Beast

by Elizabeth Reyes

  Leo took the phone and studied the names. None rang a bell, but then Leo would have been surprised if they’d actually used their real names. Only three of the ones who’d checked in around the day of Allison’s disappearance were still there. All the names on the list were men with the exception of one woman: Samantha Bozigian.

  Leo paused at the name. If that had, in fact, been Allison who the witness saw in that parking lot, Allison was with a guy. There was nobody else with them.

  He took in the names of the other two. “Richard Nixon?” he read aloud then looked up at his friends. “That’s gotta be fake, right?”

  Nine laughed. “That’s the first thing I thought when I read it. But I don’t know. Both first and last names are pretty common. Maybe his parents had a sense a humor?”

  Leo read the last of the three to himself. Jonathan Brown. Nothing jumped out at him with that name either. Well, at least they’d narrowed it down to the three it could possibly be if they were still there. It was still well before check-out time at most hotels. If they were all still there, they still had a chance to catch them before any possibly checked out today.

  “I gotta go,” Leo said, starting to the garage.

  “No way you’re going alone,” Orlando said. “Jump in my truck.”

  Thirty-one

  It felt like an eternity, but when they finally got there, they circled the one-story motel slowly. Nine had jumped in too, so the three of them sat there, waiting impatiently now. Without going to the doors of the three rooms in question, there was no way of knowing what was behind the closed doors. So, they waited a bit out of sight but close enough they still had a clear view of all three rooms, including the one closest to where a van was parked. Even if they weren’t checking out today, there’d have to be some movement soon.

  After an agonizing, uneventful twenty minutes, the door closest to the van opened, and all in the truck sat up tensely. Leo exhaled when they saw a woman in dark sunglasses and a sun hat—Samantha Bozigian. She carried what looked like empty bags, the kind you have to take into the supermarkets or pay for your own bags. She hopped in the van but then killed the engine and walked back to the room. She opened the door, stood halfway in with the door open, then closed the door and walked back to the van.

  They debated whether they should follow her but decided she was likely coming back. She would’ve had suitcases or at least filled bags if she were leaving for good. After doing the waiting game again for another agonizing while, they finally had movement again. One of the other doors they’d been watching opened.

  Richard Nixon, an older man, and what appeared to be his wife, walked out of the room with their rolling carryon bags. Leo and his friends watched them load the bags in the trunk of their car and drive off. Leo and his roommates exchanged frustrated glances. With two eliminated, Leo was done waiting to see what was behind door number three.

  “You guys stay here.” He reached for the door handle. “I’ll go—”

  “Whoa, look,” Orlando said, tapping Leo’s arm.

  Leo turned to see a guy walk out of the room Samantha had walked out of. A tall well-built young guy, he was carrying the room’s ice tub. They watched as he started to walk away, but then the door opened, and he turned to it. From the angle they were sitting, they had no visual of whoever was standing at the cracked-open door. The guy, who looked to be in his late teens possibly early twenties, exchanged words with whoever was in the room, and then the door closed.

  As his breathing and heart rate sped up, Leo kept his eye on the guy, who stopped right in the middle of the motel where the vending and ice machines were. He filled the bucket then stood in front of the vending machine.

  “Check it out,” Nine said, pointing at the window of the room the guy had walked out of.

  The thick curtains were drawn open. But the sheer curtains were left closed, and it was hard to make out anything more than a figure. Not from as far as they were sitting anyway.

  Leo peered harder, trying to make out if it could possibly be Allison in there. Unless there was someone else in there still holding her captive, this would’ve been a good opportunity for her to run. Yet the door remained closed, and no one came running out. Of course, these could just be Samantha’s travel mates, and Allison might not be in any of these rooms. But if Leo had to go with his gut, that wasn’t the case.

