“This isn’t how this works. You don’t dismiss me,” he said, leaning down over me. I recline into my chair, backing away from his furious gaze.
“You two looked cozy in that restaurant, dancing . . . him holding you,”
“It meant nothing, Matt.”
“And now you’re going out with him and his mother like you’re getting approval to join the family? Do you not see how this looks?” He queried loudly. To compose himself, he walked away from my desk. He asked, “Did you get the license?” I nodded, but realized he wasn’t looking at me.
“Yes,” I said meekly.
“When are you filing it?” he asked exasperated.
“Soon,” I answered. He turned to look at me, expecting more. “I have to sort through a few things and you have to really consider if I frustrate you this much, maybe we shouldn’t be married.”
“And you need to consider I’m frustrated because I want to be married when you really don’t.”
We both stared at each other with pursed lips and furrowed brows. It hurt so much to hear him say such a thing I could feel my heart willing my body to cry, but my brain forced the stoical stare-down.
“I need to go home, so if you’ll excuse me, I need to pack up.”
“I’ll wait until you do. I’ll walk you home.”
“No need. There’s no threat to me anymore,” I argued.
“It’s not an offer,” he concluded.
I stopped arguing, and started packing my briefcase, taking work with me to review before bed. We didn’t speak as he watched me prepare. I took my time to finish organizing my desk. I went to put my briefcase around my neck, but he grabbed the strap and placed it on his shoulder. The gesture was so reminiscent of the man I fell instantly in love with. I grabbed Gill’s in box, which he also took. The act touched me so much I gave him a kiss on the corner of his mouth, feeling the bristles of his beard.
With his free arm, he pulled me close and gave me the gentlest kiss. It made me shiver with emotion, and I hoped we could overcome this new scandal. I pulled away, “I love you,” and he didn’t respond. He gently pushed me forward. When I opened the door, Ken stood at the other side. I was surprised to see him.
“Please take Ms. Mercurio home, Ken,” he ordered.
“Haven’t we established I don’t need security?” I directed at Matt.
“He’s not your security. He’s mine,” and by the look on his face, I knew what he meant. He was trying to prevent himself from attacking Brady. I took the bin from his hands, and placed it on Gill’s desk. Matt handed my briefcase to Ken. Without another word, I walked ahead of both men toward the elevator. A burly man, one who was at the airport stepped out, held the elevator. Ken and I stepped in.
“Aren’t you coming?” I asked Matt.
“No. I’m going up,” he said before the elevator closed.
MATT
“Stay right out here,” I warned my guard, Elliot. His only job was to ensure I didn’t hurt Brady. He was to listen for any signs of struggle or distress. I didn’t need him to hear our entire discussion. A call to Brady’s personal assistant alerted me he was still in the office; a perfect opportunity to speak man-to-man about the woman we both wanted.
His door was closed, and I knocked repeatedly until he answered. “Come in!” I heard. He was on the phone. As soon as he saw me, his eyes widened and then narrowed into slits to compliment the thin lips of his tightened mouth and jaw. “Let’s pick this back up tomorrow,” he said to the party at the end of the line before hanging up. “What can I do for you, Mattie,” he asked, trying to lighten the dark atmosphere.
“I came here to ask you to leave my . . . Perla alone,” I stated.
“Mattie, she’s a grown woman capable of making her own decisions.”
“It wasn’t her decision to be kidnapped and taken to your property. And it wasn’t her decision to stay despite your claims she had free will. She was stranded and you took advantage of it,” I argued.
“Well, she’s in Boston now. She’s back with you. I returned the marriage license, so whether or not she files is truly up to her.”
“Not when you use your mother to keep Perla in your life,” I countered.
“I’m not using anyone. Perla had a close relationship with my mother and I’m sure both of them would like it to resume. I’m just acting as intermediary,” he said pretentiously. I hated when he acted above his class.
“Along the lines of free will, why can’t your mother communicate with Perla on her own and you remove yourself from their reunion altogether?” I asked.
