Alvarez

Fifteen

If you can't do anything about it then let it go. Don't be a prisoner to the things you can't change - Tony Baskin

Christian
A bead of sweat trickled down Michael's neck. It took everything to restrain myself from gouging out his eyes. I could kill him right now, with my bare hands. I wouldn't feel an ounce of regret either. He doesn't deserve any mercy from me. My hands are practically aching to get rid of him right now. I could be fast enough, I could strangle him and walk out of here like nothing happened. I'm weighing it out in my head as I stare at him, I would be doing the world a favor. I couldn't stand to look at his face, but I needed to speak with him. I needed Mia out of here.

I didn't give a fuck whether Albert or the president's fucking security team was here. I didn't trust this bastard anywhere near her. But right now in my presence, he looked like he was about to 'pee his pants' - Mia's words, not mine.

"Mr Alvarez. Take a seat please." he said, and sat down across his huge desk. I didn't sit. I walked around, a scarier tactic- a trick I picked up from Vin. It made him nervous, I made him nervous. Rightfully so. I was a few seconds away from rearranging his face so bad, a plastic surgeon wouldn't know where to start.

"I'll make it quick." I said, and stared straight ahead. "I'm going to marry Mia." I told him, the words pouring out a lot easier than I expected. I wasn't asking for her hand, contrary to what I told her. I was telling him. I wouldn't ask this man for a drink of water if I was dying of thirst. Pride, maybe. Hatred, definitely.

He looked like he was about to have a stroke. "you want to marry Mia?" he asked. I sighed. "are you dense? That's what I just said." I spat out. He immediately hung his head down. It was hilarious seeing him like this. Brought down to size in front of me.

"I-I don't understand. She can't marry so soon. It's only been a month since Oscar's passing." he says, his eyes planted on his desk. "I'm aware of that. As of now, I want her to live with me. We will marry at a later stage, none of your concern really." I said, and continued walking around.

"is she pregnant?" he asked. I've only known her a few weeks. He thinks so little of her, much less of me. "not yet." I answered. He looked pale. Lost for words, I'm assuming.

"you can do whatever you want with her, Mr Alvarez. But fair warning, you're not the only one who wants my daughter. For some reason, a lot of men have sights on her." I take that as a challenge. 'For some reason' how the fuck could he say that? Does he not realise the truth that he's got a beautiful daughter who's done absolutely nothing wrong and shouldn't be dragged into all this? What kind of man would sell their own child? It's absolutely embarrassing to call Michael a man. He's a disgrace. I don't know much about his family, his father and grandfather but I need to do my digging. I make a mental note to handle that later.

"like the two that assaulted her in your doorway last night?" I said, my voice dropping a decibel. The thoughts of last night were ones I'd pushed far away, when I needed it for another time. It was enough to make me lose my mind, together with my restraint on killing this fucker in the most painful way possible. I figured I'd need to tap in to these thoughts when I needed to mutilate someone.

"they weren't here for her. I swear." he said, flicking his gaze to me. I nodded. "what were they here for, then?" I asked, hoping my suspicions were wrong. If those men were here to get involved with his trafficking ring, it means Mia and I had a lot more work ahead of us. Maybe shutting down the company would have to happen at a later stage. If kids were in danger, that was my new priority.

The thought made me feel like some twisted superhero.

"th-they were here for business." he tells me. My patience and sense of morality hanging by a thread as thin as a strand of Mia's brown hair.

"well the fact that they're dead now can't be great for business. Tell me, what work did you have for them?" I asked, inching closer to his desk. "It wasn't anything major." God this man was really testing me right now. I would rip out his larynx for sport.

I give up. I don't want to get involved with this fuckery like this. I need to embed myself in his fuckery. Marrying Mia was the best way to do just that. It had two positive outcomes.

"I will be here to fetch Mia by the end of this week. I wouldn't bother trying to keep in touch with her." I said, ready to leave. "others want her, Mr Alvarez. They're willing to pay a hefty price tag too. This is supposed to be my decision." he blurted out, and when I turned around to look at him, he looked like he immediately regretted his words. As he should.

I walked toward him, and pressed my hands to the desk, twisting it and envisioning it's his neck. I cleared my throat, "what did you just say to me?" I asked, keeping my eyes on his.

"I-I just mean that there have been offers for her hand for years now. Since Oscar is no longer in the picture, they've returned, with more money. All I'm saying is that I must get something in return for her." he said, and I nodded. To him, she was a transaction. There's no amount of money in the world that's worth what she is. The fact that he thinks that just emphasizes that he shouldn't be anywhere near her. He's bringing out such ugly things in me.

"you think I'm going to pay you for your daughter? You think I'm going to buy her like she's a show pony? You're fucked in the head, Michael. You're very lucky she asked me not to kill you." I said, feeling my blood boil beneath my skin. My body was going to explode with all this seething.

"it doesn't have to be money. I'll take anything in return." he's really not getting this message. I bet I can knock some sense into him if I just get my hands on him right now. No, he's beyond that. I have plenty money to pay him, but the feeling of treating Mia like she's a product I'm purchasing is making me feel uncomfortable.

"10 million." I said, and his eyes grew wide. It's more than anything the others were 'offering' him to buy his fucking daughter. Fuck this. "deal." he said.

I grit my teeth. It's nothing. I hate this. I need to speak with her. I hope it doesn't offend her. She's not a business deal. She's a human. I just need her out of here. And I'll do whatever it takes to have her with me. It's not like he's going to lose all this money anyway, it won't last long with all the debts he's going to face soon.

"Now listen to me very, very carefully. I don't repeat myself. You tell all your men here, if any one of them dares to lay a hand on her I will know. I already have the acid in my trunk to melt their corpses." I don't want to touch him, if I do I think I'll end this right now. "and that includes you. I know about that bruise on her wrist. I could kill you for that right now. Touch or hurt her in any way, if your skin so much as grazes hers, I'll break every single bone in your fucking body, and set you on fire like you did to my house. Libero?" he nods too fast.

He trembles slightly, and I stare at his face. Thank God, I can hardly see any resemblance between her and him. I can picture her face when I shut my eyes, and it's really doing a good job of keeping me in my senses. I leave this house, after threatening Albert and all the other security. My thoughts became like an anthem to me, a song stuck in my head. Protect her, shield her from everything. But most importantly, get her out of here. I'll be back for her, and she will never set foot in this godforsaken house again.