  They all saw it at once. Door number three. A woman carrying a baby and holding another little one’s hand walked out of that room, leaving the door open behind her. Then a kid no more than ten years old and a man walked out, pulling rolling suitcases. Seemed Jonathan Brown and his family were on some kind of road trip.

  Leo’s eyes were instantly back on the guy from the other room, walking back with the ice and drinks he bought from the vending machine. The door opened before he even got there, and whoever was inside reached out to help him with the drinks. The whole thing was a little too fucking friendly for him to stomach if, in fact, that really was Allison in the room with this guy.

  Leo waited until Jonathan Brown finished packing up his brood. He didn’t want an audience or innocent kids around in case this got ugly. As soon as they drove away, he opened his door.

  “Where you going?” Orlando asked.

  “To get a closer look. You two stay here.”

  He got out and walked across the parking lot. His adrenaline was already thundering. A small part of him hoped Allison wasn’t in there because, regardless if she was in there willingly or not, shit was about to go down. This time there’d be no justifying what he might do to this guy.

  Reaching the room in question, Leo walked over to the car parked in front of the window and pretended to fumble with invisible keys at the door. He glanced up and saw the two figures move about in the room. That was when he got a glimpse of the other person—a much shorter person—who had long hair. There was a light on in the background possibly to the bathroom or hallway just outside the bathroom. The long-haired person’s body moved just so it was silhouetted by the light.

  If Leo hadn’t been so obsessed with that ass and those curves he may not have been so sure it was her. The buzzing in his ears began even as he started toward the door, but only grew louder when both figures moved onto the bed. Fuck knocking. As soon as he was close enough, he kicked the door with the bottom of his foot as hard as he could.

  “Allison, you in there?”

  Before he could kick it again, Orlando and Nine were already there.

  “You saw her?” Orlando asked as Leo kicked the door again, this time making it crack.

  “I know you’re in there, Allison,” Leo yelled, feeling like a madman already. “Open the fucking door!”

  Before he could kick it again, the door swung open, and he was face-to-face with his beautiful Allison. Only she didn’t look the least bit happy to see him. The buzzing went silent, like a deadly calm before the storm as he took her in from top to bottom. She was half dressed in a tank, short loose-fitting shorts, and no shoes. His heart went from bursting at the sight of her to pounding nearly out of his chest. The guy wasn’t in the room anymore. Leo glanced around behind her.

  Slamming the door the rest of the way open, in case the little fucker was hiding behind it, Leo felt a fury that came close to what he’d felt the night he saw the other asshole’s hands on her. Only this time an agonizing ache in his heart accompanied the all-consuming fury.

  The door to the bathroom opened. “Ali, you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Stay in there.”

  Even as the pain of knowing she was protecting this guy suffocated Leo, he focused on the raging inferno instead. “Who the fuck is he?”

  Thirty-two

  Allison

  Leonardo took a step inside the room with conviction, as if Allison might try to stop him. Of course, he seemed surprised when she pulled him all the way in and motioned for his equally stunned friends to come in too.

  “You’re making a scene!” she hissed.

  “What?”<
br />
  Allison hurried and closed the door after Leonardo and his roommates were all the way in. The relatively small room was very crowded suddenly. She spun around to answer Leonardo’s understandably exasperated question. “Do you want someone to call the cops?”

  “I don’t give a fuck about that right now! Why are you here?” Leonardo turned to the bathroom door like he might start kicking that too. “Who’s is this guy?”

  Allison rushed to get between him and the door before he could get any ideas. Despite the anger and hurt that he might be thinking what he was clearly not trying to hide, she had to fight the urge to jump into his arms. Being this close to him again was absolute heaven, even if he did look ready to combust.

  “Do you know everyone’s looking for you?” Leonardo’s voice continued to boom. “You know your sister’s worried sick, and everyone thinks you’ve been abducted or have you been too busy to . . .?”

  Cutting it short as his already lit eyes seemed to explode with even more anger, he started to the bathroom door.