He paused, thinking. “Because I’m not willing to give up. I want her. We had a great connection in the Dominican Republic, and I’m not going to let her forget how much we mean to each other, friend,” he retorted.
I felt my blood boil.
“If you want a big fight, Brady, you’re going to get one. You know I won’t back down.”
“And you know I won’t either,” he contested. “Perla will choose whom she wants. I have an advantage you don’t, Matt,” Brady started. I listened patiently, hoping to learn something I could use against him.
“Family. Perla will always think of me as family. And if you haven’t noticed, it’s all she’s ever wanted. We have the benefit of knowing exactly what she went through and what she so desperately needs. And you my good ol’ friend can’t carry or foster those memories,”
“Stay the fuck away from her, Brady, or so help me I will ruin you,” I shouted. I heard a shuffle behind me, and saw Brady’s eyes widen and adjust to take in the image of Elliot.
“I have an advantage over you Brady,” I threatened. “I will decimate this company. Rip it apart at the seams. Halt all progress. Sell pieces of it to the first bidder, and you will be left without your precious title, money, and social status in this city. And most importantly, you won’t have Perla,” I warned. I turned and walked away with Elliot following close behind.
*****
Afterwards I dismissed Elliot, and jogged all the way to Perla’s. I found her dressed in a nightgown in the kitchen, placing a bowl in the sink. She looked startled, but didn’t say anything about my entering her apartment without permission. She looked sad. Her face looked red as if she’d been crying. She looked like I felt, and part of me was content to find her this way.
After looking me over, she asked me, “Are you okay?” I nodded.
“Do you want something to eat?” She asked. She sounded so timid and fearful. I hated making her feel that way.
“You,” I said half-heartedly, and I walked over to her. She remained in place, only moving to place brace herself on the counter. Once I went to her, I couldn’t help but kiss her. Brady’s words reverberated in my mind. While I wanted to punish her for disobeying me, I wanted to cradle her in my arms for feeling so lonely. I wanted to be everything for her, and I feared I wouldn’t be enough.
After pulling away from a long, heated kiss, I asked, “Did you eat enough?”
“Yeah. By some miracle, someone stocked the fridge and made me several meals,” she said, smiling softly as she looked at my lips.
I had Glynnis shop and prepare meals for her, hoping she would eat healthy and consistently. Perla looked thinner and tired.
Perla kissed me, holding my head close to get her fill of my mouth. When she pulled back, she said, “Thank you. You didn’t have to do this, but I really needed help,” she finally admitted.
Her statement made me feel so much desire for her. I only wanted to take care of her. Brady was right. She wanted a family and I desperately wanted to create my own.
“What’s your schedule like this week,” I asked.
“I have a couple of rehearsals for the performance.”
“Yeah, I’ll be attending with my family,” he said.
“I have dinner with Brady’s mom on Wednesday,” she said tentatively. I couldn’t contain my frown.
“Are you free for dinner, Thursday?”
“Um, sure,�
� she said unconvincingly.
“Is there a problem?” I asked, needing more enthusiasm, especially if I was going to take her to meet my parents.
“I’m just trying to get caught up at work, and I’d planned to stay at work longer,”
“Or meet with Brady?”
“What?” She asked in disgust. “What is that supposed to mean? How do you go from my honest reason to me wanting to meet with Brady. I’m already seeing him on Wednesday. And I’m doing so publicly.”
“You’re having dinner with me on Thursday. You’re meeting my parents. I’ll make sure Carrie schedules it in your calendar. I’ll pick you up no later than 5:30,” I ordered.
She didn’t respond. I gave her a kiss on the forehead, and released her, making my way to the door.
“Wait,” she said, looking forlorn. She remained silent. I forced myself to stay at the door, far away from her tantalizing body. I could see an internal struggle within her, but she didn’t utter a word.
After a while, she said, “Good night.”
