Isela's Love (26 page)

“Isela, make a wish,” Guarros said, a little more firmly.

“Will it come true?”

“We won’t know until you try.”

She smiled sweetly at him. “Well then, I wish you would drop dead.”

Guarros’s eyes grew wide. He gasped. Isela was surprised he didn’t slap her. She’d been expecting it. Instead, he just stood there looking...nervous? From behind her, she heard Brendan’s muffled laugh. After about thirty seconds, Guarros let out a breath.

He waved two fingers in a circle at Brendan. “Release him.” He gazed at Isela for a moment. “Well I guess it wasn’t you after all.”

“What wasn’t me?”

“Who, actually. The woman he’s been screwing.”

Isela couldn’t stop the gasp before it escaped. Luckily, Guarros thought it was because of his vulgarity and not because it hit so close to home, so it amused him.

He sauntered over to Brendan. “So who is it, then?”

“Who is what?” Brendan replied sarcastically.

Guarros smiled again. “I see. You want to play games. All right then.” He snapped his fingers again. “Guards, hold Isela.”

The guards grabbed her. She fought, but to no avail. Brendan fought the urge to lunge. He had to remain cool. If the whole Avascon thing was true, he couldn’t let Isela be found out.

The warden pulled a cigar from inside his jacket. He lit it slowly, sucking in and blowing out until it burned on its own. Holding at arm’s length, he examined it. Appearing satisfied, he nodded. Without looking up he told the guards near Brendan to hold him. Then he sauntered over to Isela. He turned on his heels to face Brendan.

“Last chance, Mr. Malone. Who. Are. You. Screwing?”

Brendan stared at his feet, not knowing what to do. He couldn’t tell the truth, but how could he lie. Surely Guarros would find out.

“Nothing to say, still?” Guarros asked.

Before Brendan could respond, Guarros snatched Isela’s hand. He mashed the lit end of his cigar into the back of her hand just above her wrist. She screamed, trying to pull away. Brendan lunged, but the guards held him fast. The sound of Isela’s scream ripped through him.

“No, stop, all right!” Brendan yelled. “It was Amber.”

Brendan didn’t know why he blurted out Amber’s name. He only knew he had to say someone’s name to stop Guarros from hurting Isela.

Guarros released Isela’s hand and took several steps in Brendan’s direction. “Now was that so hard?” he asked sarcastically. Dropping the cigar onto the floor, he stepped on it. The acrid smell of the cheap tobacco hung in the air.

Brendan glanced around wildly, wondering how much time he had before Guarros figured out he was lying and what he’d do about it. He had to remove Isela from the equation. He had to keep her safe, especially since he hadn’t been able to protect her from Guarros and his cigar.

Guarros smiled smugly. He glanced from Brendan to Isela and then back again. Brendan held his breath. Did he suspect something? Isela stared at Brendan with a puzzled expression. At least she hadn’t witnessed the thing with Keeri. Then she’d really be confused. As it stood, she was probably wondering why Keeri stood off to the side, sniffling.

“Guards, return Mr. Malone to his cell. Keeri, get back to work. I don’t want to see you again today. The rest of you, show’s over. Isela, a word.”

****

Isela sighed, but followed the warden. It was turning into one helluva morning, and Bashua hadn’t even made his move yet. He and Brendan had come up with a plan to get him thrown out into Midland. They thought it was brilliant, but Isela didn’t like it. Even though it had been his idea, it still seemed to her like she’d be betraying him. Still, she’d gone along with it. Bashua had convinced her they had no other choice.

They’d rehearsed it every chance they got until Brendan said they were ready. Today was the day. So she couldn’t think about the scene that had unfolded in the dining area, not now. She’d ask Brendan about it later, but right now she had to focus on their plans.

The warden turned on her suddenly, startling her. She gasped.

“So, you wish me dead, do you?” he snarled, catching her off-guard.

“I...I,” she stammered.

“Everything I’ve given you, everything I offer you and that is how you repay me. You wish me dead in front of the entire dining area.”

Her anger burst forth, giving her a misguided sense of courage. She took a step forward. “Everything you’ve given me? You’ve done nothing but take from me. My mother, my freedom, my hopes! Everything! So, yes, I wish you dead every day of my life. You were the one who wanted me to say it out loud.”