  “No!” Allison said, pressing her open hands against his big chest. “I was abducted, but he’s been good to me.”

  Leonardo’s head snapped back as his brows furrowed and the pulsating of the vein on his forehead was the worst she’d ever seen it.

  “What the fuck does that mean?”

  He banged on the bathroom door behind her head so hard Allison thought he might crack that one too. But something seemed to stop him, and he peered into her eyes. “Did he drug you?”

  “No.”

  She reached to touch his face, but he flinched away with a disgusted expression. “Then explain this! He abducted you, but now you’re here willingly because he’s been good to you? Who the fuck is this asshole?”

  “He’s your brother.”

  They all turned to the opened hotel room door, looking as stunned as Allison felt. They’d managed to convince her they weren’t going to hurt her. Allison believed the woman when she’d told her who she was because she’d confirmed stuff only she could know, but even Allison didn’t know this. Apparently, they’d been so loud and all so fixated on the argument at the bathroom door, none of them had heard Patricia open the room door. Patricia set her bags down on the table near the door then took off her hat and sunglasses.

  “Mom?” Leonardo’s eyes were instantly ablaze again, not the reaction Allison was expecting. “What the fuck did you do to her?”

  Allison jumped in front of him when he started to charge at his own mother. “Leo! Don’t you see? She was protecting me—for you.”

  Leo looked down at Allison and seemed to search her eyes then glanced back up at his mother.

  “It’s true, son. I couldn’t stand to think of what it would do to you if something happened to her.” Her eyes welled up as she took a trembling breath. “It’s a long story, but I’ve been here all this time behind the scenes, and I know what she means to you.”

  In three long strides, Leonardo was at his mother’s side, his big arms swallowing her up in a big bear hug. The sound was so foreign, but at the same time beautiful. Leonardo’s muffled crying against his mother’s shoulder was as heartbreaking as it was momentous. Even when he’d shared with Allison about the painful memories, she was certain he was holding back the emotion. All Allison could think about now were his tears, his pain; he was finally free.

  The sound of the door opening behind Allison had her turning around. Byron walked out slowly, taking in the scene in the room. Looking at him now, Allison couldn’t believe she hadn’t made the connection before. Because of his size and height, she’d been shocked when she found out his age. At sixteen, he was a younger, far more innocent, and incredibly sweet version of his older brother.

  Someone’s phone rang, breaking the awkwardness in the room; though Leonardo didn’t seem to notice. His mother had since moved him over to the bed where they now sat. While the crying had subsided, his arms remained tightly around her as she caressed his back gently, kissing the side of his head periodically. Whatever she whispered in his ear was meant only for him because it was too low for anyone else to hear.

  “No, no, relax. It’s okay, “Nine said into his phone. “Not sure what’s gonna happen, but I’m pretty sure she’ll be home in a few hours. All I can say for certain right now is she’s fine. Tell her I’m standing here looking at her. She can talk to her if she wants.”

  Allison’s heart sped up as Nine paused, listening to whatever was being said on the other end. “Drew’s freaking out because she broke down and told your sister about you and Beast, and now Lila’s out for blood.” He went back to listening intently and nodding as if someone was talking to him again. “Yeah, hold on.”

  Nine’s expression said it all. This was going to be bad. She took the phone from him and immediately felt terrible when she heard her sister’s broken voice as she spoke to someone else. “Lila—”

  “Oh my God, Allison! Where are you?” she cried.

  “It’s a long story, but I’m fine,” she assured her, feeling choked up now after hearing her sister’s unabashed emotion. “I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you, but it was for my own safety. I’ll explain it all when I get home.”

  “And when’s that?”

  “Today,” she said as she turned to Leonardo and Patricia, who were looking at her now. “In a few hours, I think. By tonight for sure.”

  “Were you with him all this time?” Lila asked, sounding beyond hurt.

