by Gia Star
Kara’s big blue eyes held a tiny blip of positivity. “I’m now on to the next phase of my journey - and who knows? What’s coming up may become the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
My poker face didn’t betray my thoughts. What kind of fucking bubble did this girl live in? While there were many things to be said about what was happening, none of them pointed even remotely in the direction of a positive, “best thing I’ve ever had” kind of outcome.
I couldn’t be nice to this girl. I couldn’t be friendly. The less interactive I could be, the better. Anything that might give her the impression of a wonderful experience in her impending future would have only made me feel even more like shit, once she realized she was nothing more than another cute slave working for Antonio’s organization.
Then it hit me. There was something I could do. That something could restore my decency, and give me the opportunity to redeem myself for the role I was about to play in what was going to happen in this girl’s life.
“Well… you have a party waiting on you, right? Back in New Mexico?” I looked to her, and then to her friend.
“Yeah…” She sounded flat and slightly remorseful.
“I can make a call, give us a little more time. I’ll take you to the party, you enjoy yourself, and we’ll leave right after.”
The dullness in her gorgeous blues exfoliated under that knowledge. “Really?”
Just hearing the hope fill her spirit turned my internal frown upside down.
“Yeah. Just one condition.” I held out her duffel bag. “You ride with me.” I turned to Cori and Sassy. “We’ll follow you.”
“That’s a long drive…” Cori said. “And our flight leaves tomorrow.”
“My truck can fit us all.” I said. “If y’all all trust me.”
Kara
We looked at each other, Cori, Maddie, and I. The conversation we had up until this period consisted of me explaining just how deep I was into this contract.
Maddie was obviously upset because she knew I was in over my head. No matter what she told me, it hadn’t registered until now.
Aunt Cori, on the other hand, was disturbed. She wasn’t able to eat a bite of her food until she got the full story on the mysterious man with the scowl at the graduation.
I didn’t want to tell her but Maddie pushed for the truth to come out.
I spilled the beans. I told her everything, from the inability to pay Mom’s bills, to our helplessness, and Antonio reaching out to help me accomplish something for reasons greater than myself.
“Kara, you are my niece. You were sixteen. That’s too much for a teenager to handle. You didn’t know what you were doing. You should have come to me about this.”
Cori’s appetite had been swallowed by anger and anxiety. She wrapped her knuckles so tight around the silverware they’d become bone white, and demanded I get a lawyer.
Maddie shook her head.
“Nah, you don’t wanna do that.” She explained her knowledge of Antonio. “I don’t know the man personally, but I’ve heard plenty of stories about him. He’s not someone you want to play with in that aspect. He’s a businessman, very powerful, but he’s not the one who will play with you. Antonio makes his own rules. Local jurisdictions will not help fight against him.”
“Bullshit!” Cori fumed. “I will get the best lawyer in New Mexico.”
“No. You won’t, Aunti Cori,” Maddie insisted. “He’s connected. Connected so deeply that you will be dead before you leave the lawyer’s office.”
Cori refused to listen until Maddie opened up.
“One of my ex-boyfriends has an uncle… he was murdered by Antonio’s people. The details… they’re gruesome… we’re trying to eat.”
Maddie’s grim memory cast a shadow over her flawless face. I reached over to put an arm around her shoulder.
“They found his body… it was… he was dismembered and littered all over…” A tear fell from her eyes as she started confessing her fear. “Best friend, I swear this wasn’t something I wanted to share with you because it was a lot for me to handle. I don’t want that to happen to you.”
Cori’s expression was ghastly.
“How much do you owe him?” She asked.
I shrugged. “He covered all of my tuition… all of Mom’s bills… several years of rent and groceries…”
“If you had to guess?”
“Four hundred… five hundred thousand…” I shook my head in defeat as I tossed up my shoulder. I honestly never counted. I couldn’t look at the numbers. The numbers would have made it all too real.
