Gringa - in the Clutches of a Ruthless Drug Lord - 2 (4 page)

‘Thank you,’ I say. ‘For everything.’

He does not reply.

‘Goodnight.’

I never thanked Troy for his kindness, for having the courage to stand up for me on many occasions, mainly because I never see him alone. But today he’s alone so I smile and say, ‘Troy, thanks for …
everything
.’

He grunts and looks down, reminding me of Diablo. Troy is the only man here who resembles Diablo – same facial structure, hazel eyes, long hair.

Tongue walks in and catches me smiling at Troy. He sneaks up behind me and circles my waist. ‘I like your tits,’ he whispers.

I shove him off and dart out of the kitchen, revolted by his touch.

He laughs. ‘My room is at the top, bebe. Come visit me. Anytime! I leave my door open for you.’

Troy starts to bristle and puts his face in Tongue’s and they start to argue. I prefer not to have any encounters with Tongue because I know that he and Christa are close, and right now, Christa is really pissed at me.

*

I’m almost asleep when I hear a woman scream. I jump out of bed and race to the window. Tongue is struggling with a young lady I’ve never seen before. She has to be from one of the villages and judging from her sheer nightdress, I think she’s been abducted from her bed and dragged here for Tongue’s sexual enjoyment.

I know exactly how she feels - the terror, the feelings of helplessness. But what can I do? I’m in exactly the same position, except I’m screaming
inside
.

Christa steps out of her room and puffs on a cigarettes as she watches Tongue wrestle with the young girl.

The girl sees Christa and says, ‘Senora, please help me!’

Christa’s smile is cynical as she throws down her cigarette, crushes it with her shoe and walks back into her room.

How could she do that? This is a young girl, for Christ’s sakes.

Tongue drags the girl inside and shuts the door.

Being part of Diablo’s gang affords his men a number of perks – they never pay for anything, they just take whatever they want. Nobody stops them because nobody dares.

One of their perks - women of all ages from the surrounding villages and tonight, Tongue was cashing in on his perk. Fucking pervert.

I can no longer sleep, so I just sit at the window and watch his room and wait. I wish I was brave enough to march up to Tongue’s door and yank the girl out of there but I’m ashamed to admit that I’m too chicken to do that.

Hours later, she runs out of Tongues villa. Without thinking, I race outside and try to stop her. She turns, looks at me, then runs on, probably distrusting me after her encounter with Christa.

‘Wait!’ I hiss, but she continues running. It’s dark and I worry she will be snatched by one of the other men patrolling the ranch. I sprint after her and eventually catch up with her.

‘Let me help you, please!’ I beg. ‘English? You speak English?’

‘Si, Senorita,’ she says.

‘Thank God! Come with me.’

‘Exhausted and crying, she allows me to lead her to my room. I lock the door and offer her a shower, which she accepts. But she is terrified of Tongue finding her again, so we turn off the lights and creep around like clumsy burglars in the dark. Finally, she crawls into my bed and falls asleep.

When I wake up the next morning, she is wide awake, her eyes the size of saucers.

Her name is Anna and she is fourteen. Fourteen! Tongue the Motherfucker – he really deserves to die.

As soon as the men leave the ranch, I, with Maria and Rosa’s help, make plans to get Anna back home. I suggest she reports the rape to the police, but Maria and Rosa tells me that it’s not a good idea as the police are friendly with Diablo and Christa and, well, Tongue may exact revenge by hurting her family, maybe even killing them all to set an example.

I look helplessly at my ward, then give her a hug. But she gently pushes me away. At first I’m taken aback, but then I think maybe she doesn’t want to be touched right now. I get it.

Anna speaks rapidly to me in Spanish.

I look to Maria for interpretation.

‘Eh, she say ... she eh, is grateful that I saved her and if ever I ever need help ... ’

I smile grimly at Anna. ‘I’ll remember that.
Gracias
.’

Over time, I see Tongue bring in a few more young girls, but I’m unable to help them. Anna was one who managed to get away. The others, he just kept until he grew tired of them then cut them loose.

Tongue deserves to die a horrific death. I hope one day I will be the one who kills him.

It’s obvious Christa is seething – she gives me dirty looks and hisses threats whenever she sees me. Clearly she hasn’t forgiven me for disrespecting her during the Austin incident. Her insults and cursing grows in intensity and I know it’s only a matter of time before she avenges herself, so I’m wary. And scared.

