THE ISLAND WOLF - EPISODE 42

The girls froze as Alejandro walked towards them. It was wrong to speak of the brotherhood when someone related to them was close. And now, it was the leader who was in the room.
“Why are you looking at me? Do I have blood on my hands?” he asked while standing in the middle of the room.
“No, sir. We just…weren’t expecting you,” Chidi answered.
“Not expecting me in my own room. Cool,” he mused and walked to them. He stretched his hand towards Avril and she looked up at him questioningly. Chidi nudged her with her elbow and Avril frowned at her.
“Take it,” Nana whispered.
“Why?” Avril asked with a stubborn tone.
“Just take it,” Nana said and Avril looked at Chidi. Chidi nodded so Avril sighed and took Alejandro’s hand. He pulled her up and walked backwards a little, putting space between them and the girls.

“What is it?” she asked with an eyeroll.
“Stretch your fingers,” he said.
She looked him in the eye and looked down immediately. His thick eyebrows were scary. She stretched her fingers and he pulled out his ring, the smallest and prettiest one. He put it on her pinkie finger and rubbed her hand.
“What I said was not meant for you. I only answered your question. But because it is the law, I reverse what I said so I will not kill you. No one will,” he said, more to himself than to her.

“What does the ring signify?” Avril asked, frowning at it.
“It belongs to me. And now it’s yours. Everyone in Tijuana that sees it on your fingers would look at you as they look at me,” Alejandro answered and let go of her hand.
“The black girls will take you out after breakfast. Get whatever you want or need,” he stated and gave Avril his card. She collected it and looked at the name imprinted on it; Alejandro Mateo.
“Have fun,” he added and left the room. Immediately he closed the door, Chidi and Nana screamed and jumped on their feet.

“Girl!” Nana squealed and they hugged Avril simultaneously.
“I can’t believe this. He gave you his ring. Alejandro gave you his ring. Oh, why am I not as lucky as you!” Nana chimed.
“First, Freddie. He treated you like a princess and now Alejandro? Babe, gimme some of your luck,” Chidi exclaimed.
“How many men are you going to wrap around your fingers? How do you do it?” Nana asked. Avril sat down because all what was happening, was too much for her to take in. She sighed and looked at the ring.
“I don’t want this,” she mumbled.
“What? You what?” Nana questioned with a frown.
“Avril, I know you’re getting overwhelmed with all these. But Alejandro just made your life fifty percent easier for you. You’re so beautiful and will be a prey in Tijuana. You could get raped and forced to do worse than what Alejandro could do to you,” Chidi explained.

“So, how is any of this easier because Alejandro gave me a ring?”
“Ugh! Beauty without brains!” Nana groaned and walked away from the girls towards the sofa. Avril stared after her with a pathetic face.
“Don’t mind her. Just look at me and let me explain,” Chidi said and turned Avril to look at her.
“That ring belongs to Alejandro. Remember he just told you that people would look at you, the way they look at him. It means you’re safe because no one dares to lay a finger on Alejandro. You can walk in a club freely. You can pass dark alleyways without any fear. No one would rape you. No one would hit you even if you started the fight. It means you’re his special one. Alejandro just saved your life.”

“But—” Avril started and paused to look at the ring on her finger then continued, “—why? He only met me last night and he already sees me as special?”
“I don’t know why, Avril. The same way I don’t know why Freddie loved you,” Chidi said.
“The same way I don’t understand why Dakar loves me so much,” Avril added. Nana had come back with the tray she came with. She dropped it on the bed and went to take the second one.
“Dakar? Who’s Dakar?” Chidi asked.
“Oh, I— I didn’t know I said that out loud,” she chuckled.
“Yeah, who’s he? A he, right?”
“Yes. I was stuck on the island with him.”

“You were not alone on the island?” Nana asked as she returned with the second tray.
“I heard that you were alone. Freddie told Arturo and the others that you were alone,” Nana said.
“That…was what I told them. I was with a man. His name was Dakar,” Avril said and looked at her bracelet. She rubbed her thumb on it and sighed.
“I’m hungry. What’s here to eat?” she asked.
“Bacon and eggs. Pancakes and milk,” Chidi answered.
“When would you tell us about this man? Because it seems you’re not ready,” Nana inquired.
“Did something bad happened to him?” Chidi asked.

Avril smiled and uncovered the plates on the tray.
“Looks good, babes. I hope it tastes just as good as it looks?” she asked.
“Yeah, taste it” Nana cooed and they began to eat. They talked about how the girls cooed through all the pain they went through and how they fitted in. Of course, Chidi kept giving Avril advices.

