“What about it, Papi?” she asked. “It’s just dinner. I want to go, Papi. Please?”

  Taina couldn’t remember the last time she begged anyone for anything, especially her father, and that should have shown him that she really wanted to go.

  “I will not allow it,” Denny said, then picked up his paper again. “Tell him that I said no.”

  “What?” Taina asked incredulously. “Why?”

  She knew he might say no, but not just flat-out like that. He didn’t even have a reason.

  “Because I said so,” Denny said. “It is something that is not up for debate. That boy isn’t looking at you for you. He’s looking to get into your pants or to get in good with me—like they always do.”

  “He’s not like that, Papi. Just give him a chance,” Taina tried one more time. She then looked at Isabella for help, but she just shook her head. “I don’t understand the point of having a kid when you don’t let me do anything. Papi, you don’t even have a real reason not to let me go, and, Mom, you are just going based on what Papi says because you don’t have a mind of your own. You’re just trying to control me, and it’s not fair to me. If I can’t go, I won’t have anything to say to you this whole weekend. Don’t come knocking on my door!”

  Taina ran out of the kitchen to the waiting car that was to take her to school. Stephanie put her hand on her hip and looked at Denny like he had shit on his face. Denny looked at her venomously, daring her to speak out of turn. Stephanie was bold enough to step out of line and talk crazy to Isabella, but she would never have enough guts to do the same to Denny. Instead, she took her leave and went to find some work to do. She wanted to busy herself to keep Taina’s hurt voice off her mind all day.

  “He said no,” Taina told Mario the second she saw him in the hallway. “He didn’t even care to hear me out. He just said no.”

  Mario used his hand to brush against Taina’s cheek gently.

  “It’s OK, beautiful. I will see you this weekend one way or another.”

  There was something about Mario’s voice that always made Taina want to draw nearer, so she did. Mario leaned against a locker, and she leaned on him. She gazed up into his alluring eyes.

  “But how?” she asked.

  Instead of answering, Mario leaned down and kissed her softly, which they had often been doing lately. Taina slipped her tongue into his mouth, and she felt one of his hands put pressure on the small of her back while the other cupped her chin. She finally broke the kiss because she had to come up for air. She was sure she was about to faint because everything about Mario was so perfect.

  “I’m going to sneak out.” It was like a lightbulb flashing in her head. “I’m going to sneak out on Saturday night. I will give you my address, and I want you to wait outside the gate for me to come out at midnight, OK?”

  Mario looked down at Taina, trying to read her face. At first, he thought she was joking, but seeing the seriousness in her expression, he knew she wasn’t.

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I’m sure all he needs to do is meet me, and he will be open to me dating his daughter.”

  “You don’t know my father. He would rather hang himself on a fishing hook and be thrown to the sharks than see me grow up and have a boyfriend.”

  “Boyfriend?” Mario smiled slyly down at Taina.

  “W-well, you know what I mean,” she said.

  “Yeah, I do,” Mario said and kissed her again. “It means we are officially together now. Nobody can stop this, not even your father.”

  The bell that signaled them being almost tardy sounded, and all the students surrounding them began to put a pep in their steps.

  “I better get going too,” she said to Mario, biting his lip sexily. “I’ll see you at lunch?”

  “I have to leave early today,” he told her. “But I’ll call you tonight, and we can talk more about tomorrow night, OK?”

  “OK.”

  When Saturday came, Taina kept her word to her parents. She didn’t say a word to them. She locked her bedroom door, and Stephanie was the only person she allowed to enter. She almost slipped up and told Stephanie about her plans for the night, but she didn’t want to put her in that kind of situation. Instead, she kept it to herself. She hadn’t told Marisol her plans because she didn’t want her to know yet. Knowing Marisol, she would either try to talk her out of it or ask too many questions. Taina passed the time by watching TV and texting Marisol.

