AMIRA

 

 

“Amira, run faster! You’re always so slow!” Teresa shouted, running in front of me.

“I am! I am, Teresa! But you’re too fast! I can’t catch up! Slow down! Please slow down!” I yelled back, trying to get to her.

“I’m not going to slow down, you slowpoke! Come on!” she laughed, about to run into our house.

I felt them.

I saw them.

They were there…

The monsters.

“NO! Teresa! Don’t run in there! Please, don’t run in there! They’re in there! I can see them! Please!” I pleaded from a distance.

I could see it play out in front of me, but it was different than it had been in the past. My voice sounded so far, yet so close at the same time. It echoed all around me, making it difficult to tell if she heard me or not. I blinked and I was back in the cabinet at nine-years-old, except this time everyone could see where I was hiding. They were all staring in my direction.

But I wasn’t a child this time, I was an adult.

My family’s arms were reaching out for me while the monsters just stood there and laughed.

“I’m so disappointed in you, Amira. I never wanted this life for you. You’re just like them. You’re a monster!” Papi roared, stepping further away from me while everyone else came closer.

“Come on, Amira. Don’t hide like you did before. Come be with your family. We miss you,” Teresa whispered in an eerie tone.

“I’m sorry, Papi! I’m so sorry! Please don’t leave… please don’t leave me again!”

“You’re the reason they’re all dead.” Emilio’s face morphed into Damien’s.

I franticly shook my head, silently praying it would make them go away. Immediately feeling guilty for everything.

“You left me alone! I had no one! How could you do that to me? You said you loved me, Damien! You said I was yours!” I seethed, trying to walk toward him, but I couldn’t move.

I blinked again and they all started walking in my direction only now they were covered in blood. It was pouring out of the holes in their heads, soaking every inch of their skin. My hands instantly went to cover my mouth so I wouldn’t scream, but they were drenched in blood, both holding a gun. Pointing directly at them.

“You’re a monster, Amira… Just like them. You’re exactly like them…” Damien whispered in my ear from behind me.

“What?” I shouted with tears in my eyes. Raking my hands through my hair as I breathed out profusely. Unable to control any of my emotions from what was happening in front of me. I spun to look at him and when I did, my gun was now directly aimed over his heart.

“Do it, Muñeca. Pull the trigger. Put me out of my misery.”

“No! I would never… I’m not like them! I’m not like them, Damien!” I yelled, panic taking over. Trying to wipe their blood off my hands, but it was no use. The more I tried, the more it spread down my arms, my legs.

My whole body.

“Amira, it’s time you come with us,” Mami said, getting closer and closer to me. “Come to Hell with us. It’s where you belong!”

“No! No! No!” My body fervently shook with each word that escaped my mouth. “I don’t want to go there! I’m a good person! I’m not a monster!” I shouted unheard. I was moving my lips and nothing came out.

I screamed and screamed and screamed.

I screamed until my throat felt raw and my chest burned. While my heart pounded against my ribs, in my ears, through my mind.

“Do it, Amira! Kill me! Fucking kill me!” Damien yelled, putting his finger over mine on the trigger. Forcing his hand over mine.

“No! Please, don’t—”

“Now we will both go to Hell.” He didn’t hesitate, pulling the trigger.

BANG.

“No!” I bellowed, shooting straight up in my bed, gasping for air. Panting for my next breath as I stared out aimlessly in front of me. Sweat dripped from my pores, running down the sides of my face and chest. I searched the dimly lit space, trying to rationalize what was real and what was still a dream.

A fucking nightmare.

My hand went right over my pounding heart, needing to govern my breathing. “It’s not real. You were just dreaming, Amira. It wasn’t real,” I reasoned with myself the way I used to when I was alone. Slowly breathing in and out with each word derived from my exasperated breaths. Raking my fingers through my hair, I tugged it back away from my face.

“Fucking Damien,” I exhaled, shaking my head in disbelief. Throwing the sheets off my clammy skin, I placed my feet on the cool wood floor, welcoming the cold rush over my fatigued body. Stretching my sore muscles from the prior night’s power struggle at the safe house.

