by Betsy Poole
All my profits were getting earned by Sal as I owed him a prominent debt, which was not going anywhere. I knew that I had to serve for at least a few more years to be free. Maybe, I was drinking for my pain and sorrow. I knew that I won’t be truly happy in my life and will always be chained.
Earlier, it was Anthony, and then I was tossed to Sal. Tomorrow, it would be someone else. I knew that I had lost it. I still had my body, my wisdom, and my smart ways that helped my protect people like Victoria. I was proud of it, but then there was a part of me who knew that I was losing it.
Everything around me was losing its charm and I wanted to restart it. I wanted to go back in time and do things differently. But that’s the worst thing about life, it doesn’t give you a second chance – not always. Sometimes I wonder, when I moved to Mexico and met Ila, I could have simply stayed there. It was next to impossible for Anthony to trace me in a different country. Maybe, I was given my second chance but I let it all go.
I didn’t utilize my second chance and came back to where I started. At that time, I was more concerned about Ila’s safety. I was given a mission to save her and I was ready to do anything in my force to accomplish it. I crossed an entire country and made Ila escape it in order to get her happy ending.
But did she really get her happy ending? It makes me wonder sometimes if I was truly a savior or just a villain who let Ila work for a monster like Anthony. I knew that Anthony would be taking advantage of her. He would be manipulating her and Rick won’t be there to help her. He would be overdosed by his own drug and would be occupied to create more drugs by Anthony.
All they had was money and no free will. But they were at least better than me. I neither had free will or money. I was living for Sal, trying to pay my other half of the debt. At that moment, I realized the reason for my drinking. I wasn’t celebrating the accomplishment of my mission. I was drinking to drown in the ocean of my sorrow. I was sad. I was depressed, knowing that I would never be getting my happy ending. I won’t be free, not until I would die.
I knew that I was addicted to a lot of things. I was addicted to alcohol, to drugs, and most significantly to betting. I knew that after Sal, I would be going to some other place in order to bet and will get myself in trouble once again. As I woke up that morning, I left my bed after a few hours. Somehow, I didn’t even want to get up and be dressed.
I saw my reflection in the mirror and I realized that I wasn’t treating my body that nicely. I was wearing a green boxer and nothing else. Yes, I had a great and chiseled physique. I loved those abs and curves, but underneath that sculptured body was a sad man. I was not free and it felt like I was a captive in my own body.
“What have I done to myself!” was all I could say as I looked at myself. It hit me that one moment when I realized the mess that I have created in my life. At that moment, I knew that I had to do something. I could stay like that forever and ruin myself with the passage of time. I could stay a nameless and anonymous entity my whole life until time would wipe me from the face of the earth. I could have given up on myself that day, but I didn’t.
Instead, I decided to move the wheel. I decided that I would change and be a different person. I couldn’t be same sad and depressed man anymore. I wanted to fight for my share of happiness because no one else was going to do it for me. Sometimes, you have to be your own hero and it was my time to save me from myself. I picked my soul up from the floor and tried to gain the sense of self-esteem that was somewhere lost along the way.
I finally decided that I will work my ass off in order to get myself out of the debt. I will go to Sal and ask for more work. I won’t say no to any kind of work and will do it all. I was ready to even work as a chauffeur and take him to the places he wanted to go. I was ready to kill people and break their lives if it meant that I would be able to set myself free. I was ready to do anything for my happy ending and no one in the entire universe could stop me from getting my happiness.
I washed my face and got myself ready. I decided to walk to the bar where my car was placed and then thought of paying Sal a visit. I knew that I had to talk to him about my future. I couldn’t simply let different seasons simply pass me by. I didn’t want to simply exist anymore. I wanted to live.
I won’t be betting anymore. It was only my addiction to betting that has gotten me into such a mess. I was a better person before this and taking someone’s life was the last thing that I could have thought of. Time certainly can change us in the most unexpected way. I was a whole new person back then and even though I got lost in between, I was trying hard to find my way back home.
The only thing that I had to do was get my debt clear so that I could go wherever and whenever I wish to. I would no longer be answerable to anyone else. I would give up betting and start working just like any other person, trying to make my life. I would find love and then start my life from square one. I would get my happy ending as well. It surely seemed hard but it was not an impossible task. I knew I will get my happily ever after. I deserve it. I have earned it.
The moment I entered Sal’s place, I realized that he was having someone inside. He wasn’t alone and disturbing him like that didn’t seem right. Instead of going inside, I kept waiting for him outside. I already knew what I was supposed to say. I would ask him for work, as much as he could give me – small or big. I was determined to pay off his debt by the end of the year by any means.
“Hey! Larry! Come in, we are waiting for you!” I heard his voice as I decided to go out and sit near the waiting area. I had no idea that the person who came to meet Sal would be waiting for me.
I was pretty sure that it was a new assignment and I was ready to accomplish it as well. I didn’t want to say no. It took a while to realize what I wanted, but it is better late than never. I finally knew what I wanted. As I opened the gate, I saw Victoria sitting on the opposite side.