I nodded and walked out, locking the door.
PERLA
Unease settled within me as I watched him walk away. I knew he was angry and disappointed. I was thankful to see him in one piece, not a scratch on him, knowing cooler heads prevailed. Instead, I fully expected him to fuck me senseless, but he didn’t. Matt made his demands and walked away. At the tip of my tongue lay the revelation of my pregnancy. I wanted him to stay and celebrate with me. We were going to be a family. I couldn’t do it. Clear head had to prevail because there was too much at stake. Even though the other Pentagon men were fully aware of what I was doing, I felt so alone in my plans. The preservation of Pentagon was most important. I needed to be the strongest of them all.
I grabbed my cell phone and called Irena. She’d called earlier and I was too busy being escorted by Ken to speak to her. Concerned with Matt hearing me speaking to a private investigator, I refrained from returning the call until I could speak freely.
“Perla, great timing, I have a few minutes to give you an update.
“Great. I hope it’s a good lead.”
“Somewhat. The only detainee in your kidnapping being held is Aida Parisi, so that tip given to your husband was correct. I sought information about the two men you claim assisted her with your kidnapping. Aida was the only one who was extradited to the U.S. There were no men arrested with her. I contacted the police in the region of the Dominican Republic who arrested everyone. They claim they handed over the two men to the people who identified themselves as U.S. federal officers. They oversaw the transfer of records and paperwork. From the moment they handed over the prisoners, they had nothing more to do with the case. But Aida and two officers were the only people to arrive in the U.S. on the airplane. I tracked back video at the airplane hangar, and my team was able to acquire pictures of the parties who arrived. I sent you an email, just now, on a secured line. You’ll have to register and create a password,” she finished.
I took time to follow the steps and opened up the email.
“Okay, I’ve got them before me,” I reviewed the first picture of a male wearing a polo shirt with the logo of the charter company who exited the plane first “I don’t know the man in the first picture,” I informed. “I don’t recognize the female flight attendant,” I scrolled, and then I gasped, stopping at a pic of a male dressed in the same uniform as the flight attendant and the crew member who exited, “Oh my God,” I cried.
“What is it Perla?”
“Man in picture number three is Tony. The man who attempted to kidnap me the first time and ultimately succeeded the second time.”
“Are you sure? The pictures are a bit pixelated.”
“I will never forget him.” I said.
“Okay. It’s a start. Continue, please.” My heart beat rapidly and I gulped a few times to gather my composure.
I inhaled deeply when a wave of nausea struck me. “I don’t know the man in picture four wearing the suit, “Aida is in the picture,” I answered. Aida was handcuffed, and wore a non-descript linen jumpsuit. Even with the graininess of the picture, she was free of makeup and her hair was slicked back in a ponytail. I scrolled to the next picture and there was another unidentified man wearing a suit.
“There is one last picture. Do you know who that is?”
I scrolled to the last picture and I nearly fainted. My heart palpitated strongly in my chest, and I said, “The man is Eric Pierce. Or at least the name he used when I first met him. I know he may be using an alias. I don’t feel safe, Irena. What should I do?”
“First let’s calm down. You’ve identified two important pieces. I’ll identify and eliminate the crew from the list of suspects. I have pictures of the two men you’ve identified. I can run them through facial identifying software. I have a lot of resources to get us answers to identify and imprison these men. Now that I know who they are, my visit to Aida will be easier tomorrow. I will call you tomorrow with more information, okay?” she said reassuringly. I calmed down with her empowering words.
After we hung up, I called Ken. “Yes, Ms. Perla, what can I do for you?” he answered.
I hurriedly explained I had reason to believe my captors were still out there and I needed him to assign another guard. I didn’t want Matt to know or be worried about my safety. Before he could object or deny me this request, I said I would pay, and he could remove himself from being my guard.
“I’ll talk to the agency and have them assign Josh. He can be pulled from another assignment and back with you. Do you think you’ll need him tonight?” Ken asked.
