LENA’S POV
I shook my head vehemently. "No way, I'm not helping you cover up a murder," I said. “Are you out of your mind?”
Juan Miguel chuckled, his expression amused. "Oh, you're an innocent one, aren't you, Lena?"
Without a word, he brought his hand up to his ear, pressing what I assumed was a hidden earpiece. "Yeah, it's me," he said, his voice low and calm. "I need you to come take care of something at the house." He paused, listening to the response on the other end. "Yeah, those bastards tracked me down. I had to take care of them first." Another pause. "Just get here as soon as you can."
He ended the call and turned his attention back to me, his gaze piercing. "My men will be here shortly to take care of the bodies,"
"Your men? So this is all just part of your criminal operation, isn't it? Are you like a mafia boss or something?"
He gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Hey, I do what I have to do to survive, sweetheart. Those guys were trying to kill me, so I took them out first."
I stared at him all over. "But now you've invaded my house, and I'm not going to have any peace of mind here, am I? What if I get killed in the process?"
He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Then you've got a lot to learn about being strong enough to protect yourself," he said, his tone almost patronizing. "But don't worry, I won't let you die on my watch."
So there is a possibility I could get killed here? I came here running away from my own trauma back at home. Was I really safe, even with Juan Miguel's supposed protection?
As he turned to head back inside, he paused and looked back at me, his expression serious. "Just remember, don’t stick your nose where it doesn't belong, and don't complicate things for me while I'm here. Understood?"
I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. "Understood," I responded in a way that sounded more like a squeak.
He nodded, a satisfied smile spreading across his face, and then he disappeared inside, leaving me alone with the two lifeless bodies on the porch.
I stood there, frozen in place wondering what the hell had I gotten myself into. I had thought that renting this Airbnb would be a peaceful, relaxing getaway, but instead, I found myself in the middle of some kind of criminal enterprise, with a dangerous man like Juan Miguel at the center of it all. I was gonna have him googled. Maybe something would come up if I did a proper search.
Or maybe I should just pack up my things and go back home.
The sound of an approaching car pulled me from my thoughts, and I watched warily as two men in dark suits approached the porch. Without a word, they stepped around the bodies, carefully lifting them and carrying them away, as if this was a routine task for them.
I shuddered, the reality of the situation sinking in. These were the kinds of people that Juan Miguel associated with, the kind of ruthless individuals who could dispose of bodies without a second thought.
The next afternoon, my phone started ringing incessantly while I was trying to watch one of my favorite Chinese dramas. I glanced down at the caller ID and rolled my eyes because it was Marcelo.
"Lena, what the hell?" Marcelo's voice boomed immediately I picked it up, clearly agitated. "Why didn't you show up for your bridal fitting today? Weren't you aware of the date?"
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my cool. "Yes, Marcelo, I was aware of the date," I responded calmly. "But I never told you I was going to attend."
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and I could practically feel the tension radiating through the phone. "But Francine picked out the dress. Don’t you want to make sure it fits?"
I let out a soft sigh. "Marcelo, if Francine picked the dress, then I'm sure she knows what will fit me best. There's no need for a fitting cause I'm sure the dress is already perfect."
"Okay, well, how about you come by the shop and pick it up then? The wedding is in a few days, and we need to make sure everything is ready to go."
I chewed on my lower lip, contemplating my response. "Actually, could you just have the shop send the dress to my father's house? That would be easier for me."
His voice turned suspicious. "I was at your father's house earlier this morning, and your mom said you had stepped out for a while. Where the hell are you, anyway?."
