NO SAINTS HERE

CHAPTER FOUR

RINA'S POV

I looked at Reggie for some explanation but all I could see was fear.

Reggie didn't even look me straight in the eyes.

This huge man gave Reggie a hard tap on his shoulder and pushed him to his knees.

The other two guys that accompanied him stood by his side not saying a word. They were all wearing black jeans, black tops and dark shades except for the one I assumed to be their boss. They were huge and both had guns too.

"I'm sorry but I don't understand." I tried to sound as calm as possible so as not to annoy this man I didn't know.

"And who are you?" He looked me up and down slowly, trying to figure out who I was.

"I'm his wife. We have been married for two years now. Can someone please tell me what the f**k is going on?"

He smiled slowly.

"Rico." He said it casually, the way you'd introduce yourself at a party not at gunpoint. "That's my name honey pie. Since we're about to get very acquainted."

"Oh." He laughed. Not a funny laugh. A knowing one. "You are the woman he calls a slut. He's always f**king whining about how much he hates you and how you made him miserable." He looked at me again like he was studying me.

My heart broke instantly. I looked at Reggie for some answers but he still refused to look at me.

"But as a drug dealer, I try to listen to my customers' stories. Help them come back for more. I'm their therapist and I sell them drugs." He gave a slow smirk. Like this was the most normal conversation in the world.

"And I listen to your husband's complaints about you every time. Do you know he told me last week that you can't fk right and all the other girls he's been fking, f**k better than you?" He laughed this time but not for long.

He walked closer to me.

I didn't know when the tears started to fall uncontrollably. I knew Reggie was capable of saying those things and even worse.

Did he really hate me that much?

"But you know what honey pie?" He tilted his head to the side with a crooked smile. "Looking at you, I know you aren't capable of the things he accuses you of. He's the piece of trash." He got way closer to me until I could feel his breath on my face.

He stared deep into my eyes. The tears coming from my eyes were beginning to blur my vision. I was scared. Scared for my life. This monster was in front of me with a gun.

He ran his fingers from my shoulders slowly down to my wrist.

I looked at Reggie hoping he would fight for me. Yell at him to leave me alone.

But he stood there. He stood there like the f**king coward he is. He didn't even deny anything that was said.

Rico turned his back and walked back to where Reggie was kneeling.

"And now for the main reason I'm here." He took the gun, put the barrel to his lips and blew into it slowly, his eyes never leaving Reggie's face. Then he pointed it at him.

Reggie fell apart completely.

I fell to my knees shaking. I didn't know when I started crying loudly.

"Your husband owes me 3k dollars and my boss is pissed. My boss wants the money today." He paused. "Or someone in this room is dead."

"Ple---ase." Reggie's voice cracked. "I don't ha--ve the money. I promise to pay you next week. Please."

"Okay Reggie." Rico spread his hands open like he was being completely reasonable. "How do you intend to pay me?" He turned his head toward his boys and clicked his fingers. "You know what, get me that chair over there." He pointed to the chair at the edge of the sitting room. "Let's hear how this bastard is going to pay me my money."

He laughed wickedly. Genuinely amused.

One of his guys walked over and brought the chair. Rico sat down, crossed his legs and leaned back comfortably. Like he was watching a show.

"Ermmm, I will wo---rk and I wi---ll pa---y." Reggie was crying now.

Rico's whole face changed.

He put both hands over his heart and made the most exaggerated sad face — puppy eyes, bottom lip out, head tilted like a concerned friend listening to a dying man's last words.

"I would have listened to your pleas." His voice came out soft and full of fake sympathy. "You know I'm a cool motherfker. I always fking listen."

He held that face for exactly two seconds.

Then it dropped completely.

"But Reggie." He lifted the gun and pointed it directly at him. Reggie begged even louder. "You don't even have a f**king job and my boss is impatient."

Rico lifted Reggie's face with one finger under his chin and bent down to look at him close up. His expression was almost gentle. Almost caring. Eyes soft. Voice low.

"You know there are always consequences for your actions right?" He said it slowly. Quietly. "You made me leave my office and come all the way here to drag you for my money. My own f**king money."

The gentleness vanished from his face in an instant.

"And that's why I'm going outside to cut off one of your toes. Or fingers. Who knows." He laughed.

"Please. Please. Please sir." Reggie collapsed forward then suddenly looked up. "You know what — my wife. She has the money. She works. I know she has the money."

I looked at Reggie completely shocked and lost for words.

Rico stood up and came close to me again. "Honey pie." He winked. "Do you have what I need?"

It was disgusting.

"No I don't." I was shaking. "Please don't hurt me."

Rico's whole face softened immediately. He reached out and removed the wet strands of hair that had fallen on my face and tucked them gently behind my ear.

"My mama taught me to treat women right. I can't hurt you honey pie."

"You selfish bch." Reggie muttered loud enough for the whole room to hear. "You never fking have money."

Rico's eyebrows shot up slowly.

He turned around and looked at Reggie up and down. Like he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.

He walked back and gave Reggie a slap so dirty the sound bounced off every wall in that apartment.

Reggie winced and cried out loud. A sound I had never heard from a grown man before in my life.

"That's for talking to your wife like that in my fking presence." Rico fixed his collar calmly. "Women deserve to be treated like queens. You know — eat her p***y whenever she wants, make her c*m steady. Not call her a selfish bch in front of company." He laughed and shook his head. "Disgraceful."

I had cried so much my eyes were now swollen.

"Reggie." Rico's voice went flat. "Your time is up. I need my money now. I won't repeat myself."

"Since you like my bch so much—" I could hear the anger burning underneath Reggie's voice. "Why don't you just take her and fk her."

Rico raised his eyebrows.

Then he flashed a lazy grin. Loud and real this time.

"You know what? That's a f**king great idea." He pointed at Reggie. "That's the only good idea I've ever heard you say. My boss is going to love her. He's into petite innocent women."

"No." I moved without thinking. "You can't do that. Please don't do that."

I crawled across the floor to where he stood and grabbed his leg with both hands.

He bent over and looked at my teary eyes.

"No princess. Don't beg me." His voice dropped low. "Where you're going is so much better than this place. My boss will love you."

He stood up straight and turned to Reggie.

"Reggie. When you pay the money you owe me — you can have your wife back." He smiled. "Hmmm?"

He turned to his boys.

"Let's go. Carry her."

Before I could react one of the guys came and put me over his shoulder.

I screamed the whole way to the door.

I cried.

I reached back toward the apartment.

None of it stopped them.

Reggie sat on that floor and watched me go.

He didn't move.

He didn't say a single word.

Whatever I had ever felt for that man...every last piece of it left my body in that moment.

All of it.

Gone.