I was certainly not expecting her to arrive and meet Sal the next day. I thought she was a big fashion diva and had some place else to go.
“Wow! What are you doing here?” I asked her, as I was not expecting her to visit Sal’s place.
“I promise Sal, I took care of everything. I killed the shooter who was after her life and I knew that I couldn’t stay there anymore after the killing. When the coast was clear, I left the place so that no one could come after me,” I said in order to clear things out. If Victoria was there to complain about me, I wanted Sal to know everything.
“This is not why she is here for,” Sal answered in order to calm me down.
“Oh! Is this about my drinking problem? Were you trying to reach me last night? I am sorry I had no idea when my cell phone died. I just drank too much and I had no idea where I was going!” I kept blabbering, not knowing what they were expecting me to say. Maybe, I was a little drunk and all the whiskey that I drank last night didn’t really leave my system so soon.
“This is not what I am for, Larry. I am here for you,” she finally got up and answered me in her husky voice. That was the first time when I really heard her voice. She wasn’t whispering anymore like she did the day before. She was talking out loud and it felt amazing. I loved her voice to the core as his mere voice was able to turn me on.
“What do you mean? Sal, what is happening?” I had no idea what she was talking about. I simply turned to Sal in order to figure the entire situation out. He simply looked at me and smiled. That was a wicked smile and I knew that he had nothing to add. It was only Victoria who was able to answer my questions.
“What is happening?” I asked her one more time.
“After you saved me last night, I asked Natasha to dig more information about you. She did some research and we got to know about your past. I called Sal and asked him more about you. I really wanted to thank you, Larry, for saving my life. I know I could have simply left a note as well, but I wanted to do something big. I mean, you saved my life, right?” as Victoria mentioned Natasha, I couldn’t stop thinking about our brief encounter that happened
yesterday. I wondered if Natasha told Victoria all about it too or not. I decided not to bring it up as it would be a little inappropriate. I mean, I was there in order to protect Victoria and not to fuck an exotic beauty.
“You have already given the payment to Sal for the assignment, I guess. That is more that what we can ask for. I mean, this is my job. This is what I do,” I answered her honestly.
“Yes. This is what you do, Larry. You are a savior and I need someone like you in my life to protect me. I travel all over the world and visit so many places. I know that there is someone out there who is after my life. You and I, we both know that someone hired a professional shooter to kill me. It means that this is not over so soon, Larry. I need you to protect me and be my bodyguard in the long run,” she said and informed me about her true intentions. I didn’t know what to do. I was serving Sal and it was all up to him.
“I don’t know what to do? I think you should ask Sal!” was all I could say.
“I forgot to tell you one more thing. In order to thank you for what you did for me yesterday, I thought of doing something really meaningful for you. When I asked Sal about you, he told me that you are serving him because of some stupid debt. Well, I took it off. I have given Sal all the money that you owe him. You are no longer entitled to Sal, anymore. You are no longer answerable to anyone at all, Larry. You are free!” the moment she said those words, I found it hard to believe.
The only thing that I was hoping for all these months was to be free. I simply wanted to live my life on my own terms. I never thought that it would take that one day to change my life. It was that one moment that changed the entire course of my life.
“What are you saying? Sal, is this true?” I asked Sal in order to confirm if what Victoria was saying was true or not.
“She is saying the right thing, Larry. You are a free bird now,” Sal replied me with a smile on his face. I was finally free and at that moment, I could feel as if someone has taken off all the weight from my shoulders off. I never thought that my freedom would mean so much to me until I got it.
“I don’t know how to thank you enough, Victoria. Thanks a lot for everything!” I said as I hugged her. I could smell a sense of lavender that was coming from her hair and hypnotized me. I am not a bug hugger and hardly show my emotions, but that was an exception. That was a different day and it certainly demanded a gesture like that.
“I have a job opening for you, Larry. I know you are a free man now and you can do whatever you want to. You are no longer entitled to answer anyone. Not even me. I won’t force you to take this job, but I would certainly insist that you think about it. Protect me, Larry. I need someone like you to protect me. I want you to work with me as my bodyguard. The perks would be unlimited. You don’t have to answer me right now. Here is my card. You can take the whole day to contemplate, but before midnight, give me a call and let me know about your decision. It was nice meeting you, Larry McGee!” Victoria said as she let go of me and looked at me with a glitter in her eyes.
It was too much for me and I didn’t know what to do. I needed some time to think about it. At that moment, all I knew was that I was not a slave anymore. I was the king of my own will, the writer of my own life, and I wanted to make the best out of it.
“I will certainly call you and let you know about it before midnight, Victoria. Thanks a lot for everything!” I said as we hugged one more time. She leaned towards me and passed a kiss on my cheek.
“Anytime, Larry!” she said before she left the room by changing my life.
“This is unbelievable!” was all I could say as I looked at Sal. I was still not able to believe that it happened, so soon and unexpectedly.
“Now when you are free, Larry – what is it that you are going to do?” Sal asked me.
“I have no idea, Sal. I have no fucking idea!” was all I could say.
