Finding Forgiveness

“In a club in Caracas,” I lied.

She raised an eyebrow.

“Is that what he told you to say?” she questioned.

I smiled nervously.

“I can’t tell you,” I whispered looking around.

“I thought that might be the case,” she replied. “Listen. I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything, okay? From what Chico tells me, it sounds like you need a friend around here.”

I looked around and spotted Andrea watching us.

“I’m okay but thank you for caring,” I said to her before forcing a smile in Andrea’s direction. He looked me up and down and began marching over.

With a deep inhalation, I smiled again as he approached and Julia looked between us suspiciously.

“Are you enjoying the party, babe?” he asked sitting beside me and tightly wrapping his arm around my waist.

I nodded.

“And you?” he questioned Julia.

She nodded too.

Andrea looked her up and down before narrowing his eyes.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Julia, si?” he said. “Chico’s mate?”

“Si,” she responded.

He then put his hand on her leg before turning to me.

“You made a friend, huh?” he said.

She looked down at the position of his hand and then up to me with wide eyes.

“We were just talking about how I met you,” I said.

“I see…” he said. “Not giving too much away, I presume?”

“No,” I replied.

“Good,” he said before turning back to Julia. “I was just about to take Ella upstairs, you’re welcome to join us.”

His hand then slipped further up her leg and she gasped.

“I should go and find my mate,” she said.

“Okay,” Andrea said with a nod, “Maybe another time, huh?” he added with a wink.

She forced a smile before standing, “I’ll maybe see you later, Ella,” she said in a sympathetic tone.

Andrea watched as she disappeared into the party.

“What has Chico told her?” he questioned. “What does she know?”

“Nothing,” I replied. “I told her we met in a club in Caracas. She had no reason to suspect otherwise.”

“Right…” Andrea said. “Don’t talk to her again.”

“Why not?” I asked. “She was nice to me.”

He turned to me and rolled his eyes, “Whatever.? I’ve had way too much tequila to care and she’s a woman. What can she do?”

He then leant forward, placing his hands on my hips began to kiss my neck.

“Do we have to do this now?” I asked.

He was nowhere near drunk enough for my plan to have any success.

“Yes,” he snapped pulling my hands down to my side so that I couldn’t push him away.

“How about we do some shots first?” I suggested. “I haven’t had a drink yet and-”

“Just shut up,” he hissed. “For once.”

He then lifted me to my feet and rested my back on the wall. He didn’t say much after that, just fumbled with my dress and kissed me in the most drunken manner. I was beginning to feel unexplainably nauseous and the thudding of music and bright flashing lights weren’t helping.

“I think I’m going to throw up,” I said. He took no notice. “Andrea.”

He still took no notice.

“Andrea listen!” I protested trying to prize his head off my neck.

“What?” he murmured.

“I’m going to be sick,” I said firmly.

He rolled his eyes and picked me up before walking up the stairs.

The way he squeezed my waist didn’t exactly help and I only just made it to the toilet before vomiting.

“You better not be pregnant,” he warned watching from the doorway.

“It wouldn’t be my fault if I was,” I snapped before vomiting again.

“Have you been taking the pills?” he asked.

“Yes!” I replied. “You watch me swallow them every single day.”

The thought of the pills failing had never really crossed my mind before. I guess it was possible? But I couldn’t be baring another man’s child… could I? And besides, I didn’t feel pregnant and I of all people know what that feels like.

“But I’m not pregnant,” I reassured him when I was finished. “The party was just overwhelming me.”

I flushed the loo and sat on it feeling drained and exhausted. This was frustrating. If illness prevented my grand escape, I might just have to die.

“Good because I do not want a fucking kid,” he said approaching me again. “And I do not want a pregnant wife either… I like you the way you are…”