“I don’t get it.” What the hell is there to smile about, she thought to herself.
“Yes, because she did a four-some, she gets to eat steak and cheesecake. This is how we eat, how we stay alive, based on what work you do. You don't fuck, you don't eat.”
Celina bounced her head in front of Carmela. “Are you serious?” She couldn’t image what it would be like not to eat for a day, much less days. Celina thought she had nerves of steel, until Homer had taken her, and broken her down. Now she could feel the weariness moving through her as she saw the reality of the situation she was in.
“Very serious. For five blowjobs, you get beans and one tortilla for one meal. For three pussy fucks, you get to eat fideo with rice, beans, and two tortillas, and for a foursome, well I told you already. This is how you stay alive, Celina, so you must do what you have to. You get it?” Her brow arched up high.
“You would think that since you are here against your will, that they could at least feed you.” She shrugged.
“Yes, but then they wouldn't be able to get you to do what they want you to. Hunger moves mountains. But don't despair. You can collect many jobs to trade for a big one.” Her look softened.
“What? I don't get it?” Her voice was almost a whisper as she expressed her darkest fears.
“For example, you can work and save fifteen sex jobs to equal a foursome and eat steak and cheesecake or trade thirty blowjobs for steak and cheesecake. Fifteen blowjobs can get you the sex meal of fideo.”
“Wow, how exciting, Carmela.” She said in sarcasm.
“Just don’t get hooked on the drugs, because then you'll sell yourself to the devil to get that fix that you'll need, for the rest of your life, and when you get too old, no man will want to fuck you, or want them to be touched by you, and then you're doomed. The only way out is dead.” There was no hesitation in her voice or her attitude.
Celina turned back to the window, where the sex act was being performed. “Carmela, that tattoo that the guy has on his back.”
“What about it?” She raised an eyebrow.
“It's the same, as the statue that was in the boss's office, isn't it?” Her frown deepened.
“Yes, that's the Santísima Muerte.” A wide smile creased her lips.
Celina looked at her, waiting for her to explain some more.
“People confuse her, and think that she is the grim reaper, but she's not. She's a goddess named Mictecacihuatl, wife of Mictlantecuhtli, the God of Death, from back in Aztec times. She was believed to be a protector of souls, residing in the dark underworld, and legend says she caught her husband cheating on her, so she killed him.”
“How do you say her name?”
“You pronounce it, Mikt-eyk-as-see-wahl.” She drawled the name.
“I don't want to be rude, but she scares me.” She frowned and rubbed her arms, as if she had goosebumps.
“Yes, many people are frightened of her, but I grew up with the Santisima Muerte. My grandmother had a shrine dedicated to her. All you have to do is believe, and ask, and she delivers.” Her eyes were wide and luminous.
“I know that awhile back, the Mexican government, had ordered to knock down all shrines along the roads, and anywhere out in the open, well at least in Nuevo Laredo, because the drug dealers worship her. Why?”
“Because La Santa Muerte does not discriminate. She is a refuge, for those who are judged everywhere else, and those who cannot find shelter, until they find her. That is why she is a favorite of the Narcos. Because they have no faith in the institutions around them, since they do a lot of killings. Because the Narcos go against God's Ten Commandments, for example, thou shall not kill.” Carmela glanced at the large tattoo inked from shoulder to shoulder on the back of the man, who stood naked before them, having crazy group sex.
“I'm sorry, but I feel like I’m in a nightmare from hell, that just keeps going, and I just can't wake up. This is too crazy for me! I just couldn't live like this, and I don't mean to disrespect you in any way.” She gazed at Carmela, revealing her fear and anguish again.
“Of course not, because I don't choose to live like this, they do,” she said, pointing to the men in the room. “Come, let's get you a plate of food, so you can take it back to your room and eat.” She continued to walk down the long passage.