I reached for my black robe at the end of the bed and slipped it on over my silk nightie about to walk into the en suite bathroom to take a shower, when I heard a noise coming from inside the house. It sounded like muffled voices, followed by some shuffling around. No one was supposed to be here.

“What the hell?” I whispered to myself, grabbing my gun from the nightstand. 

Slowly, I opened the bedroom door, making my way toward the noise downstairs. Being extra cautious so I wouldn’t be heard as I made my way closer. I rounded the corner with my gun held tightly in my grasp, pointing it directly at the floor. Tiptoeing lightly down the long, narrow hallway coming off the stairs. I kept my composure calm and steady, knowing damn well my enemies could smell fucking fear, exactly like I could. It made it easier to go into any situation like this undetected, catching them by surprise. Take them out before they even knew what hit them. I knew my strengths and I knew my weaknesses. Especially since I was a woman.

I shot to kill unless I needed more information, and then I would still shoot them in the dick. Nothing hurt a man more than taking him by the balls. I swiftly moved past the kitchen door way, placing my back against the wall. Peering around the corner for any sign of the son of a bitch. When the coast was clear, I placed one foot in front of the other crossing the threshold. The wood floor creaked beneath my feet at the same moment I saw a shadowy figure reflecting off the kitchen cabinets.

I aimed toward the direction and shot.

“Jesus Christ, Amira! It’s just me!” Roman hollered in a thick French accent, ducking behind the kitchen island. His word articulation always revealed itself more when he was caught off guard.

I sighed, lowering my gun. “What the fuck are you doing here? I could have killed you!”

He was over to me in three long strides, ripping the gun out of my grasp. “How many times do I have to tell you to control your fucking trigger-happy finger?”

“I thought you left to do damage control,” I explained, meeting his eyes. 

“Oh, you mean to clean up your mess?”

“Roman—”

“Are you going to tell me what happened last night at your safe house, or are we just going to pretend it didn’t look like an all-out war broke out.”

“Roman, I handled it. Stop worrying about me, you know I hate it,” I chastised, walking over to the coffee pot and pouring myself a cup.

“I’ve been your righthand man for the last eight years. I’ve protected you with my life and I will continue to do so but don’t shut me out. You walk into a meeting unprotected, against my better judgement, to prove some sort of point—”

My eyes snapped to his. “I wasn’t proving shit to anyone. I don’t need to. I’ve paid my fucking dues, and anyone who doesn’t think so can kiss my ass. You knew I had to walk into that meeting alone because I didn’t have a choice. Those were the rules. You’re always telling me to play by them, and now you’re throwing contradictions in my face. What the fu—”

“Where in the rules did it say to shoot Vinny in the fucking face and start a war with men you’d only just met?!”

“My. Rules! The only ones that matter!” I turned to leave him there, but he gripped my wrist. Bringing me back around to face him.

“You look like shit for someone who was only in a car chase. There are bruises, bite marks and scratches all over you. I might be old, but I’m not fucking stupid. Your safe house was trashed when I showed up there last night, after you called me. Not to mention you go to a location you know has no security or guards when you should have come here first. Knowing there wouldn’t be anyone over there! Including me! I was waiting for you here! Like we planned! You’re hiding something and if you don’t tell me what it is, I’m going—”

“It’s Damien,” I gritted out, instantly hating the fact that his name just came out of my mouth.

He jerked back. “What?”

“You heard me.”

“He did this to you?” he questioned in an eerie tone, nodding to my battle wounds.

“No.” I shook my head. “I mean, yes, but not in the way you think… we did it to each other.”

“He found you? He knows—”

“No, Roman.” I shook my head again, it was spinning with all his relentless questions. “He didn’t find me, and he had no idea I’m a drug lord. It was just a coincidence. It’s not like I had a fucking roster of who would be attending the meeting last night. Wasn’t that the whole fucking point? See who could bring what to the table… make new connections, yada, yada, yada… whatever else fucking bullshit. I told you I didn’t give a rat’s ass about any of that, and I made that very clear at the meeting. I’ve done just fine on my own, and I will continue to do so. Bottom line. Do you honestly think I would have showed up at that meeting if I knew Damien was going to be there?”

