Little Doll (20 page)

Chapter Twenty-F
our

Laila

Sweat covered every inch of my skin and dripped from my chin. The dry heat
caught in my throat as I panted for air and my ribs nursed a brutal cramp. On the moonless night, I had no idea how far I had run or where I was going. There had been no sign of civilization, no farm house, no nothing, just pure blackness. How far could I keep going before someone found me or, worse, I got so lost no one could ever find me? The only guide I had was the tarmac beneath my feet indicating I was still on the road. I slowed my pace down to a steady walk, my feet feeling as though they had been torn to shreds. When I could take it no more I stopped and hopped on one foot, lifting the other up to pick out the tiny stones from my raw flesh. It was like standing on a million lawn prickles, but I couldn’t be deterred by a bit of pain.

The soft glow of two tiny lights ahead caught my attention. I watched for over a minute as they morphed in size signaling that they were indeed headlights.  F
or the first time in a long time, I felt some hope grow within my soul. Steadying myself, I picked up the pace along the tarmac, heading toward what could only be my savior. Optimism propelled me forward knowing that I could, potentially in the next few hours, be taken to the authorities and soon after that flown back home.

The
headlights illuminated my surroundings as I waved frantically for whoever was behind the wheel to pull over. The driver began to slow to a stop and tears welled in my eyes as my exhaustion battled with excitement. I stood blinking against the blinding light as I waited for the driver to exit the car. Fortunately, only a heartbeat passed before the driver’s door opened and it took every ounce of pride I had not to run and throw myself at their feet.

“
Thank you… thank you for stopping. Please, can you help me?” I began, not caring that I sounded like a desperate banshee. Waiting for my savior to come into view, I stood nervously hoping they would communicate in some way. “I need the police… please, can you take me?”

“I
'd better,” the voice in the dark began, “because if you keep running out here in this dangerous place you will be dead before dawn. Who knows what kind of crazy people roam out here.”

There was s
omething… something about his voice that made my feet retreat hastily backward. The man in the darkness laughed at my obvious fear before stepping forward, his figure silhouetted by the headlight.

“Where have you been
, mamasita?” he taunted. “I have missed you.”

My shoulders slumpe
d and sobs erupted as salvation slipped through my fingers. Engine noise behind me caught my attention as another car pulled up on the road trapping me between two sets of headlights. It felt as if the road was my stage where a tragedy was in the process of unfolding. Unfortunately for me, I was in the lead role. Instant recognition of the latest arrival slammed me in the face without remorse. I was now caught between two evils. Choosing which was the lessor of the two was heaven’s way of laughing at me.

Two car doors opened and slammed shut
in unison. Aiden and Jorge advanced forward, two Glock pistols pointed at Juan. I hadn’t anticipated this standoff and Juan’s composed demeanor compared to Aiden’s hostile approach confused me.

“Hector is disappointed in you,”
Juan told Aiden, unfazed by having two weapons pointed at him.

“Get back in your fucking car
, Juan, and go back in the direction you came,” Aiden demanded.

Juan ignored his opponent.
“Of course I told him it was a long time coming. I always knew mixed bloods couldn’t be trusted…” It seemed Juan always took pleasure in taunting. This was no exception. I hated them both, but I knew what it was like to lose my parents so Juan’s comment was a low blow.

Aiden stood his ground against Juan’s personal attack.
He didn’t even flinch.

“I won
’t tell you again, Juan. Get back in your car.”

“Well,”
Juan looked contemplative. “You see, Aiden, I just can’t do that without Laila, so…” – he looked at m
e
– “Laila, if you don’t mind…” He gestured to the car.

“She’s coming with me
,” Aiden replied coolly. Juan casually pulled a gun of his own from under his jacket and pointed it at Aiden.

“She’s not yours to take,
puto. If you remember, you stole her from Hector and, when you steal from Hector, you steal from me. If you were any kind of man you would share the same philosophy. Being family and all.”

This was ridiculous. They were arguing as if they were two boys in the playground fighting over
the new girl.

“I am not anyone’s
to take,” I cried out, frustrated by their ignorance. My words fell on deaf ears. The two men continued their menacing glares over their pointed weapons.

“He defended you, you know,”
Juan stated. “Fuck knows why. If it were me, I would have just left you where I found you all those years ago, because now look…” He gestured wildly with his free hand. “Look at how you have deceived the man who raised you. This is the thanks you give him! He wants you dead, Aiden, and he isn’t going to stop until your head arrives on his doorstep.”

“Get her,”
Aiden commanded Jorge, his eyes never breaking from Juan’s. I frantically looked to Juan as Jorge gripped me from behind, his arms bear hugging me in what felt like a death grip. I struggled to free myself from his hold but to no avail, my feet leaving the ground as he wrestled with my thrashing body.

I screamed
for him to let me go moments before my ears were pierced with an echoing boom. Juan had fired a warning shot into the air, stilling Jorge.

Silence
descended on the desert again. Nothing moved except my thudding heart.

“
You heard the lady. Let her go,” Juan finally said. He was unnervingly calm, his Glock now pointed at the two of us.

Another
gunshot erupted, breaking the calm that fell upon us after the first shot. I cringed at the deafening blast, but witnessed Juan’s gun twisting from his hand and falling to the ground several feet away. Juan looked from his hand to me and then to Aiden. The look on his face told how both stunned and impressed he was. He clearly hadn’t expected it and neither had I. Aiden’s clean shot at Juan’s gun now left him with the upper hand, his face that of steely determination.

Like Juan,
I was momentarily awestruck by the precision of Aiden’s aim only to be brought back down to reality I was now once again in the hands of the man who killed my brother.

“Lucky shot,”
Juan taunted, not sounding the slightest bit rattled.