I didn’t do anything at all that day. Literally – nothing at all. I just kept sitting while holding her visiting card in my hand. I didn’t know what to do. It was after a very long time when I got my freedom and I wanted to enjoy it for a while. I wanted to do all those wild and reckless things that I have missed doing recently. I wanted to so many things all together, but I didn’t know where I was supposed to start.
It was too much for me and for the first time in my life, I was given a choice. That was exactly the problem. My whole life, I was never given a choice. I was simply told to do things in some or other way. I was told to go to Mexico by Anthony, I was told to go and save Victoria by Sal. But that was the first time in my life when someone asked me about what I wanted to do.
Ironically, I didn’t know what I want. I wanted to be free, but even after getting my share of freedom; I didn’t know how to utilize it. Working for Victoria seemed like a great opportunity and I certainly didn’t want to miss it. I realized that instead of reaching any decision and informing her, I should first meet and discuss it.
I wanted to know more about the nature of the job and if I would be able to leave it or not. I didn’t want my stay there to be like how I stayed with Sal or Anthony. I wanted it to be different. I didn’t want to simply move from one place to another. I wanted my anchor. I wanted a place to call home as well and I knew that I had to do something to build my home.
I gave Victoria a call and asked her if I could meet her once before making my mind. She invited me to her mansion at around 10. I had my dinner and got myself ready to meet her. I knew that she was a fashion designer and in order to impress her, I wanted to wear something nice. I wore my favorite black tuxedo and drove to her place.
She had a huge mansion, which was probably even bigger than Anthony’s place. I knew that Victoria was wealthy but I had no idea that she would be so rich. A receptionist welcomed me and asked me to wait so that she could confirm it to Victoria. After a few minutes, she guided me to Victoria’s place.
“Here we meet again!” Victoria said as I opened the gate to her room. It was without a doubt the most lavishing room that I have ever been to. It was embellished with chandeliers and had an Italian marble floor. The place looked more like a design studio than a room to me. I figured out that she used to work from her bedroom as well, which was exactly the reason why she made a little studio for herself inside the room.
“Wow! This is really something!” I said as I looked around her room. It was full of different exquisite things and certainly looked ravishing.
“Oh! Wait! You should see my wardrobe,” she held my hand and took me to another side of her room to open the gate of another room, except that it wasn’t a room – it was her wardrobe.
The place was bigger than my entire house and featured almost every possible color or accessories that one could think of. From dresses and gowns to heels and handbags, the place for a heaven for every girl. It certainly was a shock to me, but I had no interests in either one of those things. I have always been a man with a limited number of clothes. I have never spent a lot on clothes and seeing that one hell of a wardrobe was certainly not on my to-do list.
“This is… wow! This is something!” I said as we exited the room and went back to her studio turned bedroom.
“So, Larry. What is it that you wanted to talk about?” she asked me as we both stood in front of each other. There was a walnut finished center table and matching chairs that were placed nearby. We both took our seats as we started talking. She offered me a few nuts that were placed on the table before we commenced our conversation.
“Are you involved with the mafia?” I don’t know why I said it, but that was the first thing that came out of my mouth.
“What? Hell no! Why are you saying this? Why would you think of something like this! I mean, I have contacts in the industry, but I don’t know anyone like that. I believe Sal is one of the handful people I know from the mafia. I talk to them only to get more safety and protect myself from my enemies. What made you think that I am associated with the mafia?” she laughed at me before she replied honestly. I looked at her
and I didn’t know what to say. She was looking beautiful and I had no regrets to come see her that night. She was wearing a charcoal gray nightgown and her hair was untied.
“Larry! What happened?” she interrupted me in between, expecting me to reply. I, on the other hand, I was simply busy looking at her beautiful blonde hair.
“I have mostly visited gangsters and people in the mafia. They have houses like this, but what you have here – that is really something. If you are not related to the mafia, then how did you get so rich?” I instantly regretted asking that question. I had no idea what was happening to me that day. It was as if there was no filter between my brain and my tongue that night.
“What? What are you saying? Oh god! You are so naïve, Larry. I am not into all of this. I am not associated with the mafia at all. I only deal with retail. I produce my own clothes and accessories. Do you have any idea how much money can one make in retail! It’s limitless, Larry. But the market is very competitive and the big sharks don’t like any other fish in their sea. I am not a new fish in the industry but I am certainly changing the game. My competitors do not like it and they are after my life – like, literally after my life. I need someone like you to protect me, Larry. So tell me, are you game?”
As she asked me that crucial question, it was like for a moment, time had stood still. I could think of my entire life and could get flashbacks about everything that has happened to me in the past. I didn’t want to make the same mistakes again and be the change. I wanted to make that change happen in my life. Surprisingly, the face of the change certainly looked as beautiful as Victoria.
She was not like Sal or Anthony who would keep me like their slaves. She was different and I could see it in her eyes. The way they used to glitter made me believe that there was still a chance for me.
“I want to know what you have in mind, Victoria. You need to understand that I have had pretty bad experiences in my life and I didn’t want to make the same mistake over and over again. This time, I want it to be right,” I said as I let her know about my insecurities.
