Chapter 34 - Why Did He Kiss You? - Mduno
Roland needs to understand that he belongs to my past. If he loved me, he should have sought me out and insisted on my forgiveness, but that didn't happen.
"Let's keep going, the party is lively."
"Just stick to that."
Apparently, his personality remained the same; just by talking, he intimidated people. That was innate in him, the ability to intimidate others.
"Buddy!"
A young man with a tan complexion, around the same age, a bit shorter than my boyfriend, approached and they hugged. He nudged Juan, who didn't take his eyes off me. Roland pulled me closer to him. Without a doubt, this will be a somewhat tense gathering.
"Damn! Do we need to win a prize for you to honor us with your presence?" His accent was coastal. "But I'm glad, man, we're at this damn party, celebrating what we won. This gathering will be a blast."
He looked me up and down, and now I regretted not wearing white. My outfit drew attention. "Veronica, you asked for it, Roland warned you!"
"Nicanor Salamanca."
Roland ruffled his hair, a gesture that seemed the most familiar thing in the world. My brother does that to me, plays with me like that.
"Let me introduce you to my girlfriend."
Nicanor's reaction made it clear that this was news to him. Juan's jaw tightened, but he didn't comment. Nicanor raised his eyebrow.
"It's a complete surprise to see you arrive with a woman and even more so to introduce her as your 'girlfriend.'" I extended my hand.
"Veronica Vasquez." I smiled.
Several people approached us, and they all greeted him. He introduced me to various people. Despite my efforts to appear calm, I couldn't manage it. Not because I looked different, but because I was the center of many scrutinizing looks from the women.
There was a very pretty girl with green eyes who seemed more uncomfortable than I was, or rather surprised to see me with Roland. I observed her a bit more; she looked a lot like Juan... She must be Beatriz. She was very beautiful and had grown into a stunning and very decent woman.
My stomach turned. The friends she had around her looked at me as if I had stolen her boyfriend. I glanced at Roland; he must have noticed something in me because he tightened his grip on my waist. Had he had something with her? The band took a break, and they put on some music.
"Excuse us," he said to his friends. "This is a vallenato party, let's dance." "I don't know how to dance vallenato." "Shall we dance, love?"
"I've never danced that style of music."
"Follow my lead, you're very good at this." I smiled.
"Alright."
Being in Roland's arms like that was indescribable. His hands moved along my back. It wasn't hard to follow his lead and even less so to keep up with the rhythm of the music.
"I want to die like winters die..."
He began to sing the song, holding me closer, his lips approaching my neck. My skin experienced a volcanic eruption that concentrated in my stomach. Without a doubt, he must have that magic key to control my body. We danced to several songs, I didn't look at anyone else and realized he hadn't introduced me to any of the women at the party.
"Roland, where can I get some water?" He pointed to the house. "I'll be right back."
Inside the house, there was a bartender serving drinks. I waited my turn, then asked for a drink to quench my thirst and cool down. I waited a few minutes until I got a refreshment.
"It's a miracle to meet a formal friend of our illustrious gentleman." I didn't know who the man speaking was. "Excuse my bad manners. My name is Cristian Dangond and I am..." He paused to look at me, smiling ironically. "You're not that bad, my ex must be suffering seeing you."
"I don't understand you, besides I don't know you and I don't know who your ex is."
"When Roland gets tired of you, look me up."
I felt like throwing the drink I had in my hand at him, but I just smiled. I left the house just as Beatriz took my boyfriend by the back and kissed him. Everything spun around me. Juan noticed, he saw me but didn't tell Roland, who let himself be kissed for a few seconds until he realized and pushed her away.
I went back inside the house, peeking out the window, and saw him looking around to see if I had seen him. Then he calmed down, turned his back to talk to the girl. I wanted to disappear. I left through the other side of the house, that was the good thing about big houses. My hands were trembling, and tears began to fall out of anger. What a fool I made of myself!
When I got to the street, I stopped. Now where do I go? I left my purse in Roland's car and had no money. How would I get back to the apartment? I had no idea where it was.
I took a deep breath. I tried to hold back the tears, which kept coming. I wiped them away in vain, crying out of anger. I walked to the corner, thinking about what that Cristian guy had said, and if Beatriz kissed him, it was because they had something. If that was the case, he was a liar!
