His Captive Bride (3 page)

               Preciosa peeked around the corner at Mommy, she hadn’t moved and it was scaring her. She clung tightly to the oversized stuff doll that she held as if it were a lifeline. She couldn’t help but wish that the nice lady who had given it to her would come back. Tears streamed down her face as she quietly made her way over to her Mommy. Part of her wanted to shake her, but she feared angering Mommy

Mommy didn’t like being woke up. Suddenly gunshots from the street could be heard and the fear of the unknown far outweighed the fear of ‘Mommy’s anger.’

“Mommy, Mommy please, I’m scared.”

Tiny little brown hands pulled at her Mother’s barely clothed body.

“Go on now baby, Mommy’s trying to sleep,” Rosa replied in her drug induced state.

“But Mommy, I’m scared.”

“Damn it! I said go on girl!”

Cries could be heard from the corner as the child opted for sleeping there for the night. Hopefully there would be no rat bites like t
here had been when she was left abandoned in her crib with soured milk. It wasn’t until a neighbor got sick of the child’s screams that the police had come to her rescue. Preciosa had been placed back into her Mother’s custody after numerous classes and visits from a social worker, after all—her Mother was a ‘functioning drug addict.’

Mandissa

                   Mandissa did her best to park where she could watch her vehicle. Her volunteer had opted out for the day and some of these people wouldn’t get groceries if she didn’t show up. She couldn’t get Preciosa out of her head either.

                
It was sprinkling outside which meant that the locals who were normally slinging dope or shooting craps weren’t out. Mandissa couldn’t help be relieved, not that she was scared, she had grown up in the barrios of Puerto Rico, but the cat calls could get old. She successfully made her way to the back of her SUV and loaded up, struggling with shutting the trunk and not setting the box down on wet pavement.

She walked through the darkened hallway that had to be entered
before she made her way indoors, only to be greeted by another darkened hallway, but this time with the smiling face of an older retired Preacher greeting her. “Ah, Praise God, why it’s my little friend Mandissa. Good to see you girl.”

“Good to see you too Mr. Brandon, I see that you preached all the dope slingers away this morning.”

“Girl, you know it; God’s word still works today.”

“I know that’s right, Mr
. Brandon. I brought you something special, some of that vanilla flavored coffee that you love so much.”

“Ahh, Mandissa you are such a blessing thinking of me and remembering, so very thoughtful.”

Mandissa had paid for it herself, though she was able to get groceries from the local food bank for cheaper, many times they didn’t carry specialty products. It was her pleasure to do so. Mr. Brandon was a good man and she had purposed in her heart to look out for him. There had been times in the past that she had anonymously paid his rent and though he suspected her of being the culprit; he never tried to misuse, or abuse her kindness, by mistaking it for weakness.

            
She loaded him up on groceries, taking the opportunity to look through his cabinets and make sure that he had all that he needed.

“
All right Mr. Brandon I’ll see you next week.”

“Lord willing and creek don’t rise,” he chuckled, watching her make her way next door.

“Psst,” he called in her direction; causing her to set the box down and walk back towards him.

“Ya know she got some new boyfriend, ain’t nuttin but trouble. He be slingin that dope and he got her shootin Heroin now. They call it ‘speed ballin’ she be doing that coke and then that heroin. Ain’t nuttin but a matter of time for she kill herself, but it’s that baby that I be worried about. Don’t y
ou tell her that I said nuttin. I’m just an old man tryin to live my last days in peace.”

Mandissa ran her soft hand over Mr. Brandon’s arm, “It will be our secret.”

               She felt an unfamiliar fear grip her heart, one that had nothing to do with gang bangers, or dope slingers; but one that had everything to do with being totally out of control—out of control of the little girl’s life which hung in the balance.

     
Mandissa took a moment to get her wits about herself and then knocked on the door.

“It’s her Mommy, it’s her, I know it is, open the door, hurry Mommy.”

“Shut up girl!” Rosa hissed.

She opened the door eyeing Mandissa with envy, not caring that she had heard the way that she talked to her daughter. Though Mandissa was bringing groceries to her, there was a part of her that was jealous of her and
another part that resented her, though if Rosa would have clearly accessed the situation, she have seen that Mandissa had worked hard for what she had.