Celina followed, but after taking one last look at the group sex going on in the room. She was looking at the poor girl, who was sandwiched in between two men. The big tattoo man, who continued to ram in and out of the poor girl’s ass, with quick strokes and the guy beneath her, who was holding on to her thighs. The man who had his penis in Cari's mouth had just ejaculated and was forcing her to swallow his semen. Those men were making her airtight.
“Oh, please, God in heaven, take me away from here. I don’t ever want to be a foursome or a one some, here,” she whispered, to herself.
Chapter 24
Who's there?
Celina entered her bedroom, holding a plate of beans and a tortilla. She placed it on the dresser and then jumped on the bed. No. Oh God no, she couldn’t deal with this. Her throat tightened and closed with pain and fear, and she began to cry. This was the first time she had cried full force, since her kidnapping.
“Please, Lord Jesus, take me out of here soon. Please don't make me work as a sex slave, like those other poor girls. I can't do it… I just can't. I would prefer to die.” She buried her head in the pillow and wept.
Memories that she had buried deep in her mind, when Homer had kidnapped her, were coming alive with what she had just seen. The last time Homer fucked her, the day of her rescue, he had inserted a butt plug in her ass, while he fucked her pussy. He kept telling her that her ass was going to be next, and that he was not going to show any mercy. He had told her, that he was doing her a favor with the butt plug, in preparing her.
An hour later that day after he had his beer break, he had come back with a wooden stepladder. He did a dry run, instructing her, as to how she was to kneel and position her body for the ass fucking he was going to give her. He had her kneel on the top step, lean her body over the top part and to hold herself in place. He then had her place her hands on the legs of the other side of the ladder, with her ass arched up in the air.
He spanked her ass several times, and then made her suck his cock, while she was on the stepladder. He instructed her to take all of his cock deep into her mouth, until it hit the back of her mouth. She moved her head back and forth, and every time his growing cock hit the back of her throat, it made her want to choke. She continued until he instructed her to lick and suck his balls. She felt him fight the urge to come, and that was when he pulled away from her and spanked her ass again, until she lost count. He told her to get off the ladder and rest her knees, that he was going for another beer and some rope, and that's when the police kicked the front door down.
Celina continued to cry as she remembered, and then her cries softened until she fell asleep. Weeping drained her energy. She slept for an hour or so and then woke up to noises in her room.
She pulled her long hair back, and away from her face so she could see. She saw nothing but heard a loud noise again, so she sat up on the bed and asked, “Who's there?”
The noise was coming from along the wall, where a long Victorian bench, upholstered in a deep shade of red, was.
She scooted back to the top of the bed, scared as ever. She saw no one, but continued to hear noises. She saw her Victoria's Secret bag moving, as if someone was going through the bag.
Could it be the air duct in this strange place? she thought, looking up at the ceiling.
Hours passed, and Celina refused to go back to bed, so she sat resting her back on the headboard, clutching a navy blue throw pillow.
“Celina,” someone shouted through her door. She jumped up, sucked in air, and her heart began to race again.
“Yes,” she replied, looking towards the door.
The door opened, and it was Carmela. She peeked in, and asked, “H
ey, is everything okay?”
Celina looked at her, barely curving her lips for a smile. What could she say at this point?
“Say, we were informed that you are a hairstylist,” she commented, with much enthusiasm. “Well, is it true?”
Celina nodded her head.
“Well, come with me,” she said, motioning her hand.
Celina got off the bed and followed her out of the bedroom.
Chapter 25
Advice
They walked back through the long hallway of nude pictures on the dirty, lime green wall, and headed back to the rooms where the girls worked and slept.
“Please, come in. This is my room,” she said, holding the door open.
Celina smiled, and walked into a small room. A double-sized bed was centered in the room, covered with a faded floral print bedspread that looked more like a scrap of fabric. A chair was in the corner, and a small night dresser were all the furnishings in the neatly made room.