“Unlucky for you,” Aiden returned
in tone. “Go back home, Juan, and pass on my regards to Hector.” Juan stood facing his opponent, his hands slightly raised to indicate surrender, a patronizing expression radiating off him in waves. Now without a weapon, this was enough for Juan to retreat, but he wasn’t deterred. He would return. Next time more prepared and ready to take back what he felt was rightfully his.

Juan laughed lightly before
shaking his head, conceding defeat. “I recommend you run fast, puto. Because I will find you and when I do…” He slid a finger across his throat, his threat of retribution made clear as he walked backwards to the car. “You can trust I won’t make the same mistake again. You are as good as dead.”

“W-wait,”
I stammered. I looked to Juan expectantly. “Please don’t leave me here.” I didn’t like Juan in the slightest and, in fact, comparing him to the filthiest scum on the planet wasn’t fair to the scum, but my options were limited. That and I foolishly took into consideration his last show of kindness when Carlos attacked me.

Juan
snorted at my plea, his face antagonizing his rival. The effect that had on Aiden stilled me as I watched his chest rise and fall heavily, his jaw set like chiseled stone, a twitch in his neck revealing his agitation. For a moment, I thought I saw more than just irritation, maybe even some hurt. Did it bother him that out of my dismal choices, I would rather go with Juan?

“Mamas
ita, do not worry yourself, I will be back for you.”

Juan shot me a quick glance of reassurance. I wasn’t reassured. If my only choice of living
was between Aiden and Juan, I most certainly would not choose my brother's killer.

I watched as Juan
retreated to his car and turned to drive back down the long stretch of road. I cried as his tail lights vanished into the thick darkness of the night.

“Get her in the car,”
Aiden said clearly disgruntled.

Fighting
to free myself of Jorge’s firm grip, my head swung back viciously connecting with Jorge’s with a loud sickening thud. Pain shot through my skull and I saw the earth move sideways beneath me.

“
Fuck!” Jorge yelled in pain.

His
death grip loosened as he stumbled backwards dropping me to my feet. Spinning around to face him, I was pleased with my result as blood gushed like Niagara Falls from his nose. I didn’t have time to admire my efforts of self-defense, the darkness to the side of the road beckoning me. Without looking back, I took off in a sprint and onto the rough, dusty earth beyond.

I had only made it twenty
meters or so before I heard the heavy breathing and pounding of footsteps behind me. One of them was following me and by the sounds of it, too closely. I veered to the left hoping to lose him, except he followed, each step of mine matched by his. The prickly shrubbery and long thin grass scratched my legs and tangled around my feet causing me to stumble, the dips in the terrain jarring my knees. The heavy breathing was closing in so I picked up speed, ignoring the protests of my body. I stupid to believe I was any match for my hunter seeking his prey.

A rough hand clamped around my upper arm
yanking me back hard, my legs flying out from beneath me. The sandy dirt offered no soft landing as I slammed heavily down on my side, searing pain ravaging my fragile ribs. I could hear the man cursing under his breath and from the commotion I sensed that he too must have fallen. I stumbled to my feet using his clumsiness as my get-a-away, until fingers latched on to the back of my negligee. I pivoted quickly, my hand balled into a fist as I swung blindly through the air praying I made contact with something. Excruciating pain shot through my fingers and wrist upon smashing into what could only have been a face, inciting more muttered curses from the man. The grip on my negligee loosened upon impact and I shuffled back out of his range before turning and running again. Frustrated and full of rage I realized my actions all seemed to be in vain as not long after I started my sprint, the man’s footsteps once again resumed behind me.

“
Laila!” he shouted, failing to disguise his fury. “Stop fucking running.” It was Aiden. Knowing it was him only made me want to turn around and pound his face more when he least expected it. I wanted to make him hurt. I craved the satisfaction of causing physical harm to him. Reluctantly, I put those desires to the side, knowing that one day they would take center stage, but for now I ignored his demand to stop. I had to lose him.

The force of the
tackle took me by surprise, once again Aiden knocked me off my feet sending us both soaring through the air and landing in a heap on the ground. I groaned in resignation and frustration as dirt and debris covered my entire front and face, even making its way into my mouth.

Aiden’s body remained on top of mine while he recover
ed his breath. Every time I inhaled, I breathed in more dirt and tiny stones. After a few moments, he turned me roughly onto my back, lowering his weight, restraining my arms.

“For
fuck's sake, Laila!” His voice was furious, but he
had
calmed down a degree.

Silence ensued except for the desert creatures that croaked and squalled in the distance.
We were both exhausted and I was emotionally drained. The month of being at the mansion had taken its toll. My energy reserve had depleted to virtually nothing and my emotional stability was fragile.

“Why did you do it, Aiden?
" I choked out.

In the darkness we lay, his body engulfing mine, both
of us trapped within our own dangerous thoughts. Aiden held my hands tightly, his thumbs gently swiping the tears running down my temples. He couldn’t see me, but he knew.

“Why did you kill him?” I asked again, my voice a
tiny whisper as a hard lump formed in my throat.

“
Would you rather be with Juan right now?” he asked, ignoring my question.

“
I don’t want to be anyone’s victim,” I said simply.

“Answer my question. Him or me?”

Fine! “Juan may be an asshole, but he wasn’t he one who killed Ethan!”

“Is that the only reason?”

“Of course, he hurt me physically but I trusted you. You broke my heart, Aiden, in so many ways.” I couldn’t hide my frustration. What purpose did it serve him asking me?

In the darkness
, his lips touched mine, beautiful soft caresses. I sobbed quietly against his mouth, an ache inside of me becoming all too much. Aiden pulled away, our breathing intermixing. Squeezing my hand one last time, he moved to stand, pulling me up roughly with him.