To add to her frustration, she probably realizes she is losing control over Diablo these days. He seems eager to hold onto me and her jealousy and insecurity surfaces randomly.

Today, Christa is yelling at everyone about
something
. Diablo is out for the day, so I tread carefully and avoid her. I’m in the courtyard when Tongue suddenly walks up to me and presses against me.

‘Can you feel my hard on? We go to my room? Whachusay, eh?’

The men laugh at Tongue’s antics, but Troy yells at him to leave me alone. Tongue and Troy engage in another heated argument. To my horror, Tongue draws his gun and fires into the air.

Troy immediately backs away.

Christa arrives on the on horseback and demands an explanation. She listens to both guys and yells at Tongue to holster his weapon. Then she looks pointedly at me and I flinch.

‘Maria,’ she yells, ‘bring my whiiip.’

Now Tongue’s going to really get it. Good.

Maria hesitates and glances at me.

Christa turns really slowly and gives Maria a cold, hard stare.

Maria quickly runs into the villa and returns with Christa’s whip.

Christa takes the whip, smiles and trots towards Tongue. But suddenly, she turns and lashes at me, tearing my dress of my back.

I scream in agony and even try to run, but she’s on horseback and has an advantage over me - she whips me again.

Troy, who I believe is my savior by now, runs after Christa and tries to grab the whip off her, but he’s not fast enough. I get a third lash before he manages to yank the whip out of Christa’s hands.

I lie on the ground whimpering and in agony. My clothes are in tatters, the skin on my back is in shreds and I’m going into shock.

Troy kneels next to me. ‘Gringa … Gringa …’ The distress in his voice tells me that I’m in worse shape than I thought.

Maria and Rosa hold each other and cry, but they do not help me. I realize by now that they dare not or they will suffer the same fate as me.

‘Gringa ... Gringa …’ Troy chants.

‘Diablo ...’ I whisper, still expecting Christa to whip me, ‘get ... Dia …blo ...’

Then I hear the thunder of hooves and turn my head slowly to the side. There he is - my big, terrifying beast on a black horse, galloping at me at an incredible speed, looking as terrifying as he did when I first encountered him. At that time, I was petrified of him, thinking of him as a monster. It’s a different story now - he’s my rescuer today and he’s going to save me from the vindictive witch with the whip.

At the sight of me lying on the ground, bloodied and in tatters, Diablo suddenly slows down and trots towards me.

‘Gringa …’ I see him mouth.

‘Diablo!’ Christa says. ‘How nice to see you. I think you cooome home tomorrow, eh?’

Diablo does not answer, his eyes are fixed on me. He looks at Troy for an explanation.

Troy explodes in Spanish and points to Tongue and Christa. Diablo listens silently, his eyes hooding up and his jaws starting to jut. Then he nods, takes the whip off Troy and rides up to Christa.

‘No Diablo!’ Christa screams. ‘I’m your mooother! Pleeeeease!’

Diablo lashes out at her. She falls off her horse and we hear a snap – like the sound of a bone breaking.

I had no idea Diablo would turn on his own mother because of me!

Next, Diablo turns to Tongue.

‘No, no, no Diablo!’ Tongue pleads. ‘Is a misunderstanding, that’s all,
amigo
.’

The closer Diablo trots, the more desperate Tongues voice becomes.

Diablo lashes out at him. Tongue screams in agony and sinks to his knees. Diablo whips him again and again. Three lashes.

Not finished with Christa, Diablo turns and looks at her.

She drags herself into one of the villas and bolts the door. Everyone knows that Diablo killed his father at the tender age of thirteen. Obviously, Christa remembers that as well.

Diablo rides back to me, gets of his horse and kneels besides me.

‘Diablo ... help ...’ I croak.

He shakes his head from side-to-side and gently scoops me into in his arms. Even though he is careful, I scream in agony as he carries me to my room. With great care, he places me on my belly on my bed.

Rosa and Maria rush in and start snipping at whatever’s left of my dress so they can administer treatment. Some of the men hurry in and start helping – getting hot water, sending for a doctor, while others shake their heads and tsk.

A doctor is brought in. He administers intramuscular sedation and I sink into a deep sleep.

