Bruja

“No. If you wanted away from Luciana before, then you could’ve said something. I could’ve helped you. Whatever’s going on with you, you’re acting irrationally, and I’m not leaving you unwatched.”



Unwatched? How had I ever thought this guy was nice?



I kept walking in what I hoped was the opposite direction of my room. Leading him right to it would be a mistake I couldn’t afford. “Good-bye, Matt. I hope I don’t ever see you again.” I was exhausted and under so much pressure that I didn’t have the patience to placate him. And for once, I didn’t really care.



I started walking again, but he grabbed my arm and spun me toward him. “I didn’t travel all this way to get blown off.”



“And again, I didn’t ask you to come.” I gripped my hands in fists as I tried to get control of my frustration with the douchebag. Time had taught me that reacting in anger did no good. Especially with him.



He narrowed his gaze as he jerked me toward him. The weight of my backpack threw me off balance and I collapsed against him. “You’re mine. If you’re think you’re traipsing off to God only knows where doing God only knows what without someone to make sure you don’t do anything stupid, then you’re not as smart as I thought you were. From here on out, I’ll be your shadow.”



He’d lost his mind. He’d been overbearing before, but this was controlling to an extreme. I pushed him away, freeing myself from his grasp. I stumbled a few steps as I tried to balance the backpack. “What I’m doing here has nothing to do with you.”



“Everything you do includes me.”



He was insane. Had I not been clear enough with him? “We’re not married. Not bound to each other. You don’t get to—”



“Not yet. But we will be married. You’d better think how you want the rest of your life to go.” He spat the last.



Toe the line, and you’ll have a future with me. Or don’t and see what happens. He hadn’t said the words, but they hung there in the silence between us all the same.



I clunked into the wall behind me. Without my realizing it, he’d cornered me.



“¿Está bien, señorita?” A voice called from down the hall. I peeked over at the janitor, and he started for us, ready to rescue a lady. He spoke quietly into his walkie-talkie.



“That man is coming over here, and he’s bringing help. If you don’t let me go, you’re going to cause a scene.” Thank goodness. If there was one thing that Matt hated, it was being caught doing something “improper.”



Matt’s face turned red with barely contained anger. His hands shook as he took a step back. “I’ll see you in the morning.” With that lingering threat, he started back down the hall.



I slouched against the wall in relief as he finally disappeared around the corner.



“¿Señorita?” The man said, coming closer.



I took a few deep breaths, and nodded at the janitor. “Estoy bien. Gracias por su ayuda.”



“De nada.” The man left, and I was alone in the hall. At last.



I opened the envelope to actually look at the room number. I had to get to my room and call Teresa. Warn them about the spy. I wished I could be there to help. If I’d brought someone into St. Ailbe’s who could harm her… I’d done enough to her already.



I rushed down the corridor, hoping it wasn’t too late to get word to her before real damage was done.



***



It took me way too long to figure out how to call internationally. I felt a little dumb by the end of it, but a quick question to the lovely lady at the front desk, and the phone was ringing.



“Hello?” Teresa’s voice was clear.



“It’s Claudia.”



“Is everything okay?”



“Yeah. I’m fine. I think.” I shook my head. “That’s not why I’m calling. You remember the guy I’m engaged to?”



She snickered. “The douchebag you told off the other night. Yeah, I remember. Why?”



Why she thought it was so funny when I said that word, I’ll never know. “He’s here.”



“He’s what?” Her voice shifted from calm and relaxed to stressed in a split second. “Please, tell me that’s a coincidence.”



“I’m sorry. Luciana told him I was coming, and he managed to beat me all the way from New York.”



“More direct flights,” Teresa muttered. “Okay. So, what do you think? Is it a wash? Should you come home? We can figure something else out. Do some more digging in the library. I’m sure if we put our heads together we’ll find something that can save Raphael. Maybe we should’ve tried harder before shipping you off, but it seemed like the easiest way to save him…”