“No. I’m home and the building is secure, but I plan on being at work at seven in the morning.”
“Done. He will walk you to work in the morning,” he said before we hung up.
I felt relief, but then I remembered my appointment with Esmeralda’s medical office. I decided not to worry about it until then. I needed a good night’s sleep for my sanity and for the baby’s health.
*****
The next afternoon, Josh drove me to my appointment at a non-descript building in Fall River, Massachusetts. It was a lengthy drive, seemingly filled with every commuter seeking to leave Boston during midday. The time allowed me to review more papers and sign documents. When we arrived, Josh insisted on escorting me to the office, but agreed to leave me at the guard’s desk. I took the elevator to my sister’s fifth floor office.
I’d been to a gynecologist office many times, but never pregnant, which made me feel like a terrified school girl. I heard my sister’s voice while I was checking in under the name Marcella Peña. I told Esmeralda to use my mother’s maiden name, and I would pay cash.
“I’ll take her in,” she eyed the receptionist knowingly. Everything felt so covert. I felt so shameful. When we were in the examination room, which reminded me of my last time in Matt’s practice, she gave me a strong hug.
“I read the article about you three,” she started.
“What? What article?”
I knew full well which article she referred to.
“One of the nurses saw the article on her favorite gossip site, and because we share the same last name, she asked if you were my sister. I needed to get you in here before everyone connects you to me and you to that article. You have gotten yourself into one big mess, baby girl.” The swell of hormones made me break down and cry.
Esmeralda held me tight and shushed me until my crying jag ended. She sat me down and took my vitals. She only asked me questions when she didn’t know my history, confirming information on my real electronic medical record and duplicating them in her system with a new name. Using my mother’s name, she promised to invalidate the record once I revealed the truth to Matt and sought a doctor in Boston. She took me to the bathroom to pee in a cup then escorted me back to the room. She pulled out a fresh gown from the drawer and asked me to undress fully, leaving me to my privacy. Soon after, a knock on the door awoke me from my trance.
“Hi, I�
��m Doctor Lea Coombs,” she smiled. I felt at ease. “I hear you confirmed a pregnancy at home,” she said cheerfully. We talked for a while before she examined me. When she opened my gown to do a breast exam, she asked, “There are contusions on your breasts, chest and stomach, are you aware of them?”
“Yes,” I answered sheepishly.
“Was this done consensually?”
“Absolutely,” I said in the affirmative, and with conviction.
“And you’re in a safe environment?”
“The safest and most sound relationship, I assure you,” I answered.
She nodded, but took the opportunity to remind me the options to keep me safe from a violent partner. She also lectured on safe sex by using a word or signal, talking through our experiences, and ensuring to have open communication afterwards, especially when he doesn’t abide by safety protocol.
After she conducted the gynecological exam, she continued, “Since you don’t know the timing of your last period, I want to do an ultrasound, so follow me,” she finished. We walked to another room where the machine was located. A knock on the door prompted the doctor to allow entry. Esmeralda entered and talked to the doctor.
“So as far as your urine test, you are pregnant and your levels look fine,” she alerted. Esmeralda turned to leave.
“Essie, can you stay?” I asked my sister. The doctor’s eyes widened in surprise. “She’s my big sister,” I informed. “I hope this can remain between the three of us.”
“Of course, any family of Esmeralda is family of ours,” she assured.
The doctor took a wand and covered it with plastic, smearing with lubricant. I thought it would be above my belly, but when I was asked to put up my legs for insertion, I gripped Essie tight. She stroked my hair and said it was the only way to see an early pregnancy. After many clicks of the machine, a picture popped up. A grainy image of a tiny bubble with a rice grain inside, then she raised the volume and we could hear the waves of its heartbeat.
“Wow,” I said. “Is it the heartbeat?” Everyone nodded. Essie cried, and I followed suit.
Bound: The Pentagon Group, Book 3 Page 23