Finally, they decided to leave the room, go around the house first before going to buy things for Avril with Alejandro’s card.

“What should I wear? My old clothes, right?” Avril asked.
“Sure. You don’t have anything yet,” Nana answered. She looked around and did not see them on the floor.
“Did Alejandro take them? They were here,” she said and pointed at the spot.
Chidi went to the closet and opened it. Her clothes were clean and hanging there.
“This right?”
“Yes. He must have kept them there,” Avril said and went to take them. She changed and they took the trays out. Avril still didn’t think her bracelet was safe, despite being with the ring. They walked around the mansion, with Nana making flirty eye contact with almost every man they walked past. M found out the house had a large garden behind. They stayed there for sometime and talked about Nana being a total man-eater.

After it all, they went out to buy stuff for Avril. Throughout, eyes were over the girls. Not because of the ring, Avril had pocketed her hand. It was because people knew Chidi and Nana to be the duo, and seeing a girl that looked a lot like a newbie brought in stares at her direction. While they were walking out of the shopping mall, Avril held two bags in both hands and someone caught sight of the ring. That was all, the news went round everyone that cared to listen. Avril sound found out the stares were now being directed to her hand as they walked back to the road to get a taxi.

When they reached the mansion, the girls helped her unpack and went home with the things Avril made them buy for themselves. It was late afternoon already and she was really tired. So she took a cold shower and wore a short dress she had bought. She looked into one of her bags and pulled out a packet of biscuits. It looked like the one Dakar always gave her, that was why she bought it.

Alejandro came in moments later, looking so tired and pale. Avril had almost forgotten it was his room and she had unpacked all her stuff into an empty closet. She sat up as he approached the bed without a word to her. He didn’t look at her side, but walked to the bedside table at the other side of the bed and opened a drawer. He picked a cigar and lighted the butt. He walked to his closet and removed his black jacket, hung it on the knob and held his cigar. White smoke sneaked out of his mouth before he removed the cigar and blew out more smoke. He turned around and Avril immediately averted her eyes back to her biscuits.

“How was your day out?” he asked with his usual low, calm, deep and dark voice.
“Fine,” she answered without looking up.
“Except for the stares and whispers I received,” she added.
“My card,” he demanded and she pointed at the bedside table. He nodded and sat at the end of the bed, untying his shoe laces.

Avril cleared her throat and gathered up courage to ask something she really wanted.
“Alejandro?”
He groaned and she took that as a yes.
“I—I have to…can I have my own room?” Avril asked and he kept quiet. The silence was killing and her heartbeat increased by each passing second.
“No,” he finally answered.
“But why?” she asked, angry and sad at the same time.
“You are my woman. Why make me find you to another room when I want to make love to you?” he stated and she gagged and choked on her biscuit. She also began to cough hard and he raised his head to look at her. Avril had just gotten the greatest cringe of her life. How could he be so raw with words? She, his woman? He was keeping her in his room because she was meant for love making?

“Need water?” he asked. But she had surpressed the cough then so she shook her head. He nevertheless stood up and walked to a fridge by the far end of the room. Alejandro’s room was large like the living room downstairs. The floor was sparkling white and the lights reflected on it. The fridge was beside a mini bar at the right wall of the room.
Alejandro returned with a bottle of cold water and handed it to Avril.
“Thank you,” she appreciated and opened it. Her throat was itchy so she gulped it down quickly.

“So, why did you choke?” he asked after he had returned to sitting at the end of the bed.
“That was not deliberate,” she retorted and closed the bottle.
“Of course, it wasn’t. But I know something caused it,” he muttered and pulled off his socks. Next, he removed his black t-shirt and his broad tan back was exposed to her. His arm had tiny silky hairs that looked smooth on his body.

Alejandro stood up with his shoes and t-shirt. He dropped them in the laundry basket and entered the bathroom. Few minutes later, Avril heard the shower running.

“He’s going to come out naked with just a towel,” she muttered to herself. She suspected he was going to have sex with her, again. Cold ran down her spine as she imagined going through that whole pain and screams all over again. She shook her head and climbed down from the bed. She looked at her dress that was revealing her lower thighs. She had worn it because it was hot. It was a strap dress too. She glanced at the bathroom door and bit her lips. Alejandro would come out any second, so no time to change into something better.

Avril heaved a sigh and removed her bracelet and the ring. She hid them in a bag and sneaked out of the room.