“It doesn’t matter what she owes him. He’s come to collect, and there’s no escaping. Maybe he’ll keep her at the casino. Maybe it will be a simple five to six years,” Maddie spoke optimistically. “Hard work until the debt’s paid off and then life can move on. But if he likes you… or has other plans for you, Maddie? Shit. Excuse me, Aunt Cori.”
There was a heavy silence for the rest of the meal, which was further followed by the unsettling realization that these might be my last hours of freedom.
My stomach turned at Maddie’s confession. It was so hard to believe Antonio would do those things. He was so nice, so professional, and seemed such a pillar of the community.
But then again, you never knew who anyone was these days. You never knew what monsters lurked within humanity, disguised as good Samaritans, angels here pretending to assist you.
If everything Maddie said were true, Antonio was one of the most highly deceptive forms of evil in existence. Handsome, devilish, evil in an expensive suit and wingtip shoes.
Luke was clean and serious, but he was nice enough to let me spend time with my family before I left. Was he aware of what I was getting myself into?
“I’ll go with you, best friend,” Maddie offered. I’ll just grab my bags. It’ll take a second.”
She ran off, getting her things without waiting for anyone to confirm or protest. If there were one thing I loved about Maddie, her loyalty was unwavering. Even if she didn’t agree, she wasn’t going to let me fall without a fight on her end.
Cori was fixed in place. Her expression was inanimate, yet I could sense her analyzing the situation. I knew this day was a curveball - everything that happened was unexpected.
She had two choices: stay here, alone in Albuquerque until tomorrow’s flight, and see if we’d make it to this party, or leave everything and follow me to what might be an uncertain situation. One that none of us would escape easily from.
“You know, your mother’s waiting for you to come home tomorrow with me,” she said.
“It’s a six hour drive,” Luke replied. “It’s a 6:15 now. If we leave in fifteen minutes, we’ll be back a little after midnight. That’s plenty of time to get some rest.”
His expression was direct, words were clear cut. Cori eyed him warily, and he shrugged. “Look miss, I’m trying to help you out. Just giving you options before we head out on the road, more time to spend with each other before she heads off to fulfill my uncle’s contract.”
“… Well I wasn’t aware of this contract. You know she signed it as a minor, right? That’s not legal.”
If looks could kill, the stony glare from Luke’s gaze would have put Cori down on sight.
“I don’t discuss details. I was given a clear directive: acquire Ms. Taylor. At any cost.”
“Give me twenty minutes. I need to pack up and arrange for the rental to be returned.”
“Ten.” Luke commanded. “And give me your phone.”
He held out his hand, thick, the grains of his handprint were finely etched and visible. Cori was indignant, and refused.
“That won’t be necessary,” she spat, turning on her heels. “Ten minutes.”
She turned, and he called after her. “Bring your car around. I’ll follow you to the airport drop off.”
Luke
It took forty-five minutes to get all the women squared away. Kara took the front seat, Maddie and
Corinne took the back.
Cori didn’t appreciate my demeanor. I didn’t give a fuck. I was helping her out, going out of my way. She didn’t know it, but she’d appreciate this one day.
Six and a half hours of driving never felt so long. After the first hour, things were still tense. It took Maddie to break the spell. She was sassy and unafraid of me, which made her attitude grating at times. But she had the ability to lighten up the mood, bring out the best in Kara.
Once she decided she was tired of the dramatic silence, she opened Kara up into a conversation. They talked about everything, from music to makeup. They even talked about boys.
That’s when the drive seemed unbearable. I would have almost preferred the silence if I didn’t enjoy the ubiquitous happiness that sprang from Kara’s interaction with her friend. But I couldn’t help feeling slightly envious hearing Kara express interest in other men.
Regardless, I wouldn’t silence them. I wanted her to enjoy these final hours of freedom. To indulge in the last taste of excitement in all life had to offer. It was coming to an end soon and we all knew this instinctively, no matter the glossy finish of illusion.