  “No.” Allison shook her head. “Even he didn’t know where I was. He just found me a few minutes ago. I would never do that to you. I promise you everything is explainable and all is well. Okay, sissy?” Allison tried to smile, but the truth was she was wiping tears away now too. “There’s a lot I need to explain, but the bottom line is I’m fine and everything’s gonna be fine. You stay calm for that baby.”

  “Allison, how can I be sure you’re okay? How do I know there’s not a gun being held to your head right now?’

  “Because Drew called Nine, remember? Not the other way around. He could’ve just said he still had no clue where I was. But he didn’t because he’s here and he knows I’m fine.”

  It took a while longer to convince Lila that she was fine and wasn’t still being held against her will, but she finally did.

  The questions started from Leonardo as soon as she was off the phone. How? Why? Where had his mother been all these years? What was she doing here now?

  Understandably, Patricia gave short vague answers to the heavier questions. Those were things they’d need to discuss privately, but it seemed to calm his inquiring mind for now. Most of her answers assured him he’d have full answers later, but first things first.

  “You need to turn yourself in, Leonardo,” Patricia said, changing the subject. “Living on the run is no life. Trust me. I did it for too long.”

  Nine’s phone rang, and he fumbled in his pocket for it. “It’s Drew,” Nine said to Allison the moment he looked at the screen. “She texted me a few minutes ago that she’d be calling to talk to you. She’s not with Lila anymore.”

  Allison took the phone and answered. “Allison, Thank God, you’re okay. Holy cow, it’s been such a crazy week!” Drew began without taking a breath. “You’ve heard of Felix’s wife’s sister-in-law Sonia, right? She was raped years ago and was the reason why Ella started the whole self-defense class at 5th Street?”

  Drew explained the whole thing in what seemed like one breath. By the time she was done, it really felt like there might be some light at the end of this nightmare tunnel. When she hung up, all eyes were on her. Allison reiterated what his mother had begun to say earlier. “You need to turn yourself in, Leonardo. The guys from 5th Street already have their attorneys ready and willing to represent you. Your probation officer doesn’t even know you haven’t shown up for work-release. Gio never called him.” Knowing there was so much more she needed to share but this wasn’t the time or place, Allison stopped to attempt a shaky smile. “Everything’s g
onna be fine.”

  The plan was supposed to be Leonardo would meet with his new attorneys at the home of Felix and his wife, Ella. They’d gather any and all pertinent information from him before accompanying him to turn himself in. Allison had heard Ella’s sister-in-law Sonia had suffered some kind of sexual assault years ago. It was part of the spiel Ella and Sonia gave at the start of their self-defense classes.

  Apparently, Sonia’s situation with her then boyfriend, Memo, was very similar to Allison and Leonardo’s, and he’d beaten the charges. Drew said after all the owners of 5th Street found out Leonardo was the hero in the now viral video, they were all certain he’d beat the charges as well. So certain they were willing to put their own money on the line.

  While Leonardo agreed to anything asked of him, he insisted on being there when Allison finally spoke with Lila in person. So, instead of heading straight to Felix’s home, they went to Sonny and Lila’s. Allison wasn’t sure what to expect as they drove up the long driveway of the estate.

  Lila and Sonny waited on the porch in front of the circular driveway where Allison told Patricia to stop the van. Leonardo got out first then turned to help Allison out. As expected, the reunion was emotional and drawn out as Lila hugged then examined Allison thoroughly as if she didn’t trust that Allison was being honest about being perfectly fine. When they were finally done with the hug fest, to everyone’s surprise, Lila turned to Leonardo and hugged him too.

  “Thank you,” she said tearfully. “Thank you for everything you’ve done to keep her safe.”

  Allison should’ve known Lila was not about to wait around for Allison to get home for answers. Lila had thoroughly interrogated Drew, so she knew most of their back story already. Allison introduced Patricia and a very starry-eyed Byron to Lila and Sonny. They went inside and sat in the den as Allison explained the rest of the convoluted story to them.