Chapter 13 THIRTEEN

Chapter 13 THIRTEEN
KIRA\]

The priest at our local church in Costa Rica always said God will punish everyone for their evil. I expected my punishment to be something different.
Not in the form of Victor Castillo sitting at a table at my workplace with a sickening smile on his face.
He hasn't changed since I last saw him. Blue eyes, blonde hair, and that ugly scar cutting through his face from his hairline down to his bottom lip.
I have never wished for the ground to open up and swallow me like I do now. Old memories resurface and it takes all my strength not to have a panic attack.
I remind myself that this is a public place, and there's no way he can hurt me here. I school my expression to a professional smile, before settling the drink on the table. "Enjoy your drink Sir. Let me know if there's anything else you need,” I say.
I turn to leave but he stops me by grabbing my wrist. "Kira, it's been a long time," Victor says, his voice low and menacing, his grip tightening around my wrist.
I try to shake off his hand, but he holds firm. "Let go, Mr. Castillo," I say, maintaining a neutral tone, despite my racing heart.
Victor's smile widens, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, I think we're beyond formalities, don't you?" He pulls me onto his lap and leans in, his breath whispering against my ear. "We have unfinished business."
My skin crawls at his proximity. Memories of the past threaten to overwhelm me. I force myself to focus on the present, on the crowded casino, on the safety of being surrounded by people.
"I think you're mistaken, Mr. Castillo," I say, my voice steady. "I don't owe you anything."
Victor chuckles, releasing my wrist. "We'll see about that."
As he sits back, his gaze never leaves mine. I sense a sinister intent lurking beneath his polished exterior. I quickly stand up from his thigh and rub my arms. His gaze flickers between my breasts and my thighs.
"Can I get you anything else?" I ask, desperate to escape his presence. I might not be able to stop a panic attack if I stay around him
"Just your attention, Kira," Victor replies, his eyes locked onto mine. "For old times' sake."
My skin prickles with unease. I nod curtly and hurry away, leaving Victor to his drink. As I retreat to the safety of the counter, my mind reels with questions; What does Victor want? Why is he here? And most importantly what is his relationship with Ryat?
If he knows Ryat then I'm screwed. He'll either tell Ryat what he knows, or blackmail me into sleeping with him.
My skin crawls at the memory of what I let him do to me in the past. My chest tightens, and I suddenly feel short of air. I glance around hoping to distract my mind and avoid the panic attack that's on its way.
My gaze falls on Raylee. She's seated on Nikolai’s lap. His lips are grazing her ear, nibbling on it. I can't see his hands since the table is obscuring my view. However, I'll bet my tuition that he's probably touching her.
You can tell by the way her face is flushed, and her bottom lip is trapped between her teeth.

He occasionally joins in on the conservation at the table, acting like he's not finger fucking a woman in a room full of people.
My gaze travels further and rests back on Victor. My breathing, which had returned to normal, picks up instantly. My chest tightness once more, and I have to lean on the counter for support.
I can't breathe!
It's like the air around me has been cut off. My eyes grow heavy, and through them, I can see Victor staring at me. His face is set in a smirk as he drinks from his glass.
"Jesus Christ, Kira! Are you alright?" I hear Raylee's voice but I can't bring myself to answer. I feel arms wrap around me, and suddenly, I'm breathing in her lavender scent.
She leads me out of the casino, down the hallway, and into an elevator. Then she takes me to a room and makes me sit on the bed
Raylee sits beside me, concern etched on her face. "Kira, breathe. You're safe now." She wraps her arms around me, holding me close. Her lavender scent envelops me, calming my frazzled nerves.
I heave for air, taking in deep breaths to fill my empty lungs "Let go, Kira. I've got you," Raylee whispers, her voice soothing.
As I inhale her calming scent, my breathing slows. My chest loosens, and my heart rate returns to normal.Raylee holds me for a few moments, gently rocking me back and forth. "Better?" she asks.
I nod, feeling more centered. Raylee releases me, examining my face. "What happened? You looked like you were going to pass out."
I take a deep breath before answering. "Victor... he's here."
"Who's Victor?" She asks. Confusion mars her features for a while before they change to recognition. "Oh, Victor Castillo?" I nod.
"How do you know him?"
I hesitate, unsure how much to reveal. "Someone from my past."
"Did he hurt you?" She asks. Her grip on my hands tightens, and I take a deep breath. Memories threaten to overwhelm me, but I push them back.
My mind is at war whether to tell her the truth about me or not. With Victor around I feel the need to confide in someone. I can't do that with Chiara since it's her brother we're talking about.
"Ray?" I call , finally deciding to tell her. Mamma always said a problem shared is half solved. "C...can I tell you something?"
"You can tell me anything, Kira. We're friends, remember?" She gives my hand a gentle squeeze, and I close my eyes inhaling deeply
"My full name is Kira Hernandez,” I begin. She listens with rapt attention as I tell her about the rivalry amongst the Spanish mafia and the Cosa Nostra. I also tell her about my past with Victor, and how my father wants me to seduce Ryat.
By the time I'm done, I search her face for any trace of hate or even anger, but I find none. The only thing I see in her eyes is surprise.
“Wait, wait, wait. If I understand correctly, Raul Hernandez is your father, and Victor Castillo is your baby daddy.”
I nod.
She stares at me for a moment. Her gaze is neutral, and I can't imagine what's going on in her mind. Suddenly she pulls me into a hug and gently pats my back.
I can't help but burst into tears. I sob in her arms and she whispers soothing words in my ear.
"Listen, Kira, " She begins, pulling away to look at me. " You are a good person. We'll find a way out of this okay. I'm with you.”
"R... really?" I ask and she nods, reaching over to wipe my tears.
"Now stop crying ". I smile at her and she returns it.
Clap, Clap, Clap.

Our gazes snap to the door. I can hear my heart thumping in my ears. I feel like dying when I see Nikolai Romano standing by the door, hands folded.
How come we didn't hear him come in?
"My my. Isn't this pleasant news,” He says in a singsong manner, not moving from his position. "Ryat will love to hear this.”
"You can't tell him,” Raylee says, standing to her feet, and he smirks.
"I can't? Says who?"
"Please Nikolai. You can't tell Ryat anything,” Raylee says, her voice pleading. I, on the other hand, can't find the strength to bargain with him.
He doesn't look like someone who does anything out of the goodness of his heart.
“Convince me,” He tells her, winking. She rolls her eyes before turning to me. She puts a hand on my shoulder and smiles.

“I'll be back. Get some rest before you head back to work.” With that, she disappears down the hallway, pulling Nikolai with her.
As soon as the door closes, my mind returns to Victor.
It's been so long since I last saw him. Three years if I'm not mistaken.What could he possibly want? He's the only person who knows everything about me. He knows the part of me that I have tried so hard to bury and forget. The terrible incident I told no one, not even my brothers. If he says anything to Ryat then I'm screwed.
My phone rings, interrupting my thoughts. I answer the call after checking the ID
"Hello, Kirian."
"What's wrong sweetheart? " He asks, concern etched in his voice.
"I don't think I can do this, Kir. Everything is just so..."
"It's alright,” He interrupts me softly. " Tell you what Gray, and I are in Venice right now. How about you pay us a visit tomorrow?"
"I have school,” I say
"That's fine. Text me your school address, and I'll pick you up when you're done with classes.”
We chatted some more, and he promised to pick me up tomorrow. By the time I hang up, I feel so relieved. I stand up, smoothen my dress, and head out.