His hand shot out, hitting her with the back of his fist. She fell to her knees. She clutched her face where he struck her, refusing to cry out. She forced herself to drop her hands and look up at him. As soon as she raised her eyes to his, he slapped her open-handed, knocking her to the floor.

“You wretched little bitch,” he seethed. “I grow tired of your games, Isela.” He waved his hand back and forth between them. “This is going to happen. You will be mine, one way or another...and soon.”

She lay there on the floor, unmoving, remaining silent. She didn’t dare incite any more of his rage. His tone frightened her into thinking he may try to force himself on her. She couldn’t let that happen. He turned and stormed away, to his office, she assumed.

As soon as she was sure he was gone, Isela jumped up and ran back to her room. She washed her face and let her hair down out of the braid she’d had it in, hoping it would at least partially cover the bruises beginning to form on her face. Satisfied it was as good as it was going to get, she returned to work.

Mae did a double take when she saw her friend. Rushing over to her, she grabbed her arm. “Isela, you can’t go to work in the kitchen with your hair...” She gasped as she pushed Isela’s hair behind her ear, revealing Guarros’s handprint. Tears filled her eyes.

“What happened?” Mae whispered.

Isela pulled her hair back over her face. “Not now, Mae. I’m fine. But I gotta go.”

“Wait, trade duties with me. I’m mopping in the parlor. You do that and I’ll take your kitchen duty. Then you can leave your hair down.”

Isela hugged Mae. “You’re such a good friend, Mae. Let’s talk later, okay?”

Mae nodded, smiling as Isela took off for the parlor.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Bashua sauntered up to the bars of Brendan’s cell as if it were any other day, not the day he was about to get himself cast out into Midland. Brendan rose up, meeting him at the bars.

“I’ll give you five minutes, Bashua,” the guard said. “The warden’s got him in lock down.”

Bashua ignored the guard and smiled a toothy smile. Brendan didn’t have the heart to tell him he ought not to do that because it was rather scary.

“So, this is it,” Bashua whispered to Brendan.

“Are you ready? You know where to meet Darrios, right?”

“Relax, kid. I was doin’ this kind of thing before the all-powerful Darrios got his first hard-on. I got this.”

“I know. I’m sorry. It’s just, this has to work. That motherfucker has got to go down. I cannot stand to think of him breathing our air, the things he does, the way he treats people.”

Bashua chuckled. “And by people, you mean Isela.”

“Can we please focus?” Brendan asked.

Bashua chuckled again. “So, I heard about what happened with Keeri. That musta been a sight.” He raised an eyebrow. “Avascon huh? Congratulations, boy. That’s a very big deal.”

“You know about Avascon?” Brendan asked hopefully, clutching the bars of his cell, bringing his face closer.

“Why sure I do.” He poked his finger into Brendan’s chest. “Been there myself a few times. It’s incredible.”

“Please, Bashua, explain it to me. I don’t understand any of it. I mean Guarros told me about the sex part, but I’m just not buying the fact that having sex grants you a wish.”

Bashua laughed. “That’s what Guarros told you?”

“He said if you and your partner click—”

“No, son, there’s far more to it than that. On top of being a soulless void of any sort of humanity, Guarros is misinformed, as well. No doubt he’ll never experience Avascon. Just as well. That man having the power of a wish is more than I care to think about.”

“So what, then?”

You and the other person, it’s much more than sex. You have to have a connection, a deep need for one another.”

“Love?”

“Sure makes it more likely to happen, but the bond between you is on another level. It’s spiritual, as if you complete one another. It’s a powerful thing. When you make love, the experience is like...sex on steroids, you know? You feel everything with a greater intensity, and then when you...you know...”

Brendan rolled his eyes. “Come, have an orgasm?”

“Yeah, it’s the most incredible, overwhelming, intense feeling you’ve ever had.”

“Yep, I get that.”

“That’s Avascon. When that happens, you get a wish.”

“Well, why did my wish come true, but not hers? Are you saying she didn’t get there?”

“That’s possible, but not likely. Usually it’s both of you or neither. Maybe she already got her wish. Ask her.”

Brendan opened his hands palms up, reminding Bashua he was in lock down and couldn’t leave his cell.

“What exactly were the wishes?”

“I told Keeri I wished she could see how she looked with her foot in your mouth as well as I can.”

“And what did Isela say?”

“That she wished Guarros would drop dead.”

