obviously remember, so why don’t you go ahead and tell me.”

  She sighed like the innocent romantic she pretended to be and clutched my knuckles to her cheek. “You told me I was your guardian angel, and you were going to hold on to me forever.”

  Why was she bringing this up? Was this some kind of ploy or did she truly still care? “Am I supposed to miraculously erase what you did because you took care of me that night? In more ways than one, right?”

  She dropped my hand. “How can you be so callous?”

  “Again, Sofía, I never sugarcoated what this was. So, don’t act like you’re surprised. You’re opportunistic. Like a cat, you land on your feet. Verdad, Gatita? If you want me, fine, I’m down with it.” I yanked her in my lap and ground her against my erection. Her fingers curled around my shoulders digging into my skin. “You get yours, and I’ll get mine. But don’t you fucking ever try to convince me that this is a happily ever after reunion.”

  She pushed me away and jumped up, glaring daggers with lips pursed. Eons seemed to tick by as we stared in silence. Maybe a moment of clarity passed between us. Who knew? Although, my thoughts were still as jumbled as ever.

  However, addled brain equaled stupid choices. I clasped my hands together over my knees. “I’m only going to ask this one more time. Did you have anything to do with destroying our building?”

  “No. I swear.” Her face held no guile, but what did that really mean? At this point, it was simply semantics anyway because I already knew where we were headed. Whether I believed her or not was almost a moot point. Clear head or not, it all boiled down to the most primitive needs in the human species besides water and food… lust. She and I shared beautifully fucked-up chemistry, and I couldn’t deny it anymore.

  Like a magnet to metal, I reached out and drew her hand in mine. “If you’re lying, I’ll find out…” I leaned in and laid her palm on my cheek. “You can count on it.” I spewed this threat as I nuzzled her hand, searching for her solace, craving the impossible. She could’ve been lying, but as I watched her, I didn’t care. I only wanted to savor her and eat her up. She was the one dish I couldn’t seem to give up. My addiction. My one fatal addiction.

  “Emilio,” she whispered. Her fingers threaded through my hair.

  And that’s all it took—a look, a soft caress, or her husky voice full of anticipated promises for me to lose my sanity. I pushed her shirt up over her breasts and shoved the bra up until her tits popped out underneath. She was my downfall, and yet I took the wheel
on this road to destruction and floored the pedal. I clamped down on her rosy nipple and sucked like I was trying to draw the poison out, reveling in the taste of her sweet venom, while she moaned and bucked against me. “You like that?”

  “Yes. More. I need more.”

  For some reason, her blissful face unsettled me, which was an anomaly because in the past, nothing made me happier than pleasuring Sofía. It was a point of pride, a thing of beauty, a special bond we shared—the physical expression that punctuated the true love I thought we had for each other. But today, what we did now… could never be what we had.

  “More?” The self-loathing bubbled as I hooked a finger under her bra and tugged hard until the elastic band snapped in two ignoring her shocked expression. “Be careful what you wish for…”

  Sofía

  My bra slid brokenly off my shoulders and before I could mourn the loss, he gripped my hips and in one swift movement, I was underneath him on the sofa. Heat radiated off his fingers as he ripped at the buttons on my jeans yanking them down my legs past my knees. Then, he delved his fingers into my panties and tugged those down too. He leaned back on his knees with my legs trapped between his thick, hard thighs. His erection strained against the material of his black slacks pointing furiously at me.

  “I don’t know why.” His breathing was ragged, and his hands skimmed over my breasts and stomach. Dark eyes studied me as though I were the devil himself. “For the life of me, I don’t know why…” His voice was heavy and tortured like he’d swallowed broken glass. “I can’t stay away from you.” His fingers trailed down my hips. His thumbs outlined the faint scar below my bikini line. Back and forth he moved over the mark of evidence that Eric was my son. Our son. His thick lashes covered his eyes that seemed to be fascinated by my marred skin. Or disgusted. I couldn’t tell.

  “So fucking beautiful,” he breathed.