章節 23: The Recoil I

"Where have you been, mi amor?" Juan's voice sliced through the tension, his cold, piercing eyes locking onto mine.

A smirk played on his lips as he questioned my absence. "I was told you were out to get tampons. Did you actually finish all the tampons I got for you, or do you have an issue with blood?" His grip tightened as he grabbed my arm,his words laced with a dark sense of possession."You've been stalking me," I retorted,trying to keep my voice steady, grinning back at him, but there was an undercurrent of fear in my smile..

Did you think I was going to let you loose?" His raised eyebrow emphasized his control as I pulled away from his grasp.

Meanwhile, Matthew appeared blank, devoid of expression. "Uhmm, Excuse me,sir, are you the cab driver?" Matthew's innocent interruption irked Juan.

"Maybe I'll pretend you didn't say that," Juan retorted, his voice turning darker as his focus shifted to Matthew.

"I asked if you're the cab driver that's going to take me and my girlfriend back home," Matthew insisted, blinking up at Juan innocently, seemingly unaware of the brewing tension. Juan, visibly irritated, gritted his teeth. "Who tf is this?" Juan turned to me, but before I could respond, Matthew interjected. "I'm Nia's boyfriend, Matthew," he declared, looking up at Juan with a blink .

"Matthew," Juan uttered the name slowly, his eyes narrowing,threatening."Cállate de una maldita vez para que no termines de nuevo en el hospital."

Swiftly, Juan signaled his men, and three of them approached. I could sense Matthew's intimidation as one of Juan's men effortlessly lifted him over his shoulder. They carried Matthew to their car, and without hesitation, they sped away.

"Where is he off to? Please don't hurt him," I pleaded desperately with Juan. He pulled me closer, his hands wrapping around my waist. "To the airport, back to LA," he responded casually, his cold demeanor unchanged.

"You didn't miss me," he teased, pulling a mockingly sad look.

"Please, don't take Matthew back to LA. He's my responsibility at the moment. I did hurt him, and I have to take care of him," I implored, hoping for a moment of compassion from Juan.

He scoffed, questioning when Matthew would return to LA. "When he regains his memories," I explained. "The nurse said he has temporary amnesia of about three months and doesn't remember what happened between those months."

"Fine,"Juan relented, his voice softer with a hint of understanding.. "Let's go home." He opened the passenger's door for me, and as I entered, he took his place in the driver's seat.

While driving, his intense glances hinted at unspoken words he yearned to share.

"So, Matthew, right? The guy who cheated on you," he uttered, his tone laced with disdain.

"He wants me back," I disclosed, met with his dismissive scoff.

"Then go back to him if you want; how's that any of my business?" he scoffed, abruptly braking and parking the car.

I burst into laughter. "What's funny?" he questioned, fixing his intense gaze on me.

"You?" I chuckled.

"Is Matthew this funny too?" he asked, pulling me close, locking his beautiful green eyes with mine, then sealing our lips in a dark, romantic kiss.

"Hmmm, yes," I murmured against his lips. He released one hand to cup my chin, holding me in place as our tongues danced passionately.

As the kiss ended, his demeanor hardened. "But can he do this?" he inquired, his hands slipping under my dress, teasingly tracing up to my boobs.

"Juan, stop," I pleaded, but a smug smile played on his lips.

"What about this?" he continued, his thumb teasingly tracing over my nipple through my dress,softly, repeatedly, and it hardens under his expert touch.

"No," I gasped.

"Did he get to second base?" he murmured in my ear, shifting to my side and sliding his hand beneath my dress.

"No," I whispered, ensnared in his intense gaze.

He kissed me again as his fingers worked their magic,his thumb skimming over me ,as he pushes his index finger inside me slowly.

"It's been a long day; I want to go home," I groaned.

Juan paused. "I thought you wanted this?"

"Fine." He halted. "Don't beg me for it, and I don't want to see you with Matthew again, or else," he warned as he restarted the car.

"Or else what?" I challenged, staring at his stern profile.

"You wouldn't want him to end up like Carlos, would you?" he insinuated, widening my eyes.

"You wouldn't dare," I murmured.

"Jeez, Juan, you're so crazy. How can someone be so cruel? Get lost," I spat.

He stared at me, saying nothing. A frown crossed his face, contemplating my words.

"I wouldn't dare, right?" His voice echoed bleakly.

With tense breaths, uncertainty hung heavy in the air as I muttered, "No... yes... no." My scowl deepened as I locked eyes with him, desperation etched in my voice, "Don't hurt Matthew, or I'll never forgive you," I warned, my words laced with an urgency to protect him.

The car surged forward, the accelerator pushed to its limit. I clenched his shirt, my screams echoing against the wind, desperately trying to halt the rush of events. But the car raced on, unstoppable.

Soon, we screech to a halt at the apartment, and I spot Matthew anxiously waiting. He sprinted towards me, concern etched across his face. "Okay, you need to explain whatever is happening. I need all the details, please. This is definitely not New York," he insisted, reaching out to hold my hands. I recoiled, my mind clouded with a storm of emotions.

"Please, not now, Matthew. I'm not in the mood," I murmured, attempting to distance myself. "Nia, Nia, Nia," he called out, but before I could respond, Juan's voice cut through the air.

"Get her name off your filthy mouth," Juan growled, seizing my hands. I fought against his grip, my body tensing with an unsettling mixture of defiance and fear. "Don't touch me," I hissed, my anger boiling over. "No one should fucking touch me!" I yelled at them, my voice echoing through the tense atmosphere.

"I don't want to talk to any of you," I declared, panic rising within me. As my anxiety reached its peak, I felt a wave of dizziness engulf me. "Calm down, Nia. Calm down," voices urged, but the world around me blurred, and the last thing I saw was Juan's hands grabbing me before everything turned blank, and I succumbed to unconsciousness.