Chapter 6

After witnessing Dencel's death, Rick became more aware of the doom he brought upon Patricia's life. His conscience is starting to wake him at night. Knowing that the same fate can happen to Patricia made him regret ever mentioning her name to his kingpin boss.

"How's Patricia?" Rick asked the maid who brought Patricia's food.

"I don't know what to tell you." The maid replied. "I think you better see you for yourself."

Rick entered Patricia's room. She was sitting at the edge of her queen-size bed, rocking back and forth. When he walked towards her, Rick noticed the circles around her eyes and her dried lips. Patricia almost looks like a zombie in her current state.

"Hey, Pat? Can you hear me?" He tried to get Patricia's attention. "Patricia?" But she just kept staring at the wall.

So Rick decided to get a chair and feed her. He wanted to punch himself in the face for what was happening to Patricia. Each time he put a spoon full of food in her mouth, she will open it up willingly. But no matter how hard he tried to talk to her, she wouldn't answer.

"What are you doing here, Rick?" He almost jumped in his seat when he suddenly heard Gonzalo's voice.

"I was just trying to feed her, Boss," Rick explained, pointing to the tray of food.

"I know, I can see that." Gonzalo looked at Rick meaningfully.

"Uh—" Rick gulped out of nervousness. "I'll go downstairs, Boss." Gonzalo's only response to him was a single nod.

"Shit! Damn it!" Rick inwardly cursed when he arrived downstairs.

He wants to help Patricia, but he doesn't know how. Gonzalo Valenzuela is not the type of person he would dare to cross. Feeding someone to his Siberian tigers is not the worst that he can do. He'd seen him done much worst for much less. But, if he wants to keep breathing, he has to be careful.

------

Gonzalo looked at Patricia and smirked. He finds it funny that even in her current state, she can still catch the attention of lesser men. He took the chair that Rick used and positioned himself in front of Patricia. Gonzalo stared at her for a short while before shaking his head.

"Despierta puta," Gonzalo said in Spanish before slapping Patricia.

"What?" It somehow worked. Patricia's eyes became more focused but blank.

"Take a bath, scrub yourself good," Gonzalo commanded. Without a second thought, Patricia stood up and walked towards the bathroom.

When Patricia came out, she was only wearing a robe. Exactly how Gonzalo likes it, she saw Gonzalo lying in her bed, completely naked. This is how her life has been since she moved in with Gonzalo. She can't come to work; she can't see any other man, all she can do is stay in his estate, snort cocaine, and keep his bed warm.

"Dance," Gonzalo demanded.

Without question, Patricia walked towards the music player and played his favorite Spanish song. As the beat begins, Patricia started dancing, slowly, seductively. Swaying her body the way Gonzalo wanted. Everything she does nowadays is everything Gonzalo wanted. She may enjoy a luxurious life; her son may be well cared for by his nannies, but she is no longer a human.

As the song progresses, Patricia started untying her robe in a sexy way. She is now living and breathing for Gonzalo's amusement. All her decisions are based on Gonzalo's rules and standards. What Gonzalo says goes. Patricia was about to take the robe off completely when the door suddenly opens.

"Que demonios!" Gonzalo exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, senior." It was Tommy's nanny who entered the room. Worry is written all over her face, so Patricia started putting her robe back. "But Tommy is convulsing; his temperature is very high."

"Who told you to stop dancing?" Gonzalo asked in an irritated tone.

"But—"

"I said keep dancing!" Patricia immediately unties her robe again.

"You, idiota! Get out of here! Bring that kid to the hospital." Gonzalo ordered the maid. She quickly exited Patricia's room and ran downstairs.

"Hijo de puta, stop!" Gonzalo suddenly yelled at her while getting off the bed. "Take off your clothes."

Gonzalo approached Patricia then forcefully pushed her down to her knees. He doesn't care if Patricia is high, wasted, sick, or tired. He uses her in whatever way he pleases, and Patricia can't complain. She completely became a thing that only exists to please him.

-------

Patricia blinked a couple of times. Her throat is parched, her body aches everywhere, and she hurts. Unfortunately, this has been a regular occurrence for her. She will fly high, so high to her own world, she will feel nothing, like nothing matters. Then she will come crashing down. Like how the majestic castle she built collapsed with the strong breeze of wind.

There are times that Patricia is in the realm of reality. Like now, when she heard the phone ringing, she remembered that her son was brought to the hospital with a high fever. Even though every part of her body scream in pain, Patricia tried to stand up and change her clothes. Patricia was about to ignore the phone but decided not to when she saw who was calling.

"Tash? How are you?" She tried to sound excited but failed.

"I'm here at the hospital; where are you?" Tasha sounded disappointed at her.

"Home, I just—I had to finish some things up before leaving," Patricia explain.

