Irresistible Boss Succumbing to Your Touch (Maria Anita) novel Chapter 3

Manuela’s POV

I had no idea how long I had been in this vehicle. All I knew was that I could not cry anymore and my whole body was numb.

"What's that?" I heard the driver ask, and I tried to get up.

"Stay still, pretty girl!" The man in the passenger seat pointed a gun at me, and I froze.

"I'm not stopping here. I know that guy over there," the driver spoke again. "I'll call the boss." He grabbed his phone and dialed. "Boss, everything's fine, we're in town, but we can't drop the girl at the lady's house. Her brother is outside." He listened for a moment. "No, the other one. That's right." He listened again. "Alright, boss."

He hung up and looked at the other man but said nothing. I was anxious. If he said they were in town, it must be my town. But which brother was he talking about? I needed to escape, but how? Had Flavian noticed I was missing? Would he come looking for me? A while ago, he had sworn he would come for me if something like this happened.

I started feeling that lump in my throat again, and tears began falling as the car stopped moving. Despair took over me. Where was I? Several minutes passed before the driver got out of the car, but the other man stayed, keeping his gun pointed at me. Suddenly, the door near my head opened.

"What have you done? Why is she tied up and gagged?" That voice made my bones freeze.

"Boss, we couldn't risk her screaming or trying to escape," the man pointing the gun replied.

"Point that gun somewhere else and get out of the car," Calvin ordered and carefully helped me sit up. Only then did he get in the car and sat beside me. "Hi, dear!" He smiled, and I became even more terrified. I didn't understand why he was being gentle.

Carefully and slowly, he removed the tape from my mouth. Then, with a pocket knife, he cut the zip ties on my wrists and ankles.

"I'm sorry about this, but we needed to bring you back," he smiled at me.

"Why, Calvin? Why are you helping Rita?" I asked.

"Rita? So you already know the truth?" He narrowed his eyes at me. And I thought he was talking about who ordered them to get me.

"I know she wanted me back. Please, Calvin, let me go, she's evil, she'll destroy me." I was begging for compassion.

"Hey, dear, don't cry." He stroked my hair, and I felt a shiver of fear. "She won't hurt you, I won't let her, okay? But I can't let you go." I was scared and huddled in the corner, trying to keep my distance from him. But he looked at me strangely, as if I reminded him of something he missed. "You look so much like her," he smiled.

"I don't look like Rita, I have nothing of hers," I protested.

"No, not with Rita. With the other one." He ran his hand across my face.

"Who are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

"Never mind. Come on, let's get out of the car." He gently took my arm, but I was frozen, unsure whether to go or stay. He turned to me once more, looking concerned. "Can you walk?" I nodded, and as if understanding, he said, "Come, I won't hurt you, you have my word."

I don't know why, but I believed what he said - at least at that moment, he wouldn't harm me. I got out of the car with him, and as soon as I stepped out, he held my arm.

"I won't hurt you, but don't try to run away," he hissed near my ear, too close for comfort.

I looked around and saw no one, heard no sound. There were houses nearby, but none close enough for anyone to see or hear me. The place looked like a farm or something similar.

I took the plate, and the food really smelled good. Calvin served himself something too and began eating. So I ate, I was indeed hungry, and the food wasn't poisoned or drugged since he was eating it too. After eating, he took a chocolate bar from one of the bags and gave it to me.

"I know you women love these things," he smiled.

Anyone who didn't know Calvin might think he was a good person, as he was treating me with kindness, but he wasn't good, far from it. However, at that moment, I needed to accept his kindness.

"Come, I'll show you the room," he called, and I froze. I wouldn't go to a room with him. "Manuela, I won't do anything to you before the wedding, and if I were going to do something, I would have done it in that car already, so you can trust me. Come on, you'll sleep better in a bed than on a couch."

I shouldn't trust him, but what he said made sense - if he were going to do something to me, he would do it anywhere. So I followed him to the room. There was a bed, a dresser, an armchair, and another piece of furniture with a television. Everything was covered with white fabrics, just like in the living room, and he removed all the fabrics.

"I need to go to the bathroom," I asked, and he pointed to a door inside the room.

"Just don't try anything funny, or I'll tie you up and gag you myself," he warned me.

When I came out of the bathroom, he had dragged the armchair next to the door and was sitting in it, then pointed me to the bed.

"Go rest. Tomorrow Rita will come, and I know she's a difficult person," he said, almost as if he cared.

I took off my shoes and pulled back the bedspread. There were four pillows, and the bed was made with sheets. I lay down and pulled the bedspread over myself, turning my back to Calvin. I needed to think of a way to escape from there, but I had noticed before entering the house that the windows had bars, and my only possibility of escape was through the door, but Calvin was sitting next to it.

My head was spinning with thousands of possibilities, and I was desperate because I didn't even know where I was - how would Flavian or anyone else find me here?