Chapter 7

Rick didn't know what to do. Gonzalo now has Patricia and Tasha. Because of his greed, stupidity, and selfishness, he put two innocent lives in danger. Stuck in the middle of the road, confused, scared, and most of all desperate. He's got nowhere to go.

"Fuck!" Rick screamed so loud that if another car passed by, they might have heard him.

After slamming his fist into the steering wheel, Rick made a u-turn. He doesn't care about his life anymore. He has to save Tasha.

Even if it cost him his own life, Rick stepped hard on the accelerator, hoping that Gonzalo won't get tired of waiting.

After a few minutes of driving like a maniac, Rick can finally see the last mile marker towards New York. Stepping to the accelerator harder, Rick prayed that he's not too late. But not a minute later, his car was flying in the air, engulfed in fire.

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Gonzalo turned around to mock Tasha again when he saw that the chair where she tied on is already empty.

"Ella se ha ido, idiotas!" He angrily pushed and slapped his men, who were oblivious that Tasha sneaked out. "Idiots! Morons! De puta!"

Gonzalo, seething in anger, started throwing things that his hands could reach. He can't believe that a woman managed to escape from them carrying a one-year-old child. His amusement towards her is now gone. What he feels is complete and utter humiliation. As he looked around, he noticed a wall below the stairs. There are visible scratches on one side of it. Gonzalo traced the scratches with his hands and smirked.

"You wily little bitch." He murmured under his breath.

"She's nowhere in the house, Boss." One of his men announced.

"That's because she's gone! Estúpido!" Gonzalo slapped him hard in the face. "You, get a group and find her. Let's get out of here."

Gonzalo and his group left Tasha's house with one purpose. To find her immediately. Because Rick intended to help Patricia, he now puts Patricia and Tasha in danger.

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When Gonzalo arrived home, the first thing he did was to find Patricia. One maid told him that she was in the garden. When he saw her, she looks more lucid, more conscious, possibly went down from her highs already. Instead of approaching her, Gonzalo stayed where he is and watch Patricia from afar. She's smiling at the roses, smelling them. A slight smile formed on his lips, but he immediately erased it.

"Who told you to come here?" Gonzalo yelled at her instead.

"No one, I just wanted to," Patricia answered nonchalantly.

"Come here," Gonzalo drag Patricia inside the house and to his room. Even though she's hurt, Patricia didn't complain or said anything. She just stayed quiet and let him do his thing. When Gonzalo noticed Patricia's non-reaction, he threw her to the bed. 'Get naked.' are the only words that came out of Gonzalo's mouth.

Patricia did as Gonzalo asked; she stood up and removed her clothes, not leaving anything. Then Gonzalo grabbed and pushed her to the window facing the poolside, where all of Gonzalo's men gathered to pass the time. Completely naked, displayed to almost a hundred eyes, Gonzalo took Patricia without passion. But Patricia remained silent until he's done with her.

"Why are you not complaining?" Gonzalo asked Patricia as she gets dressed.

"You said it; you give me everything, money, drugs, support for my son, and I'm yours," Patricia answered in a business-like tone. "Who am I to complain?"

"What if I do this?" Gonzalo asked between his teeth as he pushed Patricia to the bed. She remained quiet. "Or this," he lands a punch on her legs, still nothing. "Even this?" Gonzalo punches her in the gut but still, no complaint. Even though she hugged herself and groan in pain, she still didn't complain. Bruises immediately formed in her leg and stomach. Gonzalo saw a tear fell from her eyes, and he was stunned.

"Are you done?" Patricia asked, wincing in pain. "Now, where are my drugs?" And just like that, whatever Gonzalo felt for her, pity or concern vanished within a matter of seconds.

"You're not using drugs today," Gonzalo said as he walks away from her.

"Are you f*cking kidding me!" There's the reaction. Patricia was humiliated, thrown, and punched, but that is only time she showed any response.

"Don't you dare curse at me!" Gonzalo slapped her, sending her to the floor. He was about to grab her hair when she faces him, blood trickling down her lips. "Get up and get dressed. You're not doing drugs today."

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Tasha immediately took a cab when she reached the street after escaping Gonzalo and his men. He asked the driver to bring her to Massachusetts. On her way there, Tasha thought of someone who could help her. Someone who could protect and help her save her best friend. When she finally thought of one, she took her phone and dialed his number.

"Jericho? It's me, Tasha. Gonzalo Valenzuela's after me. I need your help."

Jericho agreed to meet her in a restaurant near the Springfield Police Department where he works. Tasha had to switch cabs five times to make sure that she's not being followed. After almost four hours, Tasha finally arrived in Massachusetts with Patricia's son Tommy. Jericho's already inside the restaurant when she came.

"Hey, you sure you weren't followed?" Jericho asked.

"Yes, I made sure of that," Tasha responded, finally being able to breathe freely.

"Is that your kid?" Jericho queried. He was wondering if the kid was his.

"This is my friend's son. He was with me when Gonzalo barged in my house." Tasha explained. "I can't just leave him, you know." Jericho nodded, not fully believing what Tasha said.

"And why didn't you give the kid back to her mother?" He then asks again.

