Episode 12

DOMINIC

I open my eyes and as I lift my head it's heavy, I roll onto my back, and I rise slowly, as if a tractor had run me over. What on earth, even drinking is impossible, can't even have that joy, it's only good while you're drinking, the next day it's a smack in the head.

The headache tightens even more when I stand up, I go straight to the bathroom for a shower, dragging myself, I wash and just stand under the water, thinking about everything that's happening, how Allana is so confrontational, always nagging me, but also how stunning and incredibly appealing she is, my mind betrays me by thinking of her all the time.

What sort of spell does she have? Even if she's beautiful, she shouldn't have this much allure, it's as if she cast a siren's song over me and I became mesmerized by her manner and her beauty.

I step out of the bathroom with a towel around my waist and get dressed, putting on something more comfortable. I leave the room and start looking for Allana, but she's nowhere to be found.

That is until I descend the stairs and there are the three employees whispering softly, resembling a trio of idle gossips, which they'll be shortly.

“Don't you all have jobs to do instead of gossiping, huh?” I say, startling them all.

“Sir... I... I... I,” the driver stammers nervously.

“I what, Jorge? Didn't know you stuttered.”

“Your wife asked Jorge to take her to a pharmacy yesterday and she ran away... she's gone,” Maria says, betraying the old man who now looks visibly frightened.

“What the hell? I didn't give her permission to leave, nor did I send you to take her anywhere, did I?” I almost shout, anger coursing through my veins, how could she run away from me?

“She had cramps, sir, she said there wasn't her medicine here, how could I leave the lady in pain?” he tries to explain, and Maria rolls her eyes. I feel the anger rising.

“You could have gone alone to get the medicine, just ask for the name and go buy it. That's why I left that damned card with you. And how did she run away from you, can you explain that?”

“I was going to enter the pharmacy with her, but she told me to stay outside because it was embarrassing to enter the pharmacy with an employee.”

Easily deceived, she who is always so kind wouldn't talk like that.

“A woman jumps into the pool to save an employee, and she said that to you? Unbelievable, she already said this to you so she could escape, you're such a fool. Now let's find her, get moving, dimwit.”

“Aren’t you going to have breakfast first, Dom?” says Maria with a smile at me, and I feel like punching her already.

“No, I'm hungover, come on, Jorge.”

He nods and we leave the house, he heads straight for the car and I call two more security guards to help search the area thoroughly.

I go in one car and they go in another. I have to find this street-girl; I was determined to try to be kind to her, but her escape is going to cost her dearly.

If she doesn't want the best of me, then she won't get it, I'll punish her so severely she'll learn never to run away again.

We canvass the area around the pharmacy; it's inconceivable that she could've walked too far, but she's not here.

But just to be sure, I head to the lighthouse where she used to work, even after giving her everything, she flees to return to life on the streets.

Stupid woman, a real street-girl, she prefers the streets to luxury.

She has a home, the finest food, exclusive clothing, and a handsome man by her side, how can she prefer the streets?

It's that saying: you can take the girl out of poverty, but you can't take poverty out of the girl.

We arrive at the lighthouse and she's not here, damn, when did I ever chase after a woman?

I park the car on a verge, and Jorge and I start the on-foot search.

We look around this neighborhood, but no sign of her.

I'll buy a piece of jewelry for her, I'll have a tracker put in it, let's see her try this again.

I was a fool, I should have put it in the ring, but never mind, let her be with me.

We return to the car after realizing she isn't here.

My phone rings, it's the security guard aiding in the hunt, he says he sees her heading toward a square, he gives me the address and we head there.

I stop the car and see her sitting down. Damn beauty, I’m going to give you a severe punishment.

She stands up, and that perfectly rounded rear makes me want to just stare at it.

“Aren't we going to get out, sir?” Jorge brings me out of my lewd thoughts.

“Yes, but let’s wait to see what else she might pull off,” I say, because I know she always does something.

She walks to a snack bar, and I see there are some men there, and they start harassing her, since she can’t hear, she unknowingly ignores them.

At least her deafness is good for something.

She turns away and one of them stands up enraged, shouting at her, calling her a whore and a slut.

Miscreant, she's none of that.

I rush out of the car, and he's pulling at her, she tries to pull away, and then he screams out in pain.

I get there just in time, and she turns and strikes me, falling to the ground.

Laughter, she looks terrified, probably didn't expect me to find her.

“You bitch, I'm going to teach you not to bite anymore,” the man says, filled with rage.

He approaches my Allana; oh, he's about to feel my wrath now.

I step past her and grab his neck, squeezing hard.

He kicks and flails, and his friends move toward me, I just raise my hands and the guards pull their guns.

“You're the scumbag, you son of a b**ch, and very brave for touching my woman.”

“Y...your woman? I didn't know, sorry—” he gasps in pain.

“Makes no difference whether you knew or not,” I punch him in the face so he learns never to touch another woman.

“Sir, the lady's running away.”

I let go of him and chase after her; she's fast, very fast.

But as with any prey pursued by a hunter, she falls, and I grab her by the arm and drag her to the car.

“Let me go, you're a maniac, I won't stay in that house, and definitely not with you.”

“Oh yes, you will, because I'm the one who calls the shots in this place.”

I drag her and put her in the car, call my men; we won't dirty ourselves with those scum.

I get in the car along with her, and shortly after Jorge enters, starts the car and drives off.

She moves as far away from me as possible, going to the other side, all huddled up, I'm sure she’d go through the door if she could.

“I want to change for you, but you have to help me do that, I can't do it alone, I've never had anyone good in my life to teach me love, only you can do this for me.”

She stares out the window, I see her body jerking, she’s crying, and it's tearing me apart.

I move closer to her, and she looks at me, her eyes brimming with tears, I wipe them away, and she flinches in fear.

I say nothing, but I look at her tenderly, I need her, I need to find out what love does to a person.

And I'm certain that only she can teach me that, teach me to love.

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