Moving Forward

Chapter Forty One

"Mm-mmm mmhm!!!" I couldn't even speak. Ricardo had taped my mouth with duct tape.

"Shut up bitch!"

My eyes widened at the use of his vile word. What's even worse, my hands were tied behind my back. I tried to squirm away from him but he held me tight. Gripping me rather. He held my waist and shoved me into the living room to lean against the wall. Like a damn broom.

That bastard didn't have the courtesy to let me sit. I tried to scream again under the tape but it was useless. No one would hear me. No one even cared. That's when realization hit that I was probably going to die. The tears trickled--running down my cheek staining the duct tape and whatever else it fell on.

Ricardo turned off the lights in the living room and left the kitchen on. The light in the kitchen was much dimmer than the living room. I had planned on changing it, but somehow I was glad I didn't. He would have turned that off too. I searched the room desperately to find something... just anything that could bring resolution.

"Do you want to know why I'm here little girl?" He stalked towards me. Like a lion aiming for its prey.

With every step he took my breaths grew deeper. I was scared as hell. I had no idea what his motive was; what he wanted to do. My chest rising and falling with fear. Oh, God! He was close. His lips were mere inches away from the tape that sealed my mouth. First time in my life I was grateful for the tape between us.

"You..." he whispered in my ear.

I jerked back. The scent of nicotine and tobacco wreaked from his breath. Not to mention the high scent of his cologne. Ugh!

"...Want to know what I want?" He asked sickly.

His voice was perverse and gut-wrenching. I wanted to vomit. I shook my head frantically, not wanting to know. I just wanted him to leave me the heck alone!

"Mm hmmm!!!" I tried to tell him to go away, but it was useless.

"Shut up!"

Mmmm!!!!" I screamed. "Mmm--"

My bellows were cut off by the stinging slap across my face. Tears shone in my eyes from the little light. He had hit me. Hit me hard. My face burned from his touch and I could see the slight lift on my cheek from where his hand landed.

"You have something for me Maliah..."

Oh, God. The way he said my name made my stomach turn. I'd never hated my name so much in my life. The way it rolled off his tongue gave me goosebumps-- in a bad way. What could he possibly want? Whatever it was, I didn't have it. Heck, I never knew the guy until Anya introduced us. That was it.

I peered up at the ceiling and observed the rugged patterns in the cement. It was the most I could do to keep myself from going mad.

"Look at me!!" He squeezed my cheeks. Ricardo brought my face down forcefully to meet his. "You have forty gran for me."

My eyes bugged out. What? Forty thousand dollars? None of it made sense. Why would I owe a man I barely knew forty Gs. I shook my head frantically telling him no.

"Well if you're not gonna pay it... then who shall??" He chuckled to himself. "Surely not your father."

My face jerked towards him, my breaths heavy. My father? Why would he talk about my father? He didn't know him. Did he?

As if reading my thoughts, he said, "Your father is more of a con man than me." He chuckled again. "But he doesn't know who I am... What I'll do..."

"Mm hmmm mm mm!!!"

"What?" He asked attentively.

I had no idea what I was saying. I was just making incoherent noises to at least get someone's attention. "Mmm-hmm!!"