  Isabella tried to come to have a girls’ talk with Taina, but Taina would not open the door for her. She was now trying to be a real mother, but it was too late. The seed of resentment was already planted deeply in Taina’s heart. Instead of answering the knocks on her door, she opted to turn up her TV loudly, showing her mother blatant disrespect.

  Fuck you, Taina thought.

  The rest of the day seemed to drag. She didn’t know if it was because she looked at the clock every five minutes or because time was moving slowly. It took a lifetime for it to get to eleven o’clock finally. Then Taina took a shower and got dressed. She put on a pair of black leggings and opted for a black and red Chicago Bulls T-shirt for her shirt. As for her hair, she put it all on the top of her head in a messy bun. After she sprayed herself with her Victoria’s Secret perfume, she slid on a pair of socks and stuck her feet into her red Ugg boots.

  She opened her bedroom door and peeked out while silently putting on her coat. It was almost midnight, so she was betting her father wasn’t home and her mother was in bed asleep. She looked down the hall and kicked herself when she saw the door open. The lights were off, though. The only light she could see was from the television, so maybe things would work in her favor.

  Locking her door behind her, she shut it gently and checked her pocket to ensure she had the keys and her cell phone. Taina crept along the wall like a 9-year-old sneaking downstairs to eat some cookies. When she reached her parents’ bedroom door, she peeked in the huge room. As she suspected, her father wasn’t there, and her mother lay alone in the king-sized bed. That wasn’t the best part. That night, her mother had decided to wear a mask that covered her eyes. Taina didn’t take any chances; she hurried past the door and toward the stairs without looking back.

  When she reached the main floor, she knew going out of the front door was not an option, so she continued walking until she reached the basement. Once there, she went to the cold laundry room and shut that door behind her. She looked for something she could stand on, and her eyes spotted the prize. She found a crate in the corner and pulled it over the concrete floor to the window she was going to use to make her escape. She stood atop the crate on her tiptoes to push the window open. As soon as she did, a huge gust of wind caught her by surprise, and she had to inhale deeply before she could keep going. She quickly shut the window again.

  It was small, so Taina knew it would be a tight fit, but she didn’t care. All she could think about was seeing Mario. She looked out the window, knowing that although none of her father’s men were patrolling it, there was still a camera somewhere.

  “There!” she said when she saw the rotating camera.

  All she needed to do was time it just right. She counted the seconds in between its rotation and figured out that there was a seven-second window. The moment it started turning the other way, Taina hoisted herself through the window. She had to wiggle her butt hard to get it through, but it worked. Once she was outside, she made a run for it. She checked her phone and saw that it was just about midnight. There was a reason why she’d chosen that time. She knew that’s when the night watch switched, and she also knew that they always left their post five minutes early before the next person came. Realizing that she only had a few minutes, she took out her phone and used an app to open the gate. She slid right on through and shut it back before it was even all the way opened.

  She walked straight down the neighborhood, looking for Mario’s car. Just when she thought he must have forgotten about her, she saw a car’s headlights driving toward her. The Corvette pulled up beside her, and she heard the doors unlock. Without hesitation, she pulled the passenger door open and hopped in. Seeing Mario, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

  “Wow,” he said, admiring her. “You pulled it off.”

  Taina grinned proudly like the Cheshire cat and let him go so that she could put her seat belt on.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “I got us a hotel suite not too far from here,” Mario said. “So we won’t have to be in the car the whole time.”

  “You think you’re slick.” Taina’s eyes lowered, and she bit her lip.

  He laughed.

  “What?” He lifted the middle console and pulled out an already rolled blunt and a lighter.

  “Stop talking shit and spark this.”

  “Gladly,” she said.

  When they arrived at the room Mario had reserved for them, they were both so high they could barely feel their feet touching the ground. Since Mario had already checked in, all they had to do was get on the elevator and go up to their room.

  “Here,” Mario gave Taina the room key so that she could open the door and enter first.