“The boss wants you to style my hair, and depending how it looks, he then wants you to cut his hair,” she giggled, grinning with excitement.
Celina wondered where the woman with lifeless eyes had gone to, because the woman who stood in front of her now was full of enthusiasm. She nodded her head, replying, “I see… and yes, I guess he has a point. Try it on someone else, before doing him.”
“Wait a minute.” She left the room and seconds later came back in. “Should I sit down here?” asked Carmela, sitting down on a wooden bar stool that she placed in front of a wall mirror. “This is all I could find, this stool from the bar, or I have that chair in the corner,” she pointed, to a metal chair with a flowery, worn cushion.
Celina looked down at the stool. “Well, let's start with this stool, because it will help me in trimming your long hair. Very important Carmela, are the scissors. What are we going to use? They must be very sharp.”
“These are the ones that the boss lent me,” she pulled out a pair from her drawer.
Celina took them in her hand and observed them. A smile came over her face. She immediately read the Kissaki engraving on the blade. “I see. Who would have thought?” She raised her brows.
“What is it?” she turned to ask.
“Well, this is exactly what I needed. These scissors are for cutting hair. Actually, these are one of the top of the line in shears.” She shook her head in disbelief with a chuckle.
“I'm not too sure, but I think the boss cuts his own hair. So they must be his.”
“With all the money he has, he can't afford to pay for a haircut. Please.” She exclaimed, with sarcasm.
“He doesn't trust… is what it is, Celina.” She defended him.
“What doesn't he trust? He's a killer. If they don't do a good job, no problems, just pull out the gun, and shoot the stylist.” She motioned with her hand, extending her index finger with her thumb in the air, as if she was holding a gun.
“No, I don't think it's that.” She exhaled.
“Then what?” She asked with a tight voice.
Her eyes opened wide, with mystery in them. “Witchcraft,” she said, softly.
Celina giggled. “You can't be serious?”
“Yes, there is so much competition within the cartels. It's not all that glamorous you know. Powerful spells can be done with just a small strand of hair.” She held her fingers in air.
“Alright with the voodoo stuff, Carmela.” She giggled in disbelief. Celina then held Carmela's head still, as she began to trim her hair. “Okay, now don't move anymore, because I'm going to start to cut your hair. You want it long but with a style. Is that right?”
“Yes, give me a look that's in right now,” she said, with a big smile. “Just for you to know, I just washed my hair.”
“Okay, and don't worry. I'm sorry if I cut you off earlier, but what were you telling me about their lifestyle?” She continued to work the scissors, doing what she did best.
“Oh, that everywhere they go, they have to watch their back. There could be someone waiting for him to step out and shoot him, or even when they are driving, someone can just launch a bazooka. This could be from the other rival cartels, or someone from within your own cartel that wants your position.” She was watching Celina’s moves attentively.
“So, I guess, what you're trying to tell me is that it's not fun being the boss.” Shock rounded her eyes and had her fighting to swallow.
“Yes,” she replied, looking at Celina through the mirror.
“Oh, so the fancy cars, clothes, and all of their other toys, don't count for enjoying life?” Her face tightened further and her eyes raged.
“Yes, of course! But I was just telling you about the not-so-good side.”
Celina shook some of the hair clippings to the ground. “Ready. Do you have a blow dryer?”
“WHAT? Is that it?” She looked at the mirror looking at her hair.
“Yes, I move quick. The more appointments I can squeeze in, the better for me, because that's how I make more money.”
Carmela looked at herself in the mirror, moving her head side to side, trying to figure out what she would look like. “Well, I hope I look pretty when you’re done. It's been so long, that I can't even remember when it was that I went to a hair salon.”
“Trust me. You're going to look good. Look down, and see how much I took off. Look!” she pointed to the ground.
Carmela looked down, and saw hair clippings everywhere. Then looked up, and nodded. “You think you can cut some of the other girl's hair?” she asked, with a huge smile, realizing how fast Celina was.