Her life was truly never going to be the gleaming beacon of possibility for which she sold her soul. The more she glowed, beamed, and spoke of the future, the more the pang of self-loathing turned its rusty blade in my gut.
I’d become used to being the bad guy. But just this once, I knew I would regret it. The reality would permanently stain her memory of me. For some reason, that fucked with me, and I couldn’t do shit about it.
After dropping Maddie and Cori off, I pulled up to Kara’s home. Her shaken gaze magnified the presence of her fear.
“How do you know where I live?”
“I figure you’d like to spend one more night at home, under the same roof with your mother.”
She looked at me, blue eyes anxious with questions. I looked ahead, averting her petulant gaze. She asked the wrong things, and I made it my business to redirect her focus with my answers.
“If you prefer, I can wait outside while you pack your things. We can head to a hotel tonight,” I offered. “Otherwise, I’ll see you when you wake up.”
Our eyes met. Silent conversation passed between us. Despite my desire to open up, I had a job to do, and I was doing the best I could to give her everything she needed for a healthy farewell.
She nodded, accepting the unspoken command in my eyes to take the gift of extra time. I needed her to go spend her last night of freedom with her mother. Her mom was the reason, the one woman she had done this for. Otherwise, the life sentence that followed wouldn’t be worth it.
“Goodnight,” she said quietly, before exiting the car.
Kara text the next morning around eleven. The party would be at Maddie’s place, it was a joint graduation for the both of them.
I’ll ride with my mother and Aunt Cori, she text.
Slick, but not enough. I slept in the car just to make sure she didn’t go anywhere.
I’m outside. Are you packed?
Five minutes of silence, including twenty seconds of her looking out the window to see me sitting there, expectantly. She replied, Yes.
She opened the door twenty minutes later, two duffel bags and a rolling suitcase in tow. I opened my door, grabbed the bags, and met her at the trunk. Chivalry wasn’t dead, freedom was.
“Good morning,” she said, providing a polite curve of a closed mouth smile. “Have you… eaten?”
“Nah.” The mention of food alone made my stomach rumble. Audibly. Her face blushed as she heard the noise, which I pretended to ignore.
“I have to get two more bags, and then I’ll be ready.” She looked at me, and I suddenly felt self-conscious about the fact that I hadn’t showered in over a day. “You’re welcome to come inside and take a shower and grab a bite? I have to introduce you to my mother anyway. She has questions about who you are, and why I’m not riding with her to the party.”
Kara’s dark hair was styled casually. Rich, second day waves, a mixture of bedhair and fading glamour from the day before. Her freshly scrubbed face was clean, only light gloss and mascara. The airy application revealed her natural beauty.
Her tanned skin and pouty features were captivating. My lip tingled and the visual of kissing her flashed through my mind. The film of gunk over my teeth brought me back to reality.
“Thank you for the offer. But I’ll pass. I don’t have any clothes.”
“I have some extra shirts… my father’s.” She spoke, slowly. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”
“Your father’s a generous man,” I said. “Is he coming to the party?”
“No.” Sadness filled her eyes, but was washed away with a benevolent expression. “But it’s okay.”
She reached for the trunk door, but I stepped forward and closed it for her. Those pretty hands didn’t need to touch this dirty truck.
“Lead the way, ma’am.”
Kara’s place was modest yet modern and comfortable. Warm blues, pinks, and creams filled the house, giving an air of soft, airy serenity. There were plants all over, giving a lush and relaxed feeling.
Antonio invested heavily in this one.
“My mother’s still in her room,” Kara said. She led me to the bathroom. Handing off a towel, a fresh bar of soap, and a wash cloth, she said, “There’s a spare toothbrush in the drawer.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Our eyes connected, and I felt my cock stir. This girl was beautiful, but the purity in her eyes could not be denied.