  She did and was instantly filled with emotion. Rose petals surrounded the king-sized bed, and a bottle of Champagne chilled in ice on the nightstand beside it. On the bed were at least twenty miniature Snickers bars, her favorite chocolate, shaped into a heart.

  “Oh, Mario.” Her hand shot to her mouth. “Nobody has ever done anything like this for me before.”

  “Well, if you haven’t ever gone on a regular date before, I wouldn’t doubt that,” he joked, and she playfully pinched his arm. He took off his coat and helped her remove hers. Throwing them on one of the chairs, he waved her to the bed. “Come on, have a glass of Champagne.”

  “You’re only 18,” Taina said, watching him pour her a glass. “How did you even get this stuff?”

  “I have connections.” Mario handed her the glass and poured his own. He lifted his glass in the air. “To us. May we always remain close no matter what happens.”

  “To us,” Taina gushed and took the cup to the head.

  She had smoked weed a lot and drank a little, but that was the first time she mixed the two. It was a pleasant feeling. Her body felt amazing when it was touched, and Mario let his fingers trail up and down her arms ever so lightly. The two lay on the bed staring at the ceiling, talking and laughing.

  “Have you ever just wanted to run away and never look back?” Taina whispered, turning to face him.

  She hadn’t noticed how close they were until that very second. Her face was only inches away from his. She saw his lips twitch like he wanted to smile, but it showed as more of a grimace.

  “Been there, done that,” he said. “This is my new life now . . . You are my new life.”

  “Promise?” Taina’s voice came out as more of a purr than a whisper, and Mario heard it.

  He turned to his side so that he could face her. Nudging her nose with his, he placed his right hand on the back of her head.

  “Promise,” he said and pulled her lips to his.

  The kiss was deep and passionate, and Taina heard herself moaning in his mouth. She pressed her chest against him to let him know it was OK if he wanted to touch them. Her hands roamed freely on his muscular body, and she felt herself growing moist between her legs each time their tongues intertwined. Mario’s hand slid under her T-shirt and massaged her breasts through her bra. Taina’s clit throbbed each time he pinched her nipple. Mario pulled away and looked Taina in the eyes.

  “Are you sure you want this?”

  Taina was too gone to tell him no. All she wanted was for him to make her feel good. So to answer his question, she sat up, took off her shirt, and unsnapped her bra. Mario licked his lips at the sight of her perky nipples.

  “Lick them,” she instructed.

  Mario did as he was told. When she felt his tongue, her back arched. She had never felt something so marvelous in her life. He slid off her leggings and panties with the swiftness of a sex expert. Once he removed them, he planted kisses from her chest down to her thighs. She felt herself growing nervous, but she didn’t tell him to stop. Instead, she opened her legs.

  “Taina?” he asked, sitting back up to face her.

  “Yes?”

  “Are you sure about this?” he asked again.

  “Yes. I want you.”

  He smiled and kissed her passionately again. When he pulled away from her, he admired her.

  “You are so beautiful. Can I tell you something?”

  “Anything,” she whispered.

  “I love you,” Mario said to her. “Do you love me?”

  “Yes.”

  He grinned before laying her down on the bed. He removed his clothes and got on top of her. She took a deep breath, and Mario noticed her nervousness.

  “I’ll be gentle, OK, mami?” he said, and Taina nodded. “It’s going to hurt at first, but after that, it will feel good. Bite me, scratch me, or scream loud as hell. Do whatever you need to. Just don’t tell me to stop, OK?”

  “OK,” Taina said, gripping his back and preparing herself.

  Mario positioned himself at her opening and pushed his manhood inside of her. It was the most painful thing she’d ever felt, and she clenched her eyes shut. She didn’t understand how people liked doing it. Her hands clawed his back as he shivered on top of her. She whimpered and tried to stomach the pain. Just as she was about to tell him to stop, the hurt began to subside, and she felt something else. Pleasure. Her body began to relax, and she started to enjoy the ride. Mario made love to her and treated her delicately for what felt like forever, but honestly, was only about five minutes. Soon, his body jerked, and he pulled himself out of her just as he ejaculated on the bed. They were both breathing heavily when he collapsed next to her. They scooted over to the side of the bed without the wet spots and cuddled closely.