Bashua pointed to Brendan. “That’s why, right there. You can’t use the wishes to bring harm to another.”

“You don’t think Keeri was harmed?”

“How is she now?”

“Fine, shook up, I imagine, but I’m sure she’ll be back on the horse in no time, no pun intended,” Brendan said.

“The other thing is you have to be a part of the wish,” Bashua pointed out. “When you said ‘as well as I can’ you included yourself. If you had only wished for the foot in the mouth, it wouldn’t have happened.”

“And Guarros wouldn’t know I’ve had sex.”

“He doesn’t know it was Isela, does he?” Bashua asked, alarmed.

Brendan shook his head. “No, when she wished him dead and it didn’t happen, I heard him say, ‘it wasn’t you’ to her.”

“Good thing he was misinformed.” Bashua smiled. “I bet he had a nervous couple minutes there.”

Brendan chuckled, himself. “Yeah, the look on his face was pretty good.”

“So who does the warden think you are getting busy with?

“Amber.”

Bashua wrinkled his eyebrows together. “Why Amber?”

Brendan sighed. “Because, while his guards had a hold of me, he burned the back of Isela’s hand until I told him. I blurted out the first name I thought of.”

“Have you and Amber...”

“No, never.”

“Aren’t you worried what he’s gonna do when he finds out?”

“Yeah.”

“Actually, I’m surprised he didn’t do the same thing with Amber that he did with Isela in order to check your story.”

“I don’t know. Maybe because he doesn’t care if I’m doing Amber, but he’s obsessed with Isela.”

“That he is. Which is why our little plan will work. But don’t fool yourself. This isn’t over.”

“Actually, Bash, if your buddy comes through, it very well might be.”

Laughing, they shook hands. Bashua smiled his freaky smile again and said, “Showtime.”

****

Isela glanced around nervously. Where was Bashua? As anxious as she was to get their little charade over with before any more drama ensued, her stomach did a little flip-flop when he walked into the room.

He gave her a steadying gaze, but it didn’t help. He didn’t say a word until he stood right in front of her. Under his breath he said, “Just like we rehearsed.”

She nodded. He placed his hand on her face and she slapped it away. “No,” she said loud enough to get the attention of those around them.

He reached for her, but she took a step back. She turned to walk away, but he grabbed hold of her arm.

“Isela, please.”

She struggled to free her arm. “Leave me alone.”

“C’mon, baby. You know that’s not gonna happen. I told you. I love you.”

Several onlookers gasped at Bashua’s declaration. Isela glanced around, nearly forgetting what she was supposed to say next.

“Bashua, I’m sorry. It can’t work between us.”

A crowd was beginning to form. Several of the guards began to take notice, circling around a bit apprehensively.

“Is it the age thing? It is, isn’t it? You don’t have to worry about that, baby. I have the stamina of a twenty-year-old.” He stepped closer, stroking her upper arms. “I promise you, darlin,’ I’ll make love to you all night long, every night.”

Isela dropped her gaze to the floor, not because they’d practiced doing that, but because she was afraid she might start laughing at Bashua’s last words. The thought was ridiculous. He was like a father to her, not to mention older than her real father had been.

“Is it Guarros? Fuck Guarros. You think I care what he thinks? That bug-eyed fat bastard can kiss my ass,” Bashua shouted. “I’ll never let him have you.”

That did it. People began murmuring amongst themselves. The guards reacted.

“Everybody back off,” one of them yelled. “Nothing more to see here. Bashua, step away from the lady.”

Bashua winked at Isela. “Fuck you,” he yelled at the guard. “Fuck you and your limp-dick boss.”

He grabbed Isela, kissing her on the lips, which was a good thing because otherwise, she definitely would have burst into laughter at the phrase “limp-dick boss.”

The guards were on him in seconds. He fought them, but there were four of them and only one of him. The entire room watched as they dragged him off screaming Isela’s name over and over.

Several people rushed Isela. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you? What was he thinking?” Several other questions fired at her from the crowd.

Not acting anymore, she raised her hands to her ears. “Please, just leave me alone.”

She fought her way through the group then broke into a run to get away. Nobody followed.

****

Isela slammed her door behind her. Even though she was breathing at an accelerated rate, it felt like she couldn’t get any air. She was terrified what Guarros would do when he heard about this, hoping he’d only toss Bashua out into Midland. What if he didn’t? What if their plan backfired and Guarros killed him?