Chapter Nineteen
Melina
I wake up with a steady throb pounding inside my head. With early childhood conditioning, I don’t open my eyes as I scramble to remember what happened. Austin put a drug in my wine and I’m back with my brother. The fact I’m not dead yet is not good. It takes a few minutes to gain the courage to open my eyes.
I squint into the brightly lit room and receive a sharp pain in my head. The four-poster bed is not my brother’s and I exhale the breath I was holding. Glancing nervously around the room, I try to figure out where I am. This could be a room I haven’t seen at Austin’s place, but it doesn’t feel right. I pull the cover back slightly and notice I’m naked. I jump when the door opens and I immediately regret not checking for a weapon.
A woman with dark shoulder-length hair enters. She’s carrying a tray and smiles in my direction when she sees I’m awake. “Welcome to my home,” she says. “You’re safe here. My husband brought you early this morning. It’s after noon now and I know you must be hungry.”
“Where is here?” I ask throatily.
She offers another smile. “Phoenix, Arizona. I’m Madison, though my friends call me Mak and I’d be happier if you did the same. My husband is Xavier Moon.”
I know the name. I’ve heard my brother curse it enough times. It doesn’t explain what I’m doing here.
“You took a hit to the head and have acute propofol intoxication, which can be deadly. Austin should have thought of that before he gave it to you.” The censure in her words makes me take a closer look at her. She’s beautiful and dressed in an elegant skirt and blouse. My head is clearing by the second and I have so many more questions.
“Eat,” she orders and rests the tray beside me on the bed. “I’ll fill you in on what’s happened while you put food in your belly.”
“I’m undressed,” I tell her because I don’t care who she is, I don’t know her, and I’ll be damned if I display myself while she watches.
She smiles. “Sorry about that. Let me grab you one of my nightshirts.” I want clothes, but she turns and leaves the room before I can get the words out of my foggy brain.
The room is nice, I think to myself as I look around. The artwork is incredible. Not garish like my brother’s collection but unique with a western, Hispanic flavor. I imagine this is a guest room even though there’s a bathroom about ten feet from the bed.
Mak walks back in carrying a nightshirt. I actually chuckle when she opens it and I see Minnie Mouse on the front. “It was a white elephant gift at the last work Christmas party. I’ve never worn it, so it’s yours. We’ll have clothes delivered today so you have something to wear besides a shirt.”
Sadly, I miss Austin’s shirt. Mak turns around and gives me privacy while I pull the soft cotton over my head. “I’m decent,” I tell her, and she turns back.
“I guess you are.” She looks and sounds a little disappointed. “Eat and I’ll fill you in.”
I don’t realize I’m hungry until I take the first bite of albondigas soup. It’s exceptional, and I moan aloud.
“I know the feeling. Gabriella will be in shortly to start fussing over you. Be sure to tell her it’s the best you’ve ever tasted. She can be finicky about guests, but if you love her cooking, you might get off on the right foot.”
She keeps talking and tells me what happened the previous evening. I owe Moon and his man Gomez my life. “I’ll be fine in about an hour and I’ll get out of your hair. I’ll also pay you back for any clothes you buy as soon as I have a job. Thank you for what you’ve done.”
Her expression changes and stern doesn’t quite cover it. “You’re free to leave of course, but where will you go? I’m sure your brother will be looking for you, so the only safe place you have is with us for now. Doctor Santos is my friend and the man who treated you. He would kill me if I allowed you to leave too soon. Please take a few days and recuperate before you make solid plans. I also have a job opening for someone to answer the phones at the service. Once you feel better, you could really help me out if you don’t mind the work.”
“Phones?” I ask because my brain remains a bit foggy and I’m having trouble keeping up.
“I run Moon’s escort agency. The women for the most part are great to work with, but it’s grown and I need another woman on phones.” Maybe my expression makes her add to the explanation. “Just phones. It’s harmless really. Most of our clients are pre-vetted and we have their information on file. If you can type a date and time in a calendar, you can handle the work. The men who call will love your sexy voice and will try to book you, but that doesn’t fly with us. As long as you want to answer phones, that’s all you do.”
This is too good to be true and maybe that’s why I’m apprehensive. I also can’t help but wonder what Austin’s doing right now. Does he even miss having me in his basement? If that thought isn’t sick, I don’t know what is. I need to forget him and go on with my life. Better yet, make a new life. I’ve grown up around crime and maybe being here smack in the middle of it is exactly what I need.
Mak takes the tray and when she turns away, an older woman walks in and immediately begins swearing in Spanish. Mak looks at me and winks. “Melina, meet Gabriella.”
I’m not stupid. The compliments about her cooking roll off my tongue in Spanish.
“Welcome, Melina,” she replies with a large smile.
Mak looks confused but shrugs before Gabriella grabs the tray out of her hands and leaves the room with another round of angry Spanish. Mak turns back to me and her smile grows even larger. “That woman hates everyone, but you won her over with only a few words of praise. Just so you know, I’m taking notes. Why don’t you take a nap and I’ll leave you alone for a couple of hours as Gabriella suggests.”
I’m tired when I shouldn’t be. Or maybe after the knocks to the head I took, this is normal. Or the drugs. Shit, it’s too much to think about and I need sleep. I’ll begin figuring out life after I wake up.