Walking The Line

~Chapter 3~

There was a long pause. They actually want to hear what I have to say. So I can't fuck this opportunity up at all.

"Let her speak." I heard a guy say. "Hurry up, puta."

I inhale a couple of breaths, trying to calm my wildly beating heart. "I-I-I want to take up on your offer."

There was another moment's worth of hesitation in the room, until one said, "What offer?"

Are they kidding? Is this a joke? Maybe what the guy told me after all wasn't anything serious and was just a tease. But I can't take that risk that it's not and just need to stick with my idea. If it fails, it fails.

"One of you guys offered me a spot here?" I say slowly, making sure they hear every syllable of my words.

Once again, there was a long pause, and eventually it sounded like one of the guys was communicating with another guy on the phone to confirm my statement. About two minutes later, I heard footsteps shuffling over my way.

Someone yanked the cloth that was covering my head, and my eyes were forced to adjust to the light in the room. There were four big brawny men standing around me. They all had an X tattooed under the corner of their left eye. If I "become" one of them, I hope I don't have to get one.

All four men were staring at me with a wild smirk on their face. All had dark eyes and the way they were staring at me caused something to unsettle in my stomach. Something that makes me regret not letting them shoot me in the first place.

"Get up." One of them coarsely demands. He was the one who dragged me in here. He firmly held on to my hands as he forced me to walk in front of him.

Once we left the room, the other three guys went on their own paths. So now, it is just the scary guy and I. As he was walking me, I noticed how much of a heavy breather he is. His breaths sound very raspy and slow, almost as if he smoked since he was a teen. I sneak a quick glance back at him and am now noticing that he has a long ponytail, accompanied with a goatee. He is wearing a black shirt that highlights both his muscles and his gut belly. Although this man may not be in the best physical shape, he still does give off a scary vibe.

He takes me to a room that feels very similar to the one I was held hostage in. The air smells very damp and it looks dingy in here. There is a chair in the middle of the room which is probably the one I was sitting in earlier.

"Sit down." Scary guy instructs.

I do as he says and take my seat in the chair. The guy stands by the door, watching me intensely with a gun resting in his hand. He is probably just making sure I don't do any bad moves or try to escape.

As time ticks by, the more uncomfortable I felt under his gaze. The same amount of intensity is still there. Nothing has changed about him. Not even his position.

"So...uh...what's your name?"  I ask, trying to lighten the air in here.  But all he does is just intensifies his stare even more, and by the looks of his eyes, I don't think he plans on giving me his name. 

"Y'all are so damn uptight here."  I mutter.  Scary guy seems like he was about to say something but the door opens. 

In comes a man like I have never seen before.  Every feature about him is sexy.  His dark hair that is pulled back into a man bun, the stubble that outlines the beard he is growing, his eyes that are so dark that it gives an unsettling vibe, and his body.  God damn his body is amazing.  He is wearing a black t-shirt that outlines his muscular arms which are decorated with tattoo sleeves. He looks like he can take on a lion any day and always win. He looks so—stop it Kas. I can't get attached. But damn I will not deny that he is sexy.

Sexy man walks over to me in a dangerous like manner. He continues to approach until he is inches from my face.

"So I see you've decided to take on my offer huh." He says, making direct eye contact with me.

The way he stares at me makes me want to squirm. But I can't show him that he has some kind of effect on me. After all, I am Kasandra Martinez. So all I do in response is shrug.

He raises a brow. "What made you change your mind?"

"Not having a bullet in my head." I simply say.

"Smart girl." He chuckles. All I do is roll my eyes at that comment.

Sexy guy continues to stare at me as he stood up and gets out of my face. The way he's looking at me is like he is trying to figure something out. I'm not sure what exactly, but it's a great thing that I'm not an open book.

"Sal, would you mind giving us some privacy?" Sexy guy says, not batting an eye.

So that's what the scary one's name is. Sal. Maybe it's short for Salazar. Sal leaves without question. As the heavy door closes behind him, all of a sudden I am scared and intimidated. I don't know what it is that he needs privacy for with me.

Out of nowhere, he blows a slap across my face. It takes me a moment to register what just happened before the pain settled in. And once it did, extreme hatred starts to boil up under my skin. What the actual fuck? How dare this pendejo touch me? Who does he think he is?

"Never drop your guard. Always be alert of your surroundings." He glares.

But all I can do is glower at him. "Yo what the fuck is wrong with you? Who do-" he blows a kick to my side, taking the wind from me.

Oh hell no. I am not about to let him beat the shit out of me while I just sit here. I have to defend myself. I take a quick glance at him as he is shaking his head with disappointment. I swiftly grab his leg and pull from under him, forcing him to lose balance and fall.

While he's down, I rise from my seat and kick him back in the ribs, but he quickly grabs my foot and yanks it, causing me to fall. He straddles himself on my back and wraps his arm around my neck, putting me in a choke hold.

"Gotta be quicker than that." He scoffs, still putting heavy force around my neck. "Now you can either let me choke you to death or play another move. Your choice."

As I am gasping for air, I manage to elbow him in the ribs, causing him to weaken his hold around me. While he's weak, I worm my way out of his grip and knee him in his balls, causing him to cower in pain. I catch a glimpse of a gun in the back of his jeans. I quickly move towards it and grab it before he notices what I'm reaching for.

Gun in hand, I stand up and point it at him. Surprised but with no trace of fear, he raises his hands in defense.

"'Gotta be quicker than that'" I say, mocking him.

There was a moment's worth of pause where he just narrows his eyes at me, demanding, "give me that back."

"Why should I?"

"Because you have no use for it." He simply replies.

How dare he? First he attacks me, now he thinks I am incapable of ending his life right now. Oh I'll show him.

I scoff as I pull the trigger. There was nothing but the stunted click. This thing is empty. Embarrassed, I huff out an irritated sigh which causes him to laugh.

"You actually thought that I would keep a loaded gun with a hostage? The only person who had a loaded gun was Sal. If you really wanted to kill me, then you should've fought him for it." He continues to laugh as he walks up to me, snatching the gun from my hand. He tucks it back in its former place.

He clicks his tongue. "Like I said, you have no use for it."

"Shut the fuck up." I hiss, refusing to let myself get red in the face.

"Watch your tone, or I'll have to make you shut up." He orders. The way he says makes it seem like he is actually willing to shut me up. For good.

"You've proven yourself worthy enough, follow me." He instructs, opening the door for me.