The car ride was silent the whole way there. The only sound coming from the loud roar of the engine and a man rambling about sports on the radio. The men in the car with me are some new hires so I don't know them all that well. I can tell that the three in the back are anxious to be with the boss for the first time but it makes me wonder why they chose the ones with the least experience to guard me. I sigh, maybe I'm looking too deep into this. After all it is just a car arrangement.
The car pulls into the hotel parking lot and I lock the door before anyone gets out. "Listen, we go in, we search the place and if he's here you get Kaz and leave."
"But sir," The shorter looking man in the middle speaks for the first time. "There's only one car?"
"You take Kazmaria and you fucking leave. You head back home as fast as you can. You don't even think about me, understand?"
"Yes sir." They all reply at once and I unlock the car door. As we head inside they walk closely to me, all on guard and overly cautious.
"Good evening sir. Are you here to book a room?" The woman behind the counter smiles at me and obviously checks me out.
"Neither. I need to know if there's anyone by the name of Ricardo Hernandez staying here."
"I'm sorry sir but we can't give out that information."
My jaw clenches and I turn to my men. "Ve a buscar en todo el edificio." They nod and leave me alone with the receptionist. She looks at me with wandering eyes and gazes at the computer screen when I look at her.
"Uh, are they-"
"They're following orders. Don't worry about them. Just focus on me instead." I wink. If I have to do a little bit of meaningless flirting to get Kaz safe then so be it. I just hope Dee won't hate me for this, she knows that I only have eyes for her. "Now let's see about finding his room eh?"
The clerk nods and types something then frowns. "I'm sorry sir but no one under that name is staying here. Is there anything else I can help you with today?" She so cheery and upbeat. It makes my head hurt.
"Boss!" I turn my head around and see that the man from before has a passed out Kaz in his arms. "We got her but the others are trying to hold him back!"
My eyes get wide and my heart thumps against my chest. "Take her to the car and go!" He hurries out of the building and soon after him the others run out. "What the fuck? That didn't take long at all...And on our first attempt too?" I push aside my thoughts and move down the hall where they came from and I smile.
"Holà Ricky." I fold my arm across my chest and lean against the wall.
"Heh, holà Carlos."
We stand on opposite ends of the empty hallway watching each other. Even though only a few months had passed, he looks so different. He had always been tall and well-toned but now he's beefy and something about the look in his eyes is unsettling. It's almost like he's been completely replaced by an entirely different person.
"Well then," He cracks his neck and his knuckles and a wicked smile finds its way onto his face. "Since we're both not going to give her up easily, let's make this quick. I want to have her back in bed with me by dinner."
"I'm not fighting you, Ricky." A look of dissatisfaction is now on his face. Was he really looking for a fight?
"Aw man. Oh well, gives me time to get her back." He walks down the hall, a chilling aura following him and making the air around us cold. When he reaches me, he stops and stares me in the eyes with one of his hands resting on my shoulder. He puts the other on the back of my head and puts his forehead against mine.
"Your hair has gotten longer since I've seen you brother." He lets out a throaty chuckle then whispers in my ear; "I hope you're willing to lose your life for her, because I will get back what's mine and if that means losing you then so be it." He draws back from me and pats my cheek, a malicious grin on his lips. I watch as he walks pass me, frozen in place at what he just said to me. "Te veré de vuelta en la casa, Antonio."
I force my legs to follow after him and grab his arm, pulling him back. "You would kill me over a woman?" I don't know what I'm saying, I'm too pissed to stop myself from running my mouth. "I didn't care that you wanted to kill the old man, I kept quiet when you and Kaz were fake dating and I didn't blink an eye when you handed over your company and left the gang but this...This is way too much." He pulls his arm away and turns back to face me.
"Too much, huh?" He laughs but a scowl is on his face and a hellish look in his eyes. "You took her from me. You took what's mine and we both know what happens to those who take my things." I watch as his face hardens and his lips twitches. "I don't want to kill you but you get in my way and I'll make your death slow and painful."
"Then I guess you'd better start thinking of some ideas because I'll be damned if you force your way onto her again. She is a human being with her own thoughts and feelings damnit! She's not yours, Ricky! She never has been man. You're so deluded and caught up in your own head that you can't see how miserable she is." His angry expression eases as he listens. "So go ahead, kill me and make as slow and as painful as you want but know this; at the end of the day, she's in total control. She always has been."