Chapter 32 - In Barranquilla - mduno
The meeting had ended past three in the morning, and I was dead tired from dancing so much. Roland might be right; I would fall sooner, and my need for him increased more and more with each kiss.
He didn't know me; what happened in the bathroom, I had never allowed anyone else, and to my shame, I liked it. What! I loved it! It was too soon, and I lacked the willpower to tell him no on that matter.
Not in that sense, the feeling of my body... Did I get aroused just by remembering it? I had to control it, make him understand that love and feelings were more important. In his environment, it might be very common, but in mine, it wasn't. And I wasn't a child anymore; I was twenty-one years old. You're an old woman!
The crux was that I didn't want to be just another girl in his life; I wanted to be the only one in his life. I wanted to be his everything. God help me... I fell asleep from thinking so much, and my phone woke me up. When I looked at the time, it was past eight in the morning. It was an unknown number, and I smiled, imagining who it could be.
"Hello," I said, imagining his expression.
"Hello? Not even a hi! Do you get a lot of calls from unknown numbers?"
"Maybe. You just woke me up, Roland."
I turned over in bed, lying face down, and Lorena moved, still asleep.
"Good morning," I heard his laughter. "How did you sleep?"
"Very well, and you?"
The image of him in pajamas came to mind, and my heart raced, remembering that he doesn't wear any.
"I've been awake for a while. I really want to see you."
"What time is your flight?"
Last night, he had told me he had a business trip. I shouldn't get used to his trips.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I'll be away for a week, and... A week? That's a lot of days. I've never done anything like this before. Would you like to come with me?"
He fell silent, and I sat on the edge of the bed, just imagining being on a trip with him.
"You want me to travel with you?"
I was even more perplexed. Luckily, we were talking on the phone, so he couldn't see the silly happy expression on my face.
"Yes... if you don't dare, I'll understand."
"What time are you picking me up?" I heard his sigh.
I could already imagine him trying to contain his innate authority. He couldn't boss me around, and he must be impatiently waiting for an acceptance. I wouldn't leave him alone, especially when he goes partying. Who knows with what kind of lowlifes? With the temptation of women around him. Never!
"I'm outside your house."
I got up, went to the window, and there he was, leaning against the car he had given me. Someday I would believe it was mine. He had taken it last night.
"What time is the flight?"
"You have an hour to get ready, beautiful."
"I haven't packed anything, Roland..."
"I'll buy you whatever you need. We're far from the airport. Take a shower and get prettier," I smiled.
"I'll be out in fifteen minutes."
I got ready and dressed in record time with jeans and a brown blouse. I grabbed an orange scarf, my jacket, and sneakers, and I barely combed my hair. I tore a page from a notebook to leave a note for Dad and was about to leave it when "the king of Rome entered the room."
"Ah, you're ready, daughter..."
I frowned. Did he know about the trip? I smiled. Facing him made it hard to tell him I was going on a trip for several days with a man who had been my boyfriend for just a few days.
"Hi, Dad."
I put my hands in my pants pockets. How the heck do I tell him?
"Roland is waiting for you, Vero. Don't take too long," I opened my mouth, and he frowned. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No... it's just that... How do you know?"
"He asked for my permission last night." I nodded, standing in front of the dresser. My father knew, and I had just found out a few minutes ago. "He's quite a gentleman, daughter." My dad giving a judgment on a human being? "Few men do what he did, not in these times." If he knew the truth, he wouldn't say that.
"I'm going to be away for several days," I said more to myself.
"I know." He looked at me. "I trust what your mother and I raised. Besides, you're not a child anymore, Vero. You know right from wrong. If you chose him for more than just exchanging saliva, I just have to tell you to be careful and take care of yourself." He lowered his gaze, and I saw his face turn red. "Your mother would know what more to tell you. I haven't slept at all thinking about how to talk to you about this."
"I understand. I love you so much."
