He wasn’t going to take that lightly.
I was in for a world of suffering.
At that thought, I took in a deep breath and tried to bury the fear. The heartache was still there but the fear was growing, taking over. Death was one thing to be afraid of but torture was another. I had no doubt that my death wouldn’t come for a very, very long time.
***
I don’t know how long I stayed in that room but it was about the time I decided I needed to use the washroom that someone came to the door.
There was a polite knock at first and then the door swung open before I could say anything. In the dim light that had been on in the corner of the room, I could see the man’s shadowy figure as he loomed in the doorway.
“You’re awake,” he said. Esteban.
“You’re going to kill me.”
He chuckled and then stepped in the room, closing the door behind him. The fact that he was backlit from behind and I couldn’t see his face properly made it all worse. I didn’t know where he was looking yet I could feel his eyes trailing all over my body, sliding over me like an oily rag. I tried not to shudder.
“You’re very beautiful,” he said, taking a step toward me. He was rolling up his sleeves. “I can see why Derek decided to call the whole thing off.”
“Why are you doing this?” I asked, ashamed at how meek my voice sounded.
“Because I can,” was his answer. “And not many people can say that.”
It was a small room. If he took another step, he would be at the foot of the bed. I tried to shift backward, as far away from him as I could go but the movement made me want to throw up. It was like being hit by the car all over again.
“You’re supposed to be my brother’s friend,” I said.
He let out a large, belly-aching laugh that seemed to shake the whole room. “Oh, that’s a rich one, hey? Friend? Beautiful, in this business there are no friends only enemies you’re close with. Do you really think Javier is my friend? He’s not. He’s my boss. And I’m his little son of a bitch he bosses around.” His voice dropped off at the end, dripping with bitterness. “I would thought you of all people would know what that’s like.”
I swallowed. “We never really had that kind of relationship.”
“And I guess you never will.”
I frowned at him. “You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”
He shrugged casually. “I’m not the sadistic one here. You’re confusing me with your brother.”
“If you’re not sadistic then why am I here?”
He looked around him and when he turned his head I caught the feverish glint in his eyes. “Who said there was anything sadistic about this? You’re on a luxury yacht. Javier’s. Have you never been on it before? What a shame. It’s a real beauty. Of course, he doesn’t know I’ve taken it for a little spin but we’ll just leave that between you and me.” He paused. “Did he tell you he named it after your sister Beatriz? Perhaps his next boat he’ll name after you. Something to honor your sorry little memory.”
He took a step closer and as my eyes adjusted I saw a man who didn’t really know what he wanted but was going to try and find out anyway. If there was some part of him that truly believed he wasn’t sadistic, then I had to find that part and work with it. Maybe I could plead with him, change his mind. It seemed to have worked with Derek and I wasn’t even aware of it.
“You really are beautiful,” he said, his voice lower now. “It’s a shame I won’t enjoy this as much as you think I will.”
Before I could say anything, he was on top of me pushing me down into the bed with his weight. I screamed and tried to kick, but my head made everything spin, making me weak and disoriented. His hands went for my jeans, trying to rip them off of me, while I thrashed back and forth.
He put his hand over my mouth and leered at me. I stared up at him in utter terror at what was about to happen. I had been in a similar situation with Derek earlier, only Derek’s eyes were full of love and the promise he would never hurt me.
Esteban’s eyes were full of bitterness and revenge and at that moment I knew he would do whatever he had to in order to expel them.
Somehow he got my jeans off and as I tried to close my legs, he placed his knee between them, keeping them open. I tried to headbutt him but he ducked out of the way, laughing, and his mouth came down on my neck and breasts. His fingers went into my underwear, rough and intrusive and wanting to inflict pain.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said again with a moan as he undid his fly. “I’m going to fuck the beauty right out of you. Make you as ugly as me. Maybe I’ll give you a scar just like mine.” His lips came up to mine and he stared at me, almost hypnotized. I felt my body going into shock, shutting down, and I was so angry at it for not fighting back. Maybe if I just went numb, maybe I wouldn’t feel a thing.