                    
Mandissa’s face lit up as she looked into Preciosa’s clear, innocent eyes. She tilted her head as if she had a secret and Preciosa squealed knowing that she had something for her. Rosa took her time opening the door, she was feeling unusually bitchy today and just exercising a little control over the situation made her feel better.

Mandissa made her way over to the bed setting the box down. But not before she removed a bag and handed to Precious.

“Look Mommy, outfits for my doll.”

“Whatever,
” she answered, as she slithered her way around putting away groceries.

“Give me a hug, Preciosa.”

Precio
sa leaped into her arms and Mandissa swung her around laughing.

“I know that you’re going to give her that phone back that you lifted out of that box, right Rosa?” A low voice rumbled from the doorway.

Both girls looked up
, shocked to view Drake leaned against the doorway cleaning his nails with a knife.

“Ha, ha, my bad; here ya go.”

Rosa sauntered over towards Drake, as she licked her lips.

Drake leaned in and
spit hissed, “Back off bitch!” The low rumble had now become a growl that resonated from somewhere deep within Drake’s chest cavity.

“Damn baby, so forceful,” she purred.

Mandissa lowered her head not wanting to get involved.

“Well I guess I’ll be going,” Ma
ndissa stated, moving sideways to get past Drake.

           
Drake followed behind her making his way out to her car. “Get in,” he whispered, from the stance that he had taken behind her. He was so close that she could feel him almost pressed up against her. The threatening posture only served to send a chill up her spine that was spawned from a mixture of fear, intrigue, and sexual tension.

Mandissa could feel her heart beginning to race and it was hard to decipher whether it was from fear
, or from Drake’s presence. Maybe both…

         
Everything in Drake wanted to reach over and rub the leg that housed that thigh high that was peeking out lace from beneath her dress. He shifted in his seat trying to reposition the ever growing need in his jeans. This girl was beyond fine, she was classy, gutsy and right now she was doing a number on his body and mind.

“So now you just come out to the most drug infested areas that you can find with no back up, huh?”

“You would know, with the way that you stalk me.” She answered with ease, as she swung out into morning traffic.

He p
icked her phone up and began inserting his number, as if it were his own.

“Pull in, I need coffee,” he stated
, without even looking up.

He took his wallet out that was hooked by a chain onto his jeans belt loop and l
eaned over giving their order, “Two double cappuccinos.”

Mandissa almost had to stifle a giggle
, as she watched the girl drool in Drake’s direction.

“You like
the strong stuff?” She purred, handing the tray in his direction.

“
We do, yes, and thank you for your customer service.” It was Drake’s way of letting the cashier know that he didn’t appreciate her ignoring Mandissa.

At that point Mandissa couldn’t help but giggle.

“Park!” He stated.

“You’re an awful bossy stalker.”

“You have no idea, Mandissa….. Yet….”

She couldn’t ignore the fluttering in her lower abdomen.

Drake made no attempt to even hide the fact that he was staring. He started at the top of her curly blond bobbed hair, moved his way to her bright hazel eyes that changed colors due to her mood, down to her full red lips, on down to her bright pink fitted dress, down to those black thigh highs that peeked out lace from beneath them and all the way down those long legs that housed the black four inch heels that she donned today.

“Always the epitome of class,” he stated.

Mandissa squirmed in her seat, this guy stirred up emotions that she couldn’t quite identify. She would definitely be pondering on it later.

She jumped
at a noise and he chuckled, as he clicked a business card between his fingers. She still hadn’t forgotten the knife that he casually cleaned his nails with just moments ago.

He leaned in almost whispering.
“Now here is what we are going to do ‘Little girl lost,’ from now on, when you traipse down into the dark area of the woods—you are going to call the big bad wolf to escort you. Boo!” He exited the car, chuckling when she jumped.

“I’m not scared of you!” She hissed through her rolled down window
, as she peeled off in her car almost spilling her coffee.

“You better be, you better be,
run along to work, ‘little girl lost…’”