“If not for you, I would never have found my….” He paused. “Jewel...So, for that I’ll be eternally grateful and it will be for that reason only I will allow you to live.” He stood and walked toward us. We both shrank back into the couch trying to get away from him. He reached out and grabbed my bound hands pulling me to my feet, then he dipped and I found myself upside down as he lifted me over his shoulder.
“However…” He said looking down at her. “If I ever catch you anywhere near Yasmin again, I will kill you. Do you understand me?” With tears in her frightened eyes, she quickly nodded her head.
“Good girl.” He muttered before he turned and walked toward the door. When he got to where my shoes were, he kneeled down and picked them up, before heading out the door.
“Mac, pay the woman for her troubles.” He called over his shoulder.
I was so afraid I was shaking. My teeth were chattering together behind the duct tape. He carried me inside the limo and gently placed me on the seat he had pleasured me on earlier. Then he sat on the seat that went horizontal. Tears ran down my cheek as I tested the binds on my wrist.
“I warned you not to cross me Yas.” He spoke quietly. I looked down to his bloody knuckles because I couldn’t stand to look directly in his eyes. His gaze was intense and it didn’t help the paralyzing fear I felt right now.
“But I guess you’re going to have to learn the hard way.”
I began to cry harder, begging him through my gag. Moments later the door opened and Mac joined us.
“Gave ole’ girl twenty-thousand, told her to forget she ever knew Yasmin. Get this…” He tapped Gabe’s leg. “She looked at me and was like, Yasmin who?” Pain shot through my heart from his words. Gabriel turned to look at me shaking his head.
“See what I mean? Shi**ty friend.”
I closed my eyes as I leaned my head back against the seat. He was right. I had been trapped at Gabe’s house for two whole days and she had not once came and tried to see about me, or even sent the police. Nothing! She just continued living her life as if I never was.
But didn’t I already know I couldn’t trust Shanice, or Gabe? I couldn’t trust anyone. I was all I had. And this situation did nothing but drill the painful point home.
I don’t know if it was a defense mechanism, or if I had finally accepted the fact that I was doomed. But I went somewhere within myself—somewhere where nobody could hurt me; somewhere, where the love of my mother, grandmother, and my pa-pa still dwelled.
I went to a happy place, and I stayed there through the rest of the ride to the airport. I stayed there when Gabe removed the tape from my mouth and my wrist. I stayed there when we boarded a private jet with a small group of people I had never met.
Although it was my first time on a plane, I stayed in that place where I was safe from all the bad people in the world. When the plane landed in Vegas, I didn’t come out of my safe place. I just went where I was told. I was aware of what was going on around me, I responded yes or no when asked a question, but outside of that, I was nonresponsive.
Gabe kept looking at me, asking me where I was. But I would just look away. He controlled every aspect of my life now, but this was one thing he could not. Where I was, he could not come, because I was in a place of love, and he had no idea what love was.
There was a limo waiting for us at the airport, it dropped us off at a fancy hotel that was surrounded by lights. As our small party rode up the elevator to the penthouse, I leaned against the wall, feeling tired. I wanted to crawl in my bed back on my farm and stay there for weeks, maybe even months. Gabe stood in front of me blocking out everyone else. He frowned as he studied my face. I stared back at him.
“Where have you gone?” He asked quietly so that only I could hear him. I just blinked.
“I won’t let you stay there, I need you with me.” He promised as the doors opened. He took my hand in his pulling me off the elevator into the penthouse.
“Wow!” The girl who was traveling with Mac said as she and who I assumed was her friends began to look around the huge space. I didn’t look around the room. I just crossed the floor to the huge window and stared out at the Vegas lights. The people on the street looked so free. I wondered if there was anyone out there like me.
Gabe’s silhouette looked larger than life as he walked up behind me. I hugged myself feeling so very alone.
“We’re getting married within the hour.” He spoke quietly. Behind us the room was lively as the group of people that had come with us began to pass out drinks while laughing and joking with each other. I nodded my head.
“Okay.” I said. Because what else could I say. I was tired of fighting, I was just tired.
Someone knocked on the door. Mac opened it.
“Calhoun, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!” A man’s booming voice said as he walked through the door followed by three other men. Gabe and I both turned to see an older Italian man that looked like he had walked right out of the movie Godfather. Gabe chuckled walking toward him.
“Gino, look at you. I see you ain’t having too much trouble filling your daddy’s shoes!” Gino laughed as he and Gabe embraced.
“Neither have you brother. I hear you taking over Wall Street in