“Of course!” she smiled back. “I'd love to. Bring them in, after I blow dry your hair, and get you looking hot.”
Carmela turned around and hugged Celina. “Thank you, thank you!” she said. “It's been too long since I had a professional haircut. You’re making me look beautiful.”
Celina might have received hugs before, from excited customers with their new look, but these poor girls here had been neglected. What others took for granted, these girls did not. She turned on the blow dryer, and began to finish styling Carmela’s hair.
The new look was coming alive and Carmela's self-esteem began to rise.
After Celina was finished, Carmela turned to look at her. “Celina… Thank you very much. I love it.” Carmela paused for a long moment before continuing. “I didn't want to tell you this, but… the boss is not a person of his word. As I told you earlier, my family had paid the ransom, but he kept the money and me, too.” She felt the need to tell her, after seeing that Celina was a nice person.
“What is it that you're trying to tell me?” she stared at her, holding her breath.
“I know the man very well, and I think he has the hots for you. I heard Flaco and Chuy talking yesterday about you and the boss.”
Celina shook her head in denial and stared back at her heavily.
She took a deep breath and continued in a low voice. “Yes, I know what I'm telling you. You don't want to be out here with the rest of us.” She took Celina’s hand in hers. “I mean, if he wants to keep you for himself, take the deal he makes with you, and do your best not to let him down,” she warned.
“I don't know if I get what you're telling me.” She frowned. A rush of adrenaline coursed through her veins in that very moment.
She placed her hands on Celina's arms, “Honey, if he asks you to be his woman, just take the deal, because if you give him a hard time, he will make you suffer and put you through shit so you would rather be dead. If you thought what you saw today was inhumane, you have no clue about what can be done to you.”
“But his cousin is going to do a job, to get me out of here,” she insisted.
She shook her head and pressed her lips together. “That doesn’t mean anything. He's killed his own blood before. Please consider what I've told you. Okay? I was told to show you around earlier, so you would be afraid; we do the things we do for a reason.”
Celina nodded her head in sadness and
then rubbed the back of her neck.
“Celina… word is out, that he wants to have a baby. Maybe… he will pick you. If you become the mother of his child, you will be safe always. Remember and consider what I've told you. You must do all that you can in order to survive, and avoid being tortured. There's no need for that.”
Chapter 26
The boss, El jefe
Carmela took Celina to the boss's office, to show him her new hairstyle. She walked in with a huge smile. “Boss, do you like my new haircut?” The woman who looked older than she was, from her abusive, hard life, turned around slowly for him to see.
He looked up from his desk, sat back in his fancy executive chair, and smiled. “Yes, Carmela, it looks good. You look good. Do you like it?” He widened his eyes as he waited for a response.
“Of course.” Her dark brown eyes sparkled with warmth, shaking her head in a sexy way. She then walked to his desk, and placed the scissors he had lent her on his desk.
“So, I was told that you own a beauty salon in Laredo.” He looked directly at Celina with a flash of teeth, like a shark with a twinkle in his eyes.
Carmela elbowed Celina to respond.
She narrowed her eyes. “Yes, I do. Actually, I'm partners with my best friend,” Celina spoke up, and then glanced at Carmela.
“So, I take it that you are very successful.” He moved his eyebrows up, a few times. “I went online to your website and saw pictures of your beauty shop. You amaze me. Nice shop, and how clever to have a bar in there, too.”
“I guess you can say that,” she replied, her eyes cold and hard with no emotion in her expression.
“Carmela, thank you very much. You can leave now.” He nodded.
Carmela lowered her head and smiled at the boss. She then turned to Celina, gave her a hug, and whispered, “Thank you.”
Rafael got up from his chair, and walked towards Celina, making her feel a bit uncomfortable. Carmela had left the room and now she was all alone with the boss. Her heart began to race with the thought that he would take her to his back bedroom, like he had taken the other girl earlier.
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