  Taina knew she could only sleep for a few hours before returning home, but that was OK. She had the best night ever. At that moment, a feeling of guilt came over her as she thought about her promise to her father so long ago.

  “Welp,” she said, “I can kiss that million goodbye.”

  “What’s up?” Mario asked, but Taina just snuggled deeper into her man’s chest.

  “Nothing,” she said. “Wake me up in three hours, baby.”

  Chapter 8

  Denny sat in his office study staring at the portrait he had drawn of his family when Taina was only 1 year old. He sat in a chair fit for a king with a smiling Taina sitting on his knee. Isabella stood behind him with her hands on her shoulders. If only he could go back to those days and start over. He sighed. The weekend had come and gone. Taina kept her word because she didn’t say a thing to either of her parents. She avoided them at all costs, and he wasn’t even sure if she had eaten. Maybe he should have just let her go on that date. He could have had his men follow them and watch her for him. Instead, he let his ego get the best of him, and he used his position of power against his daughter. He poured himself a shot of vodka. Then his cell phone vibrated, and he answered it before he took the drink to the head.

  “Hello?”

  “I’m about to kill your daughter,” a gruff voice said on the other end.

  “Who the fuck is this?” Denny demanded.

  “You have much worse problems on your hands than knowing who I am,” the voice said. “Right now, your daughter is walking to her lunch table in the cafeteria, holding her tray tightly. She’s smiling. She doesn’t have a clue that she’s about to die.”

  “If you touch her, I’ll—”

  “You’ll what? Star sixty-nine me? Ha! You’re a played-out boss, and I’m about to show you what it feels like to take away somebody’s loved one.”

  The caller hung up, and Denny didn’t know if it was a prank call or what. Either way, he moved as fast as possible to round up his men and send them to his daughter’s school before it was too late.

  “You didn’t talk to them at all?” Marisol said to Taina after they set their trays on the lunch table.

  “Nope,” Taina told her. “He didn’t even have a real reason why I couldn’t go. He was just trying to be controlling. I swear, I’m out of that house as soon as possible.”

  “You don’t seem too angry, though,” Marisol said, eyeballing her friend. “You’ve been smiling all day. What happened that you aren’t telling me about?”

  Taina’s grin said it all. She didn’t even have to say anything for Marisol to get it.

  “Oh my goodness,” Marisol exclaimed, pushing her tray out of her way. She suddenly lost her appetite. “Chica . . . Did you guys fuck?”

  Taina nodded, still smiling like a maniac. Marisol stood up and went to the other side of the table to sit next to her. She grabbed her hands and looked into her eyes.

  “How the fuck did you pull that off?”

  “You know that small window in the basement at my house? I snuck out of it.”

  “You mean to tell me you got that big ass through that small-ass window?”

  “Yes, girl. But the struggle was too real.” They both laughed. “But no, seriously, that window is the only blind spot with the security guards. The camera will still pick it up, but I waited for it to rotate the other way. Mario was waiting down the street, and when I made it through the gate, we spent the rest of the night together. It was so amazing.”

  “Did it hurt?”

  “Hell yes, it hurt. But it was a good pain, I guess.”

  The two girls talked about Taina losing her virginity for the rest of their lunch hour. Marisol told her she was proud that she’d finally taken a stand for herself. Finally, she looked at the lunch ladies and the new lunch guys helping them take the food back into the kitchen.

  “I’ve never seen those guys before, have you?” Marisol asked, standing up to take her tray to the trash can.

  Taina stood up with her tray and stared at the guys Marisol was talking about. There were four of them, and Taina instantly made a weird face.