Chapter 8 - Teaching Manners - mduno
Raúl extended his hands to us and each of us took a side of his muscular body. I don't know why he mentioned it again; thank God no one can read thoughts, because I haven't stopped thinking about him, not because I like him... Or do I? Something about him calls to me, demands attention.
On the way out, I grabbed the keys and, without meaning to, the image of Timón came back. Every time we went out, he would lick our shoes. This time, we lingered at the door, and it was Raúl who sighed. The dog was responsible for the damage to the cuffs of his pants, which had holes in them. I held back my tears, and Lorena looked down; she hasn't gotten over it. We all thought the same thing, but no one dared to say a word. It was Lorena who broke the silence.
"I guess the lucky lick isn't happening this time," she said, and I saw the sadness in her eyes.
"Now he’s taking care of my mom," I replied.
I shook my head, opened the door, and the cold breeze hit my face. For me, the sadness evaporated and was replaced by a night that promised to be young and fun.
"The taxi will be here in less than five minutes!" Lorena shouted, holding both our jackets. "Put it on, Vero." The taxi arrived even sooner. When Raúl got into the car, his eyebrows were furrowed.
"Is something wrong?" I asked. He shook his head.
The trip from our apartment to the nightlife district took the full hour. Because of the sadness we felt leaving the house, we remained in absolute silence. And I had to constantly fight the image of that man; I shouldn't think about him so much.
I don't understand his behavior; his attitude yesterday was threatening because he was afraid I would talk. Was it because of his role in the mafia? It was clear he didn't want to be known in that family as the boss of bosses. That nervousness confirmed to me that Juan's family knew nothing about his secret life.
Meanwhile, his look was more accusatory, done with anger, sarcastic. God... I need to get my thoughts in order. My stomach twisted every time I remembered Roland naked, looking at me, laughing at me. He was an empty man. He was never your type of man, at least not that I recall. Personally, because physically, he was incredible.
The taxi stopped, and we stepped out looking stunning. She wore a short red dress and heels that could become a deadly weapon if needed; they were stiletto heels. My friend looked impeccable; I had never met anyone better dressed than him until Roland Sandoval showed up. "There you go again with him."
As for me, after so many outfit changes, I stuck with Flaco's suggestion: jeans with an aquamarine sleeveless blouse that reached my waist. It was a lovely gift, with my hair down and my heels. Several cars arrived at the same time, and Raúl furrowed his brow again. What's wrong with him?
"We're going to get wild."
He emphasized as he always did when we went out, maintaining his macho man attitude.
"Something's up with you, you're acting weird, Flaco."
Lorena asked him, thankfully, I wasn’t the only one thinking the same.
"Maybe I'm paranoid, it's just that... The black car," he indicated with his eyes. "It's been following us since we left the apartment."
"Those are your ideas," I said with a smile. "Besides, seven black cars showed up. We're not that dangerous." We laughed and walked in hand in hand.
Inside the club, the music was blasting. Lorena quickly found a partner, and since the whole one-night-stand thing isn't my scene, I danced with Raúl. We were waiting for another round of drinks for them; I ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail. When Romeo's new song started playing, one look at Flaco and he understood.
"Let's show them how it's done, Vero." He took my hand and we headed back to the dance floor.
"Let's wow them."
We started dancing, and people began to give us space to watch the show. The club got even more crowded. Since we had made reservations in advance, our table was near the dance floor, which was perfect for us because we loved to dance. My friends had had enough to drink and were starting to get a bit tipsy. I got drunk once, a few days after my mother died. Since then, I haven't felt like doing it again. Alcohol doesn't evaporate sadness; it amplifies it. I don't want to remember that night; I ended up crying, and no one could console me. We were drinking in the apartment that time.
The music was amazing, and the playlist was perfect. I loved it! I couldn't hide how much I enjoyed dancing. Enrique Iglesias's hit song came on, and it had all of us dancing. We even had a choreography for that song.
We hadn't sat down for about five songs. People around us were giving us space again and encouraging us to keep dancing. We made a great dance pair, and I enjoyed it so much. Deep down, I had to admit to myself that I liked the attention. Putting on a good show made me proud. The crowd applauded when the song ended.
"Raúl, I'm exhausted! Let's sit down."
Our friend didn't stay single for even a minute; a young guy sat next to her, and with just a few glances, he moved from the bar to the table, and now they were close. I don't remember his name.
"I'm going to the bathroom!"
I spoke loudly so she could hear me. With a fixed gaze and without speaking, she signaled, Don't move, I'll go with you.
"You never know what could happen."
I sighed; there was no arguing with her overprotectiveness. Lorena walked stiffly to avoid looking tipsy. I smiled at her.
"I'm telling you because it's relaxing to have sex in clubs, girl."
I gave her a gentle push. Her hair was wet with sweat. We headed to the other end and entered the bathroom. She did indeed accompany me and then decided to use the toilet while I washed my hands.
"Are you still peeing?" She had gone in a while ago.
"Give me a minute."
I listened to her pee, arms crossed, trying not to laugh. She finally came out, washed her hands, and we headed back to our table. That's when we ran into... Roland?
"Hi!"
It was all I could say. My heart raced seeing him in front of us. With his usual confidence, he blocked my path. Lorena squeezed my arm tightly.