After my shower, I met her in the kitchen. My shower was elongated by five minutes, I couldn’t help jerking off to the thought of her gorgeous face twisting from my cock pounding inside her cunt, sending a thick wad of my cream swirling down the drain.
“Here’s a plate,” she said, pointing to a chair. “Have a seat. My mother needs a little help coming out.”
She’d set out a feast. Bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, pancakes, muffins. Juice in a carafe. Jam, jelly, syrup, butter. Warm and made with love you could smell in the homemade vapors.
Guilt gave my stomach pangs extra sting. Kara didn’t deserve what was coming to her. Whatever pushed her into Antonio’s arms, no matter how bad, it wasn’t worth her fate.
She knew I wasn’t shit. I worked for Antonio. But that didn’t stop her from showing generosity. She was loving, nurturing, even though she didn’t need to be. She wasn’t bitter and cold like the rest of Antonio’s collection. The more I spent with her, the more obvious this became.
Too hungry to wait, I dived in. I hadn’t tasted a home cooked breakfast in years, preferring to grab something on the go whenever I could stop and eat. McDonald’s and Jack in the Box were staples for me. IHOP was a special occasion feast. Time wasn’t a luxury for me.
My phone went off.
How’s the weather? Antonio always got to the point.
Sunny, but with mild overcast. Traffic’s a little congested.
That was our veiled way of communicating. He wanted to know how the transport was going. I was letting him know that everything was good, but things were taking a little longer.
Will you make it to our family reunion on time, nephew?
The real question was, Will you make it to Vegas on time? For now, it would take an extra day. I didn’t want to rush Kara away from her family. These last hours would be all she had to survive on.
Depends on traffic. I might be there a little late, but I’m going to make it. Give my aunt a kiss for me.
“Good morning, young man.” The brittle voice of the Kara’s mother pulled me from my phone. I looked up and met her conclusive gaze.
Perhaps I’d seen a lot, but looking at Kara’s mother, I could see the hard effects of a broken woman. This fragile shell of a person in front of me was a once happy, beautiful woman. Standing in front of me was a ghost, weakened by illness, and the intangible yet impalpable sorrow that came from experiencing too much at once.
“Good morning, ma’am.” I stood to show respect, and moved to pull out a seat for her. Her judicious nod and faint smile revealed cautious observation.
“How are you enjoying breakfast?”
She reached forward, grabbing a small muffin from the plate in front of her.
I noticed there was only one plate left, and it was on the other side of the table, next to her. I assumed that was Kara’s normal setting, based upon her cell phone laying there with a half-eaten pancake on the plate next to it.
“It’s very good, thank you.”
She nodded again. “Kara is quite the chef sometimes. I hear you both are going to work for the same company in Vegas?”
Chewing slowly gave me the opportunity to fill my plate with more bacon and eggs, giving me time to think on my feet and coordinate this conversation.
“Ah, yes. My uncle’s casino,” I said. “He needs more staff to run the place, and Kara’s skills are exactly whats needed.”
The naked skin where the woman’s brows would have been knitted in curiosity. “Really? I wouldn’t imagine a casino in need of an aerospace engineer…”
I shrugged. “My uncle has various interests, and Kara’s talent can be put to use in many ways.”
… That wouldn’t have a damn thing to do with what’s between her ears. Maybe her lips, but not the ears.
“What did you get your degree in?”
“Logistics.”
… Human transport and enforcement.
Kara breezed in, hair flowing behind her. My dirty clothes were in a bag she placed by the entryway, with a smaller plastic baggie of my toiletries, soap included, atop of it.
“How’s the food?” She asked, picking up her pancakes as if she were only gone for a few seconds.
“Delicious,” I admitted. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled warmly, and turned to her mother. “Mom, I made all this food and that’s all you’re going to eat?”
“Oh Kara, don’t worry,” her mother smiled, much more widely than she had earlier. “I just needed something to warm up with.”