I threw myself into his arms. It was a very awkward subject, especially with Mr. Fausto being the way he is.
"I love you too, daughter. You won't do anything you don't want to. I don't know him, but he seems like a respectful young man. I only have your word to go on; if you're with him, he must have qualities and values worth admiring." I felt a pang in my chest—if my father only knew. "You would never do anything wrong, you're an angel, my Vero, and if our Creator wills it, I'll have beautiful grandchildren."
"Thanks, Dad."
I moved away, grabbed my bag from the coat rack by the door, and put my toothbrush inside. I blew a kiss to my dad and opened the door. Roland smiled, greeting me with a strong hug, not letting me speak, and enveloping me in a delicious, insatiable kiss. When he pulled away, I saw how happy... Nervous?
"Where are we going?"
"To Miami."
He opened the passenger door, and I got in, buckling my seatbelt while he shook hands with my father. Then he got in the car. Our trip was a race against time, meticulously planned. We had no luggage, making the process faster. More than once, I caught him looking at me and laughing to himself.
I liked how Roland dressed, always appropriate for the occasion and in fine clothes, while I wore jeans, a brown tank top, a scarf in various shades of orange, and a jacket. I wasn't entirely comfortable with him buying me clothes.
"Once we get there, I'll buy you some clothes."
He kissed the corner of my lips and took my hand. We were already on the plane.
"Where's Simon?" From his expression, I understood he wouldn't tell me much. "If it's confidential, don't worry, I get it." He smiled, moistening his sensual lips with the tip of his tongue. "You do that on purpose, don't you?" He frowned.
"What?"
"Yeah, what?" I teased. "You're always seducing me."
People glanced at Roland when they heard his loud laughter. He looked so young; who would believe that he carried the weight of a drug trafficking organization?
"I'd love to have you in a room right now, not on a plane with hundreds of people watching."
"Nothing would happen anyway." He tilted his head.
"Let me doubt that, Veronica."
I looked away, sighed, and played with my fingers. When they called for executive class boarding, he extended his hand to me.
"Did you really pay for executive just to go to Miami?"
This was how money was wasted. As I fastened my seatbelt, he surprised me with a prolonged kiss before people started boarding. We were both nervous, me because I'd be alone with him for a week. "Is Simon waiting for you in Miami?"
"They'll be watching from a distance. Rata and my people rarely accompany me when I'm dealing with the other business." I looked at him—what did that mean? "Where we're going and the people you'll meet are colleagues, study partners, associates in my legitimate business. We're going to the heart of what we do, where the money I gave you comes from and where I'll continue to deposit it from." He played with our hands. "We're going to the construction company to fulfill some major commitments." I kissed his forehead.
"Thank you." He smiled. "Am I the first girl you've taken?"
He made a face. "I understand."
"Thank you!" he replied. "You're the first one I'll introduce, the first one I'll spend the day and night with." We looked at each other. I tried to brush off the comment as something casual, but I couldn't. "The first one I'll hold hands with. I don't know if that means anything to you."
"A lot."
I heard the captain's voice announcing our departure, and a few minutes later, the flight attendant gave the emergency exit instructions and all that paraphernalia.
"Just make sure to request the presidential suite with two rooms at the hotel." He smiled mischievously. God, he was a natural seducer.
"You'll be surprised, Vida."
The flight was smooth. When we got off the plane, I felt an overwhelming, sweltering heat. Roland had my jacket in his hand, and I took off the scarf. We went to the airport parking lot, heading to a gray SUV parked there for who knows how long.
"Let's buy your clothes." He checked his watch. "We're just on time." He frowned. "How long do you take to buy clothes?" I opened my mouth. "Veronica, you have twenty minutes. Just get a couple of dresses, one casual white one for the meeting now." I tried to speak again, but he cut me off. "And another formal one. I promise we'll spend all morning tomorrow in clothing stores. Today we need to be punctual."
"Can I speak now?"