The Cage
1231 Words
The world came back to me slowly.
First, the taste of copper in my mouth. Then the smell of something sharp and chemical that made my head pound.
I tried to open my eyes, but the light made everything spin. The floor was cold , When had I fallen?
"Maliya? Maliya, please wake up."
Lorenzo's voice sounded panicked and far away. I felt his hands on my shoulders, trying to pull me upright.
Memory crashed back immediately. The cloth over my mouth. Lorenzo's whispered apology as darkness pulled me under.
I jerked away from his touch and scrambled backward until I hit the bathroom wall. My wedding dress was wrinkled and stained from the floor.
"Stay away from me," I managed to say, though my voice came out slurred.
"I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry." Lorenzo knelt a few feet away, his face with panic. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
"You drugged me."
"I know. I know, and I'm sorry. But I had to try something." He ran his shaking hands through his hair. "You don't understand what you're walking into."
I pressed my palm against the wall and slowly pushed myself to standing. The room tilted, but I stayed upright.
"How long was I out?"
"Just a few minutes. Maybe five." Lorenzo looked at his watch. "The reception is still going. No one knows you're missing yet."
"What were you planning to do with me?"
"I don't know. Get you somewhere safe. Give you time to think." He looked pathetic, slumped on the bathroom floor in his expensive suit. "I just couldn't stand by and watch him take you."
"Well, congratulations. Now I know I can't trust you either."
I walked to the sink and splashed cold water on my face again. In the mirror, I could see Lorenzo watching me with desperate eyes.
"You can trust me. This was stupid, but you can trust me."
"You just proved I can't."
"Maliya, listen to me. Rafael isn't just dangerous. He's obsessed with you. Has been for years." Lorenzo stood up slowly. "Before he left, he used to follow you sometimes. Watch your house from his car. He knows things about you that he shouldn't know."
My skin crawled, but I kept my expression neutral. "Like what?"
"Like your favorite coffee shop. Like the route you take when you go running. Like the scar on your shoulder from when you fell off your bike at age eight."
I touched my shoulder automatically. The scar was small and usually hidden by clothing. Only family and doctors had ever seen it.
"Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because in about ten minutes, you're going to get in a car with him. And once you're in his house, I won't be able to help you."
I stared at my reflection. My lipstick was smudged, and my hair was coming loose from its pins. I looked like exactly what I was - a victim who'd been attacked by someone she trusted.
"Fix my makeup," I said quietly.
"What?"
"I said fix my makeup. I can't go back out there looking like this."
Lorenzo stared at me like I'd lost my mind. "Did you hear what I just told you?"
"I heard every word." I turned to face him. "And now I need you to help me look like nothing happened. Because if Rafael finds out you tried to drug me, what do you think he'll do to you?"
Understanding dawned in his eyes. "He'll kill me."
"Slowly."
Lorenzo's hands shook as he helped me fix my lipstick and smooth down my hair. When we were done, I looked almost normal again. Almost like a blushing bride instead of a kidnapping victim.
"The phone I gave you earlier," he said as we prepared to leave the bathroom. "Do you still have it?"
I nodded. It was pressed against my ribs, hidden in my bra next to my heart.
"Be careful who you call. Rafael has people everywhere."
"I know."
"And Maliya?" Lorenzo caught my arm gently as I reached for the door handle. "Don't try to kill him on your wedding night. He'll be expecting that."
I looked back at him. "When then?"
"When he's not expecting it. When he thinks he's won."
We walked back to the reception together. I slipped my arm through Lorenzo's like nothing had happened, smiling and nodding at people as we passed. Just the bride getting some air with her new brother-in-law.
Rafael was standing near the head table, talking to Uncle Mario about something that made both their faces serious. The moment he saw me, his eyes locked onto mine.
He excused himself from Mario and walked over to us. His gaze moved between Lorenzo and me, taking in every detail.
"There you are," he said smoothly. "I was starting to worry."
"Just needed some fresh air," I replied, keeping my voice light. "
"Of course." His hand found the small of my back, possessive and warm through the silk. "And Lorenzo was keeping you company?"
"Just making sure she was okay," Lorenzo said. His voice was steady, but I could feel the tension radiating from his body.
Rafael studied his brother's face for a long moment. Then he smiled that sharp, dangerous smile.
"How thoughtful. But I think it's time for the happy couple to head home, don't you?"
Home. Like his fortress was already my home instead of my prison.
"Actually, I'd like to say goodbye to my mother first," I said.
"Of course. Five minutes."
I found Mama sitting at a corner table, staring into a glass of wine she hadn't touched. When she saw me approaching, she stood up and pulled me into a fierce hug.
"Are you alright?" she whispered in my ear. "You look pale."
"I'm fine." I squeezed her tight, breathing in her familiar perfume. "I need you to know something."
"What?"
"Whatever happens next, whatever you hear about me, remember that I love you. And remember that Papa raised me to be strong."
She pulled back to look at me, tears filling her eyes. "Maliya..."
"Take care of yourself, Mama. Stay safe."
"You too, baby girl. Call me."
I nodded, though we both knew Rafael would control when and if I could contact her.
When I turned around, Rafael was standing right behind me. Waiting.
"Ready?" he asked.
No. I would never be ready for this.
"Yes."
He offered me his arm like a gentleman. I took it like a lady. We walked out of the church together while everyone watched.
The black Maserati was waiting at the curb, Rafael opened the passenger door for me, and I slid inside. The leather seats smelled like his cologne.
As we pulled away from the church, I watched my old life disappear in the side mirror. The last time I'd see my mother's face might have been five minutes ago. The last time I'd be free might have been this morning.
"You're very quiet," Rafael said as we drove through the city.
"What would you like me to say?"
"Whatever you're thinking."
I looked out the window at the familiar streets of my childhood. "I'm thinking about how I'm going to kill you."
He laughed. Actually laughed, like I'd told him a joke.
"I appreciate honesty in a wife."
"Good. Because I have a lot more where that came from."
- Writer