He was for telling me that no one had ever kissed him before. He must still be busy with her, he hasn't even noticed that I left the party. A black car with dark windows screeched to a halt, and Simon got out. I frowned, remembering when he said he would be watching from afar, which meant they were keeping an eye from a distance.
"I thought it was strange that you were alone," I commented.
"Get in, miss."
Simon's gaze was relentless. He wasn't a handsome man, he was average. But his demeanor, athletic build, and imposing presence made him seem attractive.
"No!"
Having everything so controlled was exhausting. He didn't travel with us because he assumed I would sleep with him tonight.
"Get in!"
He spoke in a way that left no room for argument. Onion exchanged a look with me, signaling, "Do as he says."
"Don't make me force you in!"
I got in reluctantly, the tears vanished. Onion sped the car, took a few turns, and then Simon's phone rang.
"She's with me, Boss... calm down."
The SUV stopped at the building where we were staying. I got out of the car and slammed the door as hard as I could. Roland is hiding something about Beatriz, I know it. His bodyguard got out, handed me a key, my boyfriend's convertible screeched to a halt, I turned around and quickly walked into the building. They exchanged a few words while I entered the elevator, and it closed before he could reach it.
What was I going to tell him? He shouldn't care much about her if he came running to find me. So... why did he let her kiss him? Besides, no one kissed him, if that woman did, it was because it was normal for her. So he lied!
Don't cry, Veronica, don't cry in front of him. The elevator stopped, I opened the door to his apartment, closed it, and ran to lock myself in the bathroom. I took off the dress, then got under the small shower. I needed the anger to pass, I was so furious, I needed to think a bit.
He planned for us to be alone, so he could sleep with me... It won't be that easy for you, Roland Sandoval. I'm not like those other women, he surely has or had something with Beatriz. Now I understood why they looked at me that way, with disapproval, as if I were the other woman. Three knocks on the bathroom door pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Open the door and tell me what the hell happened to you?" What! What happened to me? Was he that cynical? I didn't say anything.
"Open or I'll break down the door, Veronica!"
I turned off the faucet, grabbed one of the towels, dried myself as slowly as possible, picked up the dress from the floor. I dried my hair and he knocked again, before the third knock I opened the door.
"Can you tell me why you left me looking like an idiot?!"
"Shut up! I want to leave right now."
He frowned and fell silent more out of surprise than anything else. I was so angry at his audacity.
"What?" he was in a state of shock and nervousness.
"You're the most deceitful and cynical man I've ever met."
"Watch your mouth, Veronica." He straightened up.
"I don't give a damn what you think, Roland. I want to leave and get away from your life as soon as possible." He stood still, cold. "Your friend said; she'll get tired of you. But I didn't think it would be without even having gotten between my legs, you've planned everything, haven't you?"
"What are you talking about, what friend?" I saw the nervousness in his eyes. "And why... do you want to leave me?"
What I said somehow made a change in me. I didn't want to leave him.
"I don't know what happened, but at the first problem, you run away?" In two strides, he had me in his arms.
"Don't you dare kiss me!" His confusion was total. "I don't want your dirty mouth, smeared with another's saliva, on my body. Don't come at me with what the hell am I talking about?"
I spoke trying to mimic him, I rarely swear, jealousy was eating me alive.
"She was the one who kissed me." He moved away, understanding what my anger was about.
"And what were you supposed to do when I got there?" He didn't speak, just shook his head.
"I don't know why Beatriz kissed me."
"You're a..." he lowered his head.
"I'm a bastard and literally, you already knew that. Sorry for that."
He had finished the sentence for me, even though I didn't say it. I don't know Roland's mother after all.
"I want to leave." I said it firmly.
"I have a very important meeting today, which I must attend."
I clenched my fists, wanting to lash out at him, to throw punches. We just stared at each other, him pleading and me furious.
"Go with your Beatriz and..."
"To hell with it, Veronica!" I was startled to hear him shout. "What part of my life is hard for you to understand? You've changed everything in it, now you want to screw it up more." I tried to hold back the tears. "I don't understand Beatriz's attitude and less that sudden kiss, I was very clear with her." He held back a bit, but didn't stop being who he was. "Get ready because we have an engagement!" he ordered.