Doctor Engel [A Spanish bestseller now in English!]

CHAPTER 10

'Where do you think you are going?' he pulls more violently on my hair so I get closer to him.

I struggle to get free. His other hand holds my chin tightly to face him. I feel like several hairs are coming off my scalp. He is pushing hard on my bruise with his fingers and it hurts me a lot.

'Let me go!' I'm almost screaming. I look around me, scared. People pass by and no one seems to see what is happening.

About twenty meters away I see Juan Carlos, Mario's best friend. He is sitting in a brewery. Their favorite...

'Silly, silly, silly!' I mentally scolded myself. 'But how did I not think of this?' he greets me by raising a jug and smirks.

'Now tell me who is the bastard you are fucking,' he gives me another, stronger, tug. My neck creaked.

'It's not what you think,' I say in pain and writhing.

'I'm going to cut him into strips, just like I'm going to do with you,' he says in a whisper near my ear.

He begins to walk with me.

'Mario, please, let me go.' The anguish makes my eyes fill with tears.

'Tell her who's in charge!' Juan Carlos says from the other side as he laughs out loud. I look at him with disgust and he takes a long drink from his bottle.

Mario is really pissed. If I can't get away from him quickly I know I'll be in danger. He steers me to the exit. He is heading to the car, I can see it at the end of the parking lot. My mouth's dry, the car is getting closer and the panic starts to take over. If he succeeds in getting me into it, it will be the end for me.

We are already close, he puts his hand in his pocket to get the key and without giving me time to think about it I give a quick pull and I let go. When it's about to re-connect my leg flies and my foot just crashes against his genitals. I never thought I would do something like this, I don't even know how it happened or when my brain sent that order. The survival instinct did all that for me.

I run all my strength without looking back. Luck wants, at that moment, just when I'm crossing a street, a taxi to almost hit me. He stops and even though I don't know if he is occupied or not I open the door and get in.

'Are you okay?' he says as he watches me gasp for air. My lungs are red hot.

'Let's get away from here! Anywhere! Run! Let's get away from here!' I repeat, without stopping, and the man realizes that something is happening and starts up the engine.

For a couple of minutes he drives aimlessly. He doesn't talk, and neither do I. When I think I've recovered somewhat I indicate the address of the Hotel Hanna. My fingers hurt and I realize that the bag is still with me, I have not released it at any time, and I'm squeezing it so tightly that my hand is running out of blood. It's curious how the body reacts when it's in danger.

I remember once when I was a child in the village where my mother grew up, a heifer escaped and rolled a man of about sixty over several times. One blow after another. When the man finally got to his feet he still had his cigarette in his mouth as if nothing had happened.

Even with the shock from before I can't help laughing loudly while I think about it. Something similar has happened to me. The taxi driver looks at me through the rear-view mirror, he must think I'm crazy. We arrive at the destination, I thank him and I pay him with a tip. I get out of the car and even though my legs are still loose I go into the hall.

I see the shadows of two people, and when I get closer I can see that it's Cesar talking heatedly with Manuel in the reception area. I can't hear what it's, but Cesar makes quick movements with his hands. He looks agitated, something must have happened. As soon as they notice my presence the discussion is over.

'Has something happened?' I ask.

Cesar turns to me with his arms crossed and his brow wrinkled.

'Well, I see you have already returned,' he's really upset, and I think it's with me.

'Uh, yeah, I went out and bought some clothes.' I don't know how to react, I don't understand anything.

'I would appreciate it if the next time you decide to leave, at least let me know in advance so someone can join you.'

'Uh?' I'm confused

'You can't go out alone! it's extremely reckless, you know how things are!' His voice is louder when he says that sentence, and his gaze flickers.

'I... I'm sorry,' I look down at my feet. I don't know what else to say, he's absolutely right.

At that moment, I decide that it's not a good idea to tell him what happened a while ago with Mario. I don't want to piss him off anymore.

'The door to your room has already been repaired, Miss Natalia,' Manuel says as if it's nothing. I know he has done it to calm the waters, as there's a lot of tension in the environment.

'Thank you,' I say truthfully. 'I need some things from the room from yesterday,' I look at Cesar and he nods.

'Come, I will help you,' he begins to walk down the hall and I follow. I almost have to run, he walks very fast and he doesn't wait for me.

We go up to his apartment. As I pick up my things he apologizes and goes into what I suppose is his room to change clothes. With the topic of the argument, I hadn't realized that he was still wearing his green hospital uniform. When he comes out, I can't help but be surprised. He is wearing light-colored jeans and a tight-fitting white shirt. All the muscles on his chest and arms stand out. He looks really good in those clothes. His hair looks disheveled and it gives him a sexy look.

Laura is going to enjoy this image a lot. I laugh to myself. He approaches me, stretches his arms to give me the things I had asked for and then I smell him. He just put on his cologne, that I like so much... This man is perfect.

'Come on,' he says from the door. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't see that I was already there.

I walk like before, striding behind him. We arrive at my room and I see that the door is still the same, they have only changed the hinges and the lock. He inserts the new key and, like the previous one, it fits perfectly and opens. He leaves everything on the bed and offers me the key.

'Here, you will need it,' he says dryly. 'If it gets damaged or lost, Manuel will give you a copy.' I take it in my hand and nod my head as I look at it.

I see he turns to leave. Something is stirring inside me, my conscience doesn't allow me to let him go while he is mad at me. Not after all he is doing for me. It really was reckless and I need to apologize again.

'Cesar...' he turns. The fire continues in his eyes and his brow doesn't relax. 'I'm sorry about today... I didn't think... I only acted on instinct. I needed clothes and I didn't think of anything else.' It really was like that, if I had used my brain I wouldn't have gone to a place that Mario frequents.

'Don't do that again!' he comes quickly towards, me pointing with his finger. 'You understand me?' he shouts. In an instinctive act, I crouch down and cover my face with my arms. I know he would never hit me, but my body doesn't seem to understand that part. It does what it is used to doing when it feels threatened: protect itself.

The blow doesn't come, there is only silence. I slowly undo the ball which I made myself into under my arms, and I can see his face. His eyes are wide open. His expression is of real anguish.

'No no no. No, no...' that is all he says as he walks to me, now slower. 'No, Natalia... no, please don't do that. Please.' He hugs me tightly to his chest. 'I would never do something like that,' he rubs my head repeatedly while stroking my hair.

Ican't take it any longer and I'm overcome by tears. The day has been very hard...