“What was he doing there?”

I shrugged. “Who the fuck knows? Least of all me. But it doesn’t matter, I took care of it. Okay? No one can find me, I’m a fucking ghost. It’s how I’ve stayed under the radar for so long. I change my alias like I change my stiletto heels. I don’t exist. It’s what I’ve built my entire empire on. It’s how I’ve stayed alive from the men who want me dead. I don’t live in any specific city or place, I’m constantly jumping from one safe house to the next. It’s why I have property all over the world. I have no home and no roots, remember? My enemies can’t kill who they can’t find. We set it up that way.”

“Amira—”

“You have taught me everything I know, Roman. I’d be nothing without you, and for that I’m eternally grateful. You’re not only my righthand man, you’re my confidant. I trust you and I don’t trust anyone, including myself,” I paused, allowing my words to sink in. “I took care of it. I promise.”

Everything I said was the truth.

I took in his ruggedly handsome, lean, oval-shaped face. His chiseled jawline accentuated by graying stubble from his five o’clock shadow. For being in his late forties, Roman kept looking better with age. His long, slender nose, deep set eyes, full lips, and salt and pepper hair only added to his alluring appearance and gracefully aging good looks.

The bastard got more pussy thrown at him than he knew what to do with.

“So that explains the nightmare I just heard you screaming through.” He let go of my wrist, grabbing the coffee out of my hand to drink it himself. “You haven’t had one of those in years.”

“Stop worrying about me,” I simply stated, watching as he continued his way around the kitchen.

“Amira, you and I both know that’s not going to happen. I’m not just your—”

“Are we done here? Did I answer all your questions?” I asked in a sarcastic tone. “I’d like to shower and get myself put together since you said so yourself, I look like shit.”

“I already took care of most of your impulsiveness this morning. Amped up security and guards. Your stunt last night stirred up some deep shit. Go get dressed, we have people to see.”

“Just go. I’ll meet you there.”

“If you think I’m leaving you alone again, you’re severely mistaken.”

I glared at him, turning to leave, but he stopped me. Gripping onto my wrist again and spinning me to face him. He narrowed his eyes at me. “And don’t be condescending, you’re fucking gorgeous.”

I smirked, pulling my wrist free and walked away. “Better watch yourself, Roman. You should see what happened to the last man who tried to manhandle me.”

“Then the son of a bitch must know how much you enjoy it, like I do,” he called out from the kitchen as I made my way up the stairs.

I showered, letting the hot water rinse away last night’s memories and sooth my aching ego. Got dressed in a black body suit and a pencil skirt, finishing the look off with tan heels. Deciding to leave my long hair down, wanting to cover the marks on my body makeup couldn’t hide. For no one’s sake other than my own.

We spent the rest of the afternoon in and out of meetings, figuring out a game plan just in case shit went south. Securing an alibi, making it appear as if I never even showed up to the meeting last night. Using all our connections to find out what people knew already, for instance— Vinny’s family. Roman and Damien weren’t exaggerating, I did start a war of epic proportions.

“There are more guards lined up around back,” Roman stated, reading my mind as I glanced out the bulletproof tinted windows of our chauffeured car. All members of the security detail were all holding rifles, standing their guard at all areas of yet another one of my safe houses in the outskirts of Detroit.

I nodded, waiting for my door to open with big, husky men surrounding me. There wasn’t anything I hated more than feeling suffocated by armed guards on my ass. Though I did bring this on myself. I walked into the mansion with Roman behind me, going straight for my office. Wanting to get as far away from the hired protection as possible.

When I opened the door to my office, Roman’s hand clutched onto my hip. Abruptly stopping me. 

“Do you think you could sway your ass a little less in that skirt? My dick would really appreciate it.”

I grinned, looking over my shoulder. “Never bothered you before.”

He laughed, walking past me into the office. As soon as my heel hit the marble floor, Roman’s strong arm hooked around my waist, pulling my body behind his in a protective gesture. Shielding me from I don’t know what. He aimed his gun at the last person I ever expected to see.

Again.