It was morning now; I could see the light of the morning shining in from the floor to ceiling windows.
I did not sleep at all last night. I had been choked, beaten, thrown against the wall, and spit on. Maximo had finally rolled off me, but I still didn’t move. I wanted to shower, to wash the night off me, to take some goddamn ibuprofen and Tylenol.
I remembered I had something stronger. I quietly got out of the bed and walked over to my black go bag. Julio had given me oxycodone to drug Jesus with and I still had some left over. I opened the bottle and took 2 pills.
I walked into the bathroom and closed the door. I got a glass of water and took the pills.
I felt so gross, so I got in the shower and let the warm water caress my body. I washed every inch of me, scrubbing as hard as I could. My skin was so red when I got out of the shower. The pain pills must have kicked in because my skin was tingly but I couldn’t feel the pain anymore.
I looked at myself. My short hair was a mess, so I brushed it before drying it. I straightened it before applying some mascara and lip gloss. I chose to wear yoga pants, a white t-shirt, and my Nike’s. When I walked into the bedroom, Maximo was no longer there.
I looked at the wall where Maximo had slammed the door through the drywall. Another thing I have to fix, I thought to myself.
I opened my purse, but saw that my car keys were gone, Maximo must have taken them before leaving. I slowly opened the door and quietly walked out. There was nobody in the foyer and all the bedroom doors were closed.
I snuck to the elevator and pushed for the lobby once it opened. The man from yesterday was behind the desk and got nervous when he saw me. “Hey, can I use your cell phone?” He was reluctant, but after yesterday I highly doubt he would object. He unlocked it and handed it over to me.
I typed in James’s phone number, he must have slipped a piece of paper with it in my purse before he left. James picked up quickly, “Fallon?” he answered.
“James, meet me at the corner of 2nd and Millstone.” I said before hanging up. I looked at the man and stated, “Tell no one you saw me.” He nodded and put his phone in his pocket, I used that time to run out of the lobby into the street.
It was warm out, the sun pounded my sensitive skin. These pain pills must really work because I could run without being in pain. Luckily, I didn’t see Maximo or the guys while I jogged to the corner of 2nd and Millstone.
A black car with dark window tint pulled up and the door unlocked. I hesitated until James put the window down and told me to get in. I got in quickly and he took off. “Where are we going, Fallon?”
“New Orleans.” I could feel his relief when I said anywhere that Maximo was not. I didn’t bring anything but my purse with me.
“12 hours and we will be in New Orleans.” He grabbed my thigh and squeezed. I knew he was relieved. “Fallon, what happened after I left.”
“Just please get up to New Orleans, James.” I said before putting my seat back and falling into a deep sleep.
“Fallon, we’re here.” I heard James say. He still had his hand on my thigh.
“God has it really been 12 hours already?” He chuckled.
“Get the keys to the penthouse and I’ll go park.” He dropped me off at the lobby of my New Orleans penthouse and drove off. I walked inside and the man instantly recognized me, greeting me and handing me my room key, elevator key, and garage key.
I waited for James, but he was taking too long so I decided to go upstairs. When the elevator door opened Maximo was standing in the foyer, I tried to step back into the elevator, but he grabbed me and pulled me into the living room.
“I knew you would run.” He hissed in my ear. Julio and Joe were standing in the kitchen getting a drink but Monte was nowhere to be found. “He’s waiting for James in the parking garage.” Maximo laughed in my ear.
I tried to ease Maximo’s mood by saying I was in town for business, but he knew it was a lie. He retorted by stating he knew I would run to the next closest city, which so happened to be New Orleans.
The elevator binged and Joe walked in, but James wasn’t with him. He walked over to Maximo and whispered into his ear. Maximo’s face hardened. “Where the fuck is he, Fallon?”
“Who are you talking about, Maximo?” I was playing stupid. James must have seen one of Maximo’s vehicles outside before parking. I don’t know why he wouldn’t have warned me first.
Maximo walked over to me, I was on the sofa, and grabbed my neck pushing my head back into the sofa. I couldn’t breathe. “Answer me!” He screamed in my face.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! James isn’t with me! I got an uber here!” Maximo didn’t believe me. He let go of my neck and slapped me hard across the face.
“I thought you learned your lesson last night about fucking around on me, Fallon, but you’re so fucking stupid.” He slapped me again, this time grabbing my neck and picking me up off the sofa.
“I have never fucked around on you, Maximo. I have never! You, however, fuck whoever you want, whenever you want!” I couldn’t believe the audacity he had saying I fucked around on him.
“I fuck who I want.” He ripped my shirt. “When I want.” He knocked me onto the sofa and pulled my yoga pants down. “Like I will right now.” He crawled on top of me. Julio, Monte, and James were still in the room.
“Go on then, rape me. In front of your detail. Go on then! Rape your fucking wife!”
I didn’t fight him. My words must have shocked him. “Rape you, mi amore? Never.” He said before pulling me up and grabbing my throat. “You hear that boys, she wants to be raped. Who wants first rape?” They all began laughing. To my surprise, he let me go. I ran into my master suite and locked the door. I could still hear them laughing.
Where is James?