"What things?" Tasha, still sounding like she doesn't even want to see her face, asked. "Is it more important than the life of your son? Hmm?"

"Tash, of course not, it's just—you know—" Patricia couldn't even complete her sentence.

"What, huh, Pat?" Tasha's tone became accusing. "What was so important that you have no idea  that your son almost died?"

"He did?" Patricia felt a pang of disappointment. She wanted her son to die for so long.

"Don't sound too excited; he's alive," Tasha said, sensing her hopefulness. "He's alive. What are you doing, sister? You're neglecting your son, ruining your life, and killing yourself with drugs. If you want to die, then kill yourself already. But don't drag your son along with you."

"Tash, I really don't have time for this, okay? The butterflies are flying even without their wings, don't you?" Patricia said dreamingly.

"What?" Tasha said, confused with whatever Patricia was talking about.

Patricia hung up and walked out of her room while smiling. Her every step bounces as she happily walks out of the house. Gonzalo's men are watching her every move and were all confused. They were wondering why she looked so happy even though her son is in the hospital.

Patricia walked past the cage of the Siberian tigers and smiled widely when she saw one of Gonzalo's men feeding. She quietly walked towards him and stood behind him for five seconds. All of Gonzalo's men who were left in the house watched as Patricia raised her hand, smiled wickedly, and gently pushed the man feeding the tigers. Luckily, the bucket of fresh, raw meat fell with him. The tigers ignored the man and enjoyed the food that was scattered around them.

The man took it as an opportunity to climb back up. He was panting, trembling, and crying. Some of Gonzalo's men ran to rescue him. They pulled him up. He angrily looked at Patricia and screamed, "You're crazy! What do you think you were doing, huh? You could have killed me!"

Everyone looked at Patricia like she was some kind of a lunatic. But what shocked and confused them is that she was smiling.

Rick has no other choice. He can't help Patricia and work for Gonzalo at the same time. He will die before he can even come up with a plan. On his way to Tasha's house, he noticed a motorcycle following him. He recognized the motorcycle as one of Gonzalo's hitman. Rick's heart beat as fast as a racing car.

"F*ck!" Rick continued as if nothing is wrong. He maintained his normal driving speed. Trying to keep a calm facade.

He continued driving until they are three hours away from Tasha's house. Rick knew that if Gonzalo learned about his plan to tell Tasha the truth about Patricia's life with him, he's putting Tasha's life in danger too. He has done so much to allow that to happen. Rick is almost out of New York, and he's getting more nervous. Gonzalo's hitmen never miss.

Rick continued to drive further away from New York and to the state of Pennsylvania. Cars and people are starting to disappear as they go away from the city. When he was sure that the hitman won't figure out where he was really headed, Rick dialed Tasha's number.

"Tasha, it's me, Rick." he was half expecting Tasha would react violently to his call, but no, she sounded like she was expecting him.

"Rick, help me." Just by hearing Tasha's voice, he knew he failed. She sounds scared, and he listened to some muffled sound in the background.

"Tasha? Where are you?" Rick asked quickly, taking a u-turn.

"Rick, chico. Why don't you meet me?"

-----

Tasha silently cries as Gonzalo talks to Rick, once his trusted man and now, a target of his utter disregard for humanity. She doesn't want to call Rick, but Gonzalo threatened to kill Patricia's son. She's not supposed to care, he is not even her son but Patricia doesn't even care for the child. He has nothing to do with what his mother is doing to her life.

"Why are you doing this?" Tasha asked Gonzalo, her voice full of hatred. "Why do you have to drag Patricia's son in all of these?"

"Because I can, chica." Gonzalo tried to touch her face, but she angrily moved away.

"Feisty," Gonzalo said, amused. "Maybe I should have picked you instead of your friend. I'm getting bored of her, you know."

"I'd rather die," Tasha responded between gritted teeth.

"That can be arranged, don't tempt me," Gonzalo responded in the same intensity. "I can kill you today, tomorrow, next week, or next year. But the bottom line is, I can do whatever I want with you."

"You're a lunatic!" Tasha spits at his shoes, which made Gonzalo burst into laughter.

"Do you how I love feisty mujeres like you? I like them screaming, squirming, running as if they can run away." Gonzalo stated like he was daydreaming.

"I'm not gonna let you touch me!" Tasha screamed at his face. "I will kill myself before I let you touch me." She promised.

"I'll take that as a challenge."

Tasha threw a death glare at Gonzalo as the man laughed devilishly. He looked at her surroundings and remembered the reason why she bought the house in the first place. As Gonzalo gave orders to his men on how he wanted Rick to die, Tasha quietly walked towards the stairs and pushed a small part of its wall. The wall slid, and Tasha was able to slide through the narrow space between the wall.

With only her purse and her credit cards, Tasha ran away from her home.