"Because Patricia is with Gonzalo. Why are you asking me these questions?" Tasha said when she noticed that Jericho doesn't seem to believe her.

"Right, I'm sorry. I've ordered food already. Let's eat first; then, I'll bring you to the safe house." Jericho finally said. "We also have to get him his needs first." Jericho smiled while watching Tasha take care of the kid. She seemed really concerned about the well-being of the child.

"Why are you smiling?" Tasha asked when she noticed Jericho's expression.

"Nothing, I just thought that you'd make a great mother." He honestly answered.

"Oh, shut up," Tasha muttered.

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Gonzalo kept his words. Patricia was off the drugs for the day. No matter how much she begs the maids and Gonzalo's men, no one would dare to disobey him. She's starting to get antsy and irritated. She doesn't want noise and other people around her. She feels hungry, but her body doesn't want to eat. Patricia is starting to experience withdrawal.

A maid entered Patricia's room and found her on the floor. She quickly ran downstairs to call for help. Patricia's body is shaking uncontrollably, and she was too cold to the touch. But when the maid arrived with one of Gonzalo's men, they found him inside Patricia's room—carrying her to the bed. He was murmuring something, and the maid smiled when she understood what he was saying. Gonzalo was whispering encouraging words to Patricia. Telling her to sweat it out and everything's going to be okay.

"Let's go." She mouthed to Rashid.

Elena was Gonzalo's nanny since he was fourteen, and she was only eighteen at the time. Her mother served the Valenzuela's back in Spain, and they took them to the United States because they trust them. Since then, she watched as Gonzalo did everything to make his father proud. He was an excellent student. Very intelligent and hard working.

But slowly, Gonzalo lost interest in his studies. His father never cared about his accomplishments. He was never proud of him. All he cared about is gaining more and more power in the underground business. Until Gonzalo changed utterly. The compassionate boy he once was, gone.

It's been a long time since Elena saw Gonzalo care about something else other than his businesses. She pities Patricia because of how he treats her but seeing him that, showing concern to her, makes Elena feel happy for him.

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After buying everything that Tommy needs, Tasha and Jericho went to a cabin near the October Mountain. It was owned by Jericho, which he used to rent for hikers, and the police department rents it whenever they have state witnesses. It became a safehouse for whistleblowers and witnesses of dangerous crimes.

"You will be safe here." Jericho told Tasha as he opens the door.

Inside is a warm and cozy interior. There's a fireplace, a mini-kitchen, television, a king-sized bed, and a four-seater sofa. A refrigerator also stands in the corner near the dining table. Tasha felt safe. It was not a hiking season in Massachusetts, so there will only be few hikers who would possibly pass by the cabin.

"Thanks for your help, Jericho," Tasha said sincerely as she places a sleeping Tommy in the bed. "I don't know what I would have done without you."

Jericho approached Tasha and took her hands. She led her to the sofa and looked directly into her eyes. "Be honest with me, Tasha. Whose child is Tommy?"

"What? Oh!" Tasha exclaimed. "No, he's not yours if that's what you think." She answered while smiling.

"Are you sure?" Jericho still would not believe her.

"Jericho, if Tommy were yours, I would have told you," Tasha said sincerely. "I would never keep it as a secret. I know you, and I know that you would make a great father. You're the kind of father I would never keep away from my child."

"I'm sorry, I guess I was too hopeful that I left something with you that would make you remember me," Jericho answered honestly. It was no secret that he genuinely felt something for Tasha. He even offered her marriage, but she politely declined.

"That's okay; we had a great time together." Tasha started, smiling. "It's no shock that you would thought that we made something out of it."

Jericho stared at her. She was always a bright light on a sea of darkness. A north star that would show you where you should be headed. He met Tasha after his partner died on a sting operation. Even though Jericho knew how dangerous it was, he followed his partner's plan. Then things went south, and he was killed. Leaving two sons and a grieving wife to fend for their children.

He was disappointed and heartbroken. Then he met Tasha one night at the XFactor. He was shocked when she sat on a chair beside him and smiled at him. She said he looked like he needed someone to talk to very badly. He was not sure if it was because he was drunk or because she was so beautiful that he opened up to her. It was the start of a very good friendship between them.

"Hey, are you okay?" Tasha asked Jericho when he fell silent.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He replied shyly.

"You know what? I'm feeling hungry again." Tasha said as she stood up from the couch. "Why don't I fix us something to eat?" She offered.

"How are you still so sexy even though you're always hungry?" Jericho asked, laughing.

"I'm just blessed, that's all." Tasha answered jokingly. She was about to open up a grocery bag when Tommy started crying.

"Check him; let me prepare your food." Jericho smiled then walk towards her.

"What? No, I'm not eating unless you do too." Tasha said firmly.

"Fine, fine. I'll fix us something to eat." Jericho said in a tone of surrender.

"Great!" Tasha happily said.

Jericho just shook his head and smile. He always knew Tasha never falls in love, but he can't help but feel something inside of him everytime he sees her like that. Normal, human, not as a stripper who only sees him as a customer. Jericho realized that no matter what happened, Tasha will always hold a special place in his heart.