A couple of times during my deep slumber, my eyes flicker and I see Diablo sleeping on a chair nearby. I’m glad - I feel safer with him around.

In the morning, I feel someone stroke my hair. I open my eyes and look straight into Diablo’s. Slowly I turn my face so that my cheek connects with his hand that is stroking my hair. Now why did I do that?

When I open my eyes again, he’s asleep next to me, fully clothed. And snoring really loudly.

It’s been three weeks since the whipping and I’m wide awake and healing nicely with Rosa and Maria’s constant nursing.

Diablo sits at the edge of my bed and cocks his head to one side. ‘You need anything?’ He’s been thoughtful lately and I appreciate it.

‘Mmm.’ I reach over for an empty chocolate box and flip it around. ‘’Nother one of these.’

‘Of thiiiis?’

‘Yeah.’ I open and close the empty box.

He nods and leaves.

Hours later, a box of chocolates is delivered. Happy to have more chocolate, Maria and Rosa dive for it, only to find that the box is empty.

I look at their crestfallen faces. ‘What?’

Slowly, as if it is a hand grenade, they pass the box to me. Empty.

You don’t mess with a patient’s chocolate. ‘Go call him,’ I say in a controlled but icy voice, ‘I need to ... ’

As if on cue, he enters my room, a huge smirk on his face.

I lift up the box. ‘Explain, Mr.’

He shrugs. ‘You say you need ’nother one of thiiis so I give you what you ask for. Empty box.’

Maria and Rosa fall about and laugh at his cheekiness.

‘Did you want chocolate
too
?’

I chuckle. ‘Very funny Diablo. Hand it over.’

He steps out of the room and returns with three huge boxes of chocolates and hands one to each of us.

‘Aaaah! That’s better,’ I say, pleased the two ladies won’t need to steal my chocolates.

I cram two into my mouth. ‘Pank wu.’

Pleased that he was able to successfully prank me, he leaves with a huge grin on his face.

18 August 02

Up and about now. Diablo’s back to his obnoxious self now that I’m okay. But he still doesn’t visit at night. Great.

He was nice to me though. Bought me chocolates, magazines in English and DVDs. Had Troy install a Television and DVD player in my room. Watched Spanish movies with no subtitles. Couldn’t understand a fuck they said, so Maria and Rose took turns translating to me while eating up all my chocolate and hogging the TV remote.

Diablo now works from the ranch so I get to see more of him these days.

Q: What’s worse than being shot three times, thrown off a cliff and being fucked in the ass by Diablo?

A: Being whipped by Christa.

PS: Thank God for Troy boys.

PPS: Christa broke her leg when she fell off her horse. Yay! Neigh

*

The whipping incident confirms that my life depends on Diablo being alive. He doesn’t want anyone hurting me. He can violate me, slap me, cut off my clothes with a knife and grab me by the hair, but nobody else can touch me.

Now that I’m on my feet, I’m expected to join him at the dinner table again. Soon my injuries are forgotten and he’s back to being his old self again - offish in front of his men. Knowing he’s capable of extreme tenderness and that he doesn’t want me hurt, gives me a different perspective on things and I overlook a lot of his bad behavior.

Concerned about scars on my back, I’m swimming again in the rock pool, hoping the salt water will aid healing. Maybe even reduce the scarring. I swim every day from 2 to 3 PM.

Maria and Rosa assist by applying some foul smelling potion daily - supposed to help minimize the scars.

*

There is great excitement at the entrance of the ranch. Men scurrying off to the entrance, gardeners throwing down the pruning shears or whatever they use, and hurrying towards the entrance. Maria, Rosa and I follow them to see what the commotion is all about.

We spy three sexy senoritas, dressed in the shortest of shorts and skimpy halter tops talking to the men. The men stare with pie holes agape as the Senoritas explain that they are lost.

‘Helpless females,’ I sneer.

‘
Putas
,’ Maria says.

‘Prostitutes,’ Rosa adds.

I shake my head at the sight of the men fighting each other to help out the Senoritas. Some of the men invite them in for refreshments and the senoritas accept. The men shove each other out of the way to get a better glimpse of their assets. Or, calling a spade a spade – of their tits and asses.

‘Well, I’m off to the rock-pool,’ I say. Of course, nobody pays any attention to me and my cheerful goodbye.