Trafficked -- Beaten -- Trapped
When eighteen-year-old Stacy Degray sets off to visit Felipe, a charming guy she met on the internet, she has no idea that she is being lured to his home country Malaguay to be auctioned off as a soldier's bride. All...
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The cabin is a bit dingy and overheated from the roaring fire in the open fireplace. Despite the warmth, Miguel's grandmother is wrapped tightly in a blanket. She rocks gently in a rocking chair, her head turning as the cooler air drifts in from the outside before Miguel can close the door. Despite his warning I recoil. Even the deep wrinkles etched in her face can't hide the scarring around her eyes. The milky white of blindness covers her irises but still manages to penetrate my heart.
"Miguel, eres tú?"
"Sí, Nana."
"Quién está contigo?"
He doesn't respond as he kneels down next to her chair, allowing her fingers to glide over his face.
"No te afeitaste."
"Lo sé y lo siento." He reaches out for me. "Nana, esta es mi amiga, Stacy."
The old woman's lips purse. "Ese es un nombre Americano."
"Stacy no es como el resto de ellos." He smiles. "Ella me gusta."
My return smile is awkward; I wish I knew what they were saying since they are apparently talking about me.
"Quiero sentir su cara." The old woman stretches out her hand for me.
Miguel scooches over to the side. "She wants to feel your face. It's kind of her way of introduction."
Not wanting to be rude, despite not really feeling comfortable with the prospect of her touching me all in my face, I hunker down. Cold fingertips glide over my skin, first along my jaw and then up my cheekbones. She avoids my lips as she finishes off with my forehead.
"Ella tiene características fuertes."
Miguel nods. "Stacy es una mujer fuerte."
"What did she say?" My cheeks prickle as he caresses me with his warm eyes.
"She said you have strong features and I agreed that you are a strong woman."
My face burns under the compliment. No one has ever considered me strong; in my family's eyes, I'm the runt of the litter.
"Do you mind if I read to Nana? The only other person who visits her is a girl from town who cooks for her, but she doesn't know how to read and my grandma likes it so much."
"No, of course I don't mind."
He grabs a book off the table and sits down in front of the fire with his back resting against the wall. "Here." He pats the ground in between his legs. "Sit."
I lean against him with my elbows resting loosely on his knees, the back of my head nestling against his shoulder. As he begins to read, his strong voice fills the room and I get lost in the melodic murmur of the foreign language. I tilt my head back a little to watch his full lips move and a hot flash shoots through my lower body. I touch my mouth. Even though the kiss was brief, it was amazing.
Nana rocks gently back and forth, her lips curled in a mesmerized smile. Only the occasional crackle of the fire interrupts the soothing rhythm of Miguel's voice and time slips away. Nothing is left of the tension that had clawed into my shoulders since Felipe's betrayal. It has been ages since I was this content.
As Miguel's words fade away, he carefully closes the book. "We should go."
I gaze at Nana. Judging from the even rising and falling of her chest, she must have fallen asleep.
He kisses my hair and the heat of his body peels away. Stretching out his hand, he heaves me off the floor. "Let me just take Nana to bed."
When he scoops her up in his strong arms, her frail body almost appears like that of a child. He carries her to a small room next door. With utmost care, he lays her down on the bed and covers her with the blanket, She stirs, a low whimper escaping her.
Miguel kisses her forehead."Cuídate. Volveré en unos días."
Her mumble is inaudible to me but makes her grandson smile.
He strokes her cheek. "Te amo también."
Tiptoeing away, he holds my hand until we find ourselves back in front of the cabin. A few tears roll down his cheeks; before I can take another breath, his lips are on mine. His tongue pushes gently past my lips. As we connect in a sweet rhythm, desperation seeps into my mouth. Only after salt stings my lips do we break, and he wipes his face dry on his arm.
"I'm sorry. Seeing my nana always gets me going. After my grandpa died, she raised my mom and my aunt on her own—nothing could get her down until they were brutally murdered. It broke her apart and I hate seeing her like this."
"I can't even imagine how hard this must be for you." Knowing that the US soldiers could have stopped this injustice leaves a stale taste in my mouth. "I'm so sorry, Miguel. Something like this should've never happened to your family."
"It wasn't your fault. Thanks for being patient. Juana hated coming here." He traces his fingers along my jaw, his eyes cutting into me as if he's seeing me for the very first time. "I'm so glad you came to Malaguay."
Just this morning, I was full of regret, but he has found a way for me to breathe again without a constant sting. "Yes, me too."
Driving back to the compound, I don't mind the silence between us. My skin hums whenever he takes his eyes off the road to glance at me with a smile. The burning need, stirring in my abdomen, is totally new to me. And confusing. Should I feel this way? After all, I barely know him. How can I already feel so close to him that I let him kiss me, especially after what happened?
I drop my head against the seat. Just keep pushing. The rest will fall into place.
~~~~
From then on out, I spend every moment with Miguel. During the morning, we usually do something fun, be it swimming at the mansion when his dad is not around or a picnic by the lake. After lunch, I continue with my weapons training, getting more and more used to shooting a gun. Every bullet that finds its mark gives me strength. For the first time in my life, I feel on top of the world. There's no doubt that this whole experience has empowered me. The admiring—and often jealous—gazes of the other foreign girls give me an additional boost. I've never had anyone look up to me.
Miguel is simply amazing and dazzling, and on our third night, we share another kiss under the stars. His breath is sweet, tinged with the light caramel taste from the cheesecake dessert, and his soft lips kill my last reservations. Even though he's a bit rougher than Felipe and fully takes the lead, his boldness adds to his attractiveness. He will always protect me, no matter what, and his dominance is intoxicating. Not every man is scum like Felipe and Charo, and I should give love another chance.
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