"Mr... Mr. Roland."
She didn't speak, she howled. Thanks to her fearful voice, my nervousness vanished. What is a man like him doing in a place like this?
"Verónica Vásquez," he said. He didn't acknowledge Lorena, just looked at me. He was so arrogant. "What a surprise to find you in a nightclub."
Even sarcasm suited him. I smiled; I thought the same thing. What a coincidence!
"And where do you think it would be appropriate to find me?"
He pulled me away from her by grabbing my waist. Lorena was stunned, her mouth open, while Roland's touch sent tingles to places I thought were asleep. Damn! It was just a slight touch and... it affected me like that? I can't imagine if something more happened. We reached the bar.
"In a church."
I swallowed hard. I was about to argue, but he didn't notice my expression and kept talking.
"In a prayer group or a spiritual retreat."
Despite liking him as a man, his arrogance was irritating. He considered himself the only man on earth, and thought everyone should worship him. His entourage surrounded us, with Rata diagonally across from him. Lorena walked towards the table.
"Did finding me here surprise you?"
I focused on his perfect features. I never imagined a bald man could be so sensual. He must look incredible with hair. Our gazes were challenging. I loved how he looked at me that way, as if he desired many things and nothing at the same time, with longing and coldness.
"No. Honestly, I don't care. Here."
He offered me the same drink I was having with my friends. I glanced back at the table where Lorena was whispering something to Raúl.
"Even what you drink is naive."
I took it. I drank a long sip; I had a knot in my throat that needed to go down. He managed to scramble my neurons, block them, and left me feeling somewhat stupid.
"Still, you took the trouble to find out what I like."
I don't know if he smiled; his lips didn't move, but I had the feeling he did.
"Thanks for the drink, I need to get back to the table." His jaw tensed.
"Is your relationship with that guy you introduced as your boyfriend serious? The one you've been dancing with all night, from Juan's party?" I analyzed him. Has he been watching me?
"Sometimes I go out with him." He looked at Rata and took a sip of his whiskey.
"Well, would he mind if we danced a song?"
At the table, Lorena kept talking to Raúl, constantly glancing in my direction. My friend opened his mouth, and I saw her smack him on the back. I swallowed again and finished the last of the drink in my glass. Not only were they confused, but his main bodyguard also seemed equally or even more puzzled.
"Of course."
He took my hand, and a thousand butterflies fluttered towards my stomach. My God, this man was a sexual demon, emanating lust. His confident walk made him the center of female attention.
We arrived at the dance floor, he intertwined his left hand with my right hand while with the other, he took my waist, pulling my body closer to his, my free arm wrapped around him. I touched the end of his shirt, right at the edge of the fabric, I could almost touch his neck, the electricity generated by our bodies was too palpable, and I let myself be carried away by him.
I was a good dancer, I thought Raúl danced well, but Roland was an expert, I felt on cloud nine. To the rhythm of a sensual bachata, he knew when to spin, extend a step, stay on a single tile, move his hips or let me be the queen of the dance floor.
We danced in sync with the song as if we were old dance partners, without the usual stumbles. The understanding on the dance floor was perfect, and I didn't want the song to end.
I would dance all night without missing a single song, did he feel the same? When it ended, a Marc Anthony song followed, I didn't move to let him know we could continue. But then I got the first blow, he let go of me, turned around intending to go back to the bar, and when he noticed I wasn't following him, nor did I move from the spot, he turned and shrugged.
"I believe I said it was just one dance, I'll buy you a drink."
That was the most discreet slap I've ever received in my life, I tried to disguise it a bit. I stayed in the same spot, smiled at him, and walked in the opposite direction. That man needs to learn some manners.
I reached the table where my friends were talking. I don't know how I walked, out of the corner of my eye, I saw that he was the one who stayed still for a few long seconds in the same spot. What did he intend? I wouldn't sit next to him like his floozies. Didn't he feel the connection between our bodies? I had my answer. Mr. Roland Sandoval only liked to play.
"What the hell was that?" Raúl asked as soon as I sat down.
"Behave yourself." He looked towards the bar where Roland had sat.
"Did you tell him this time that I'm your boyfriend, boyfriend?"
"Not in those words. Skinny, don't leave me alone in this, please."
"When have I ever?"
He opted for his protective posture, kissed my forehead, placed his hand on my leg as a sign of this is my woman, and smiled. Lorena, on the other hand, was still stunned by everything she had seen, heard, and experienced. By the way, I had arrived to make someone jealous whom I neither knew nor knew if he was interested in me.
"Vero." Lorena sat next to me, pushing Raúl aside. "How could you leave Mr. Roland stranded on the dance floor?" She couldn't believe my rudeness.
"Stranded? He himself said it was just one song. So, I returned to my table. It's obvious he has no manners."
Skinny handed me a shot of tequila, and without thinking, I downed it in one gulp, it burned my throat; that awful sensation of drinking poison, which gnawed at my insides, while the burning sensation in my stomach lasted, I took a glass of water.
From the bar, he was staring at me insistently. Always so proper in all his movements, I never thought a man like him could exist in real life.
His right-hand man spoke close to his ear, and he didn't take his eyes off my table until the conversation with his right-hand man became more interesting. I didn't know what game he was playing, but with me, you need to learn some manners, Mr. Roland Sandoval.