My eyes welled up with tears as he stared at me. I looked away quickly and began grabbing my clothes.
“Lyla, what are you doing?” He said.
“I'm staying in Lance's room.”
He opened his mouth to speak but I held my hand up cutting him off.
“No, I need to be away from you. You confused the hell out of me and I just need time.”
I began limping out of the room.
“Room B12,” he muttered.
I nodded and closed the door behind me as I walked toward B12 which was two doors down from us. I knocked lightly on the door. The door opened and Lance stood there, shirtless.
“Oh, shit! I thought you were Jaxon.” He grabbed a shirt off the bed and threw it over his head.
I laughed. “Lance, I don't care if you don't wear a shirt. You might as well get comfortable anyways,” I said, walking into his room slowly. He rushed to my side and wrapped an arm around my waist, helping me walk.
“Why is that?”
“I'm staying with you,” I said, cheerily with a smile.
He choked. “What?”
“I'm staying in here with you.”
“Jaxon let you do that?”
“I wasn't taking no for an answer.”
“Lyla, there's only one bed.”
“That's okay. I'll sleep on the couch.”
“No, you take the bed. I'm on the couch.”
“Will you treat me like a normal person?” I groaned.
“I am,” he whispered. “I would never let the lady take the couch while I take the bed. That's not how I was raised.”
I smiled at him. His cheeks flushed red but he turned his head quickly, avoiding my gaze.
“Well, I'm going to get a shower. I'll be right back,” he muttered.
He helped sit me on the bed before heading to the bathroom.
I just don't get Jaxon. I know that Lance says he didn't mean what he said but why would he say it in the first place?
Maybe because you hurt his feelings, asshole.
Maybe. I just don't know what I should believe.
I sat there for another 15 minutes lost in my thoughts when the bathroom door suddenly opened.
Lance walked out in sweatpants and a T-shirt.
“Hey,” He said. “Shower is yours.”
“Oh, I already had one. Thanks, though.”
He nodded. I pulled myself off the bed and began gathering blankets. I walked over to the couch and made a place for him to sleep.
“You didn't have the cover the whole couch, you know.” Lance laughed loudly.
“Well, it's leather. I didn't want you to get cold immediately after laying down.”
“Thanks, Lyla.”
I walked to him and kissed his cheek. “No problem. Thank you for being such a good friend to me.”
His face was red when I pulled back and he cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. Of course,” he rasped out.
I crawled into bed and turned the lamp off. “Goodnight, Lance.”
“Night.”
•••••••••••••••••••
The next morning, a loud banging woke me from my sleep. I jumped up and looked over at Lance who was already standing.
I rubbed my eyes. “I'm sure it's Jaxon.” I walked to the bathroom to pee and brush my teeth. I yawned as I stretched. Outside of the bathroom was silent.
“Lance? Is everything okay?” No answer.
“Lance?” I opened the door to see Lance, sprawled out on the floor. A hand quickly covered my mouth.
“Time to go,” a male voice said. He removed his hand just long enough to cover my mouth and nose with a cloth in the other hand. The world slowly faded to black. My mind screamed at me to stay awake and find Jaxon but the darkness soon took over me.
••••••••••••
I woke again, confused.
I groaned. “What happened?”
“Well, sweetheart, I kidnapped you. Just like I said I would.”
I jumped at the sound of his voice. I tried to stand but I was chained to a brick wall. I looked around at my surroundings. I was in a dark room with medical tables set up on the edges of the room.
“Where am I?”
“An abandoned hospital in Cuba, piccolo.”
“Cuba?” I panicked.
“Yes. Now Daddy and his capo will never find you.”
“Jaxon will find me,” I muttered. “He will always find me.”
“Don't be so sure. He hasn't found you yet. I've had you drugged and out for three days.”
Three days? I've been out that long?
My stomach grumbled loudly.
“I figured you would be hungry.” He grabbed a plate off the table next to him and threw it on the ground next to me. “Eat up. You're my first item for purchase.”
Tears blurred my vision. “Purchase?”
“Oh, yes. Since your father would not cooperate, you're the first woman I'm selling into the sex trafficking ring.”
“You're supposed to be my uncle!” I screamed. “Family! Blood! Why are you doing this?”
“I don't have a family!” he yelled. “I do everything for myself. For personal gain. You don't allow yourself to have weaknesses in this world. Your father could never understand that!”
I felt tears run down my face.
“I'm going to kill you,” I whispered.
He slapped me across the face so hard my head snapped back and hit the brick behind me.
I groaned. I felt blood stream down my face from my mouth.
“Aw, look what you did,” I mocked. “You damaged the merchandise.” I spit out blood onto his shoe.
“Shut the fuck up!” He spit. He kicked me hard in the side and I felt my rib crack. I whimpered in pain and pulled myself as far from him as I could.
“Dammit!” He roared. “Mary!”
An elderly woman opened the door to my left.
“Yes, sir?”
“Get her cleaned up and tend to her wounds. I'll be back in a couple of hours to take her.”
>>>>>
The Bodyguard of the Mafia boss's daughter (part 16/32)