Chapter Fifty Seven
Maria pulled up at Nate’s apartment building. She stared at it for a few moments before she willed herself to get out of the car and go in. She was still a little scared after the burglary, but she doubted they would come back, after all, they didn’t find anything valuable, so why would they come back? And since she had forgotten her wallet in her haste to get away, the apartment was the only option left.
Maria wanted just one night of rest, before she went back to her life of worrying and taking care of everyone else, apart from herself. She didn’t have to worry about Michael, he was with Dave, and Edna was with Miguel so she was safe too.
Maria lingered at the door for a moment before she put the key in, but she didn’t turn it, all she could think about was that the burglars were in the house, “Yeah, they would lock the door right, after they’ve cleared out the place.” she said sarcastically to herself, as she turned the key and pushed door the open. She stood at the door way and flipped the switch on and waited, she might be a silly coward, but experience had taught her a good lesson.
The last time she blindly walked into a house without doing a quick sweep for danger, the back of her head was kissed by a baseball bat, she still had migraines because of that.
When she felt there was no danger, she went in and locked the door behind her. Dave had the place cleaned up and a double bolt lock installed on the door. He had most of the things fixed and those that were completely ruined replaced. Dave had been a heaven send, to make her life easier and happy, but she still had to tell Nate, it was still his apartment that was trashed.
“Oh, Nate has far worse things to worry about.”
Maria jumped, a cold frightened shiver running down her back. Her body went limp, releasing the keys from her now cold fingers. She didn’t dare turn around and face him, she didn’t want her eyes to confirm what she heard.
Ricky shifted from behind the bamboo frame around the bed. He watched her frozen frame and smiled to himself. He loved seeing her riddled with fear, shaking like a leaf in a breezy cold. Knowing he instilled such fear in her, gave him more satisfaction than bedding her ever did, forcefully or willingly.
“When they say something is too good to be true, honey it usually is.” he said with a laugh, twisting the tip of his pocket knife in his fingers, “Turn around, I want to see your face.”
Maria wanted to raise her hands to cover her ears, but she couldn’t reel up the strength to do so. She shut her eyes and tried to block out his voice, to take herself to another place, another world safe and far away from Ricky. She was going to stay strong, and she wasn’t going to fold because of him ever again.
How was it possible he found her?
“I said turn around!” He yelled, moving closer to the couch.
Maria’s body tightened and a quiet cry escaped her lips. Her determination was quickly melting, turning into a familiar fear. She bit her lips together, muffling her whimpers, as tears streamed down her cheeks. She felt squeamish, sensing Ricky’s nearness to her, and all she wanted to do was pull her skin and wrap it tighter around herself and just hide.
Ricky stomped to her, then he fisted her hair in his hand and pulled her around to face him. Maria cried out and held her lips tight when he pushed her face closer to his. He brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers in a caress that felt tender and yet irritating and disgusting to Maria. She pulled her face away, but he pushed it back, painfully tugging at her hair.
“I completely forgot how beautiful you are.” he spoke softly, running his thumb gently over her lips. Maria pulled her lips into her mouth and bit down on them, “Why don’t you want to look at me?” His voice was edgy, his temper quickly rising. He pulled her and held her tightly against him. Maria whimpered again, but she didn’t dare look at him. The feel of their bodies touching made her skin crawl, looking at him would only make the ordeal more torturous. “I look like I just walked out of a horror movie, don’t I?” He pulled her hair down, forcing her to look at him, “Don’t I?”
She stared directly at him for the first time since she walked into this nightmare. She was astounded she didn’t fall to pieces, crying and begging like she usually did, instead she felt secure. She would most probably die that night, but she felt secure because Michael wasn’t here. He was going to live, without her, yes, but he was going to live a safe life with Dave.
That’s all she cared about, “Even before the burns you’ve always been a horror character in my life.” The venom in her voice shocked both her and Ricky.
Ricky didn’t like it. He saw the glimmer in her eyes, and it wasn’t because of the tears streaming out of them. She had gotten it back, something that had taken months for him to destroy had seemed to have repaired itself.
“Someone grew a spin.” he said with a weak smile, “I wonder if you’ll still have it when I get my hands on Michael.”
She felt her heart flutter for a second, at the mention of Michael’s name. But she didn’t have anything to worry about, he was under the watchful eye of Dave, whom she was sure had deeper connections and longer arms than he let on, his father oozed of the power he had, and Miguel, a man she was indifferent to, but was capable of swatting Ricky like the bug he is, if he went anywhere near Michael. She had nothing to worry about.
“You see Ricky.” she swallowed the quiver in her voice, “I’m not the only one protecting him anymore. You’ll be dead before you get a hundred feet to him.”
Ricky pushed her away as he felt his jealousy take over him, more than his anger, “What, you think that rich man you’re whoring yourself to will keep him from me?” he sneered, “So, you must have started off as that little blond doll’s nanny before you ended up in his bed.”
Izzy. Maria felt her heart pound harder, she felt herself choke at the thought of Ricky near Izzy. Dave will protect them both, there is no reason to worry.
Ricky laughed, pleased at the momentary scared look that had flashed on her face, “For all I know he might be old and walking around with an oxygen tank!” He laughed again, “Who’s nanny were you really, the old man or his granddaughter?”
Maria felt a relief wash over her. Ricky didn’t know what Dave looked like, all she could hope for was he didn’t know where they were currently living, “You could always find out for yourself, it would be the last thing you ever do.”
“He might be protecting that brat, but he’s not here to protect you.” Without warning, Ricky threw a punch that landed on the side of her face, before she could fall, he caught her and punched her again, knocking her to the floor.
All she saw was the fist, and then stars and she felt a blunt pain close to her eyes. She couldn’t see the second one, she felt the pain and she could taste the blood from her busted lip. She shook her head trying to clear her vision, but the kick to her abdomen made her forget about her eye sight. She rolled, turning her back to him, which he accepted with another kick. Maria cringed backwards with a scream.
“Just like old times.” Ricky said joyously, taking off his jacket and throwing it aside. He had missed this, beating Maria to a pulp and only stopping when her cries for help were drowned out by the blood choking her and when she lay limp, close to death.
Maria crawled towards the kitchen area, the throbbing in her back and belly crying out louder with each move. She wasn’t going to allow this to happen to her again, she had grown out of being the victim and Ricky wasn’t going to make her one again.
“Where are you going?” He dragged her back by her foot, then laughed when she kicked his hand away with her free leg. He let go and stared at the graze on his hand before he turned back at her and laughed as she tried to crawl away again, “You’re making this fun.” he followed her, “Look at you, putting up a fight!” He lifted his leg and brought it down hard on her back.
Maria cried as the pain made her eyes sting with tears, her ears full of that one familiar sound. Ricky put his hand over his lips, “I think I broke something.” he said, feigning concern and then he busted out laughing, “I missed the sound of your bones breaking, and I’m sure you missed it too.” he lifted his foot over her again, “Shall we hear it again?”
“No, please no!” Maria begged, lifting a hand to stop him.
Ricky crouched down and reached a finger to her lips. He pressed down hard on the wound, then lifted his finger to look at her blood, “Your blood still looks the same, but I’ll have to spill more just to be sure.”
“Ricky, no!” she sobbed, covering her face with her hand.