Finding Forgiveness

I scanned for where it was coming from before a man stepped out of the shadows. I stared at him with wide eyes. He was tall with dark hair and dark eyes, a lot like many men. But his face seemed peculiarly familiar but I couldn’t quite grasp the droplet of memory in the ocean of knowledge that was my brain that could tell me why.

“Y-your..-” I stuttered.

“Handsome? Dashing? Gorgeous?” he asked with a shrug. “But you’re not here to meet a man, are you?” he said with a smile.

“I know you,” I said, confidently.

“You do?” he asked with a glint in his eye.

“Yes. I don’t know why or when but I’ve met you before,” I replied racking my brain.

“Funny, I don’t recall,” he replied with a smile and hint of sarcasm. “Is there any reason, you’re here, gringa?” he added raising his eyebrow after a few more moments.

“Andrea sent me,” I replied shaking the thoughts out my head.

“Running errands for the boss, huh?” he replied. “So… that makes you his little bitch?”

“I’m supposed to collect something,” I said looking around at all the eyes looking at me.

“Have you got the money?” he asked.

“Money? He didn’t say anything about money,” I replied my heart beat raising. “Oh… guess I’ll just go then…” I said backing towards the door.

“ay.. ay… ay,” he said. “Not so fast. I guess I could offer you a post-payment but it will cost you.”

“I told you, I don’t have any money.”

“Not that kinda cost, babe,” he said with a smirk as his comrades jeered around us.

“Forget it,” I snapped.

“Do you really want to go back to your boss empty-handed, Gringa?” he taunted. “I don’t like to? think what he might do.”

“What do you want?” I asked with a sigh.

He was right. I couldn’t risk failing this test.

“Just stay for a bit,” he said placing an arm around my shoulder. “Party with us.”

“You want me to party with you?” I asked.

“You got time?” he said as he chucked me a can. “Beer?”

I scowled at him.

“Here’s the deal: entertain us and I give you Andrea’s stuff. Fail and you go to him empty-handed,” he said.

“Everything is a test with you guys,” I said with a sigh taking a mouthful of the beer.

He smirked and took the can from me.

“Now dance with me, Gringa,” he said gesturing to the man by the speaker. “You know salsa?” he added as the music began to play.

I looked around, everyone was still watching.

“Yeh, no,” I said with a laugh. “I’m not dancing.”

“Come on, beautiful. Don’t mind them,” he said taking my hand.

He then pulled me into his chest and brought his lips to my ear, “Unless you want me to tell the Boss who you really are?” he whispered.

I felt the colour leak out of my face. I knew I had recognised him from somewhere and he had recognised me too.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

I looked up at him and he gave me a cocky smile. He knew he had left me no choice. Andrea could under no circumstances find out who I am.

“Fine,” I said putting my hand on his waist. “But I warn you, my dancing skills are nothing pretty.”

“I will be the judge of that,” he said.

I then switched off all sense of embarrassment, pride and self-respect and began to dance. At long last, the song finally came to an end and I immediately pushed him away from me and straightened myself up.

“That was a nice dance, gringa,” he said drawing a stool up behind him and sitting with his legs spread widely and leant over staring intently at me. “But I wanted to see a little more skin.” “Take it off and the stuff is yours,” he replied tugging at my shirt.

I narrowed my eyes before looking around the room.

“We made a deal. I danced with you, now give me it,” I said.

“I said you had to entertain us,” he replied.

“And I have,” I said looking around at the interested and amused expressions of everyone present. I was passed a heavy cube wrapped in tape and some kind of packaging.

“Hope to see you again soon, Gringa,” he said.

“Do you have any coins?” I asked.

“Coins? You were supposed to pay me,” he replied.

“For the phone box.”