Diablo's desire

Chapter three

Anjola

My life was about to be pretty complicated even more than it was already. Diablo just asked me to marry him and frankly I didn't think there was a way out of this. It was either the house or me.

"You can't have her," Dad said, his voice so forceful that I actually shivered. That was not my father. My father was all smiles and laughs and cherry tones but today was different. Today he could lose his daughter y a stupid decision he made and I was damn sure that would make any family man snap.

Diablo's gaze went down as he took in my troubled composure before speaking,

"So I guess the choice has been made then."

"Diablo, Please. Just give us some time."

"Anjy, I believe I've made the choices very clear." He said with a shrug, suddenly uninterested with whatever we had to say.

But I just could not give up. There was no way I was selling myself to him. It was unheard of and disgusting.

"What would you gain from taking our house? I mean, look at your place."

"I'm glad you like my place but this would be to set an example to whoever plans to welsh my money in the future and... Isn't it just fun?"

This could not be happening. I could not spend the rest of my life with a man I didn't love and definitely not one who was so obsessed with making me his. I had to pretend the other choice didn't exist. No way Diablo was going to make some prize of his. We made eye contact one more time and I was surprised to see he could still be so calm despite the magnitude of evil he was about to commit. I've heard tales of what the military can do a person but this was inhuman.

"Mr. Julius, Draft the necessary house papers and meet me here tomorrow." He added and I felt my stomach flip.

It was such a build-up and It came unexpectedly. I felt disgusting saying them.

"I'll do it Diablo."

It was the only way to save the house, the only thing we had in our name. To save my father from himself and the cruel fate that awaited us if I didn't dance to Diablo's tunes.

"What? No!" My dad insisted, grabbing my hands like I would disappear at any moment.

  It was cute. My father might not be the greatest role model and barely played his father role like others would but still, we were all we had and even the worst moments, He was there for me just like he was doing now except, in this case, There was nothing he could do.

"Dad, There is nothing we can do. If there was another option, I would definitely be up for it but it's either we lose our house or I become his prized wife." I heard a snort from Diablo when he heard me say those words.

"No Anjy. Diablo, You should be ashamed. You are a man of the gun, sworn to protect people like her from things like this. Why would you go against all your moral standings?"

"Because I'm not a saint." He retorted. "I've killed and manipulated my way to where I am today and spare me morality. You couldn't even play your role as father right."

Diablo's words effectively shut my father up.

"Thought that would shut you up." He added.

I remained quiet watching how two men dictated how my life would be from now on. I couldn't believe my usual trips to the pop's shop for breakfast and my long boring day at the clinic was over.

"So what happens now?" I queried, feeling my father's hold on me clench.

"Enjoy the party if you want, go back home, pack up what you need day-to-day, quit your job, say goodbye to your father, get some sleep and get  your ass up bright and early and get back here by ten tomorrow morning...alone."

Tomorrow?

Tomorrow?

He was that eager to trap me with marriage. I wasn't so sure I could put up with this. The police could something, right? They could fight a fellow man of the uniform. A recently installed lieutenant who had the bucks to make little gods dance to his tunes. Yeah, That was a fleeting dream.

I could manage being trapped in a forced marriage but having to quit my job... The only means of freedom I believed I was going to get. He wanted to take that from me too.

"Why do I have to quit my job?"

"Because I don't want anything getting between you and me."

Yuck! Of all unholy things to say. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my pounding pulse and the swirling feeling in my stomach. It was just a job. A nursing job that drained my spirit constantly. It was nothing. True, I had worked there for a couple years and I had earned a lot of respect from my co-nurses and doctors, but I could work at another hospital at any time. I could even save face by claiming a family emergency for the reason I had to quit supposedly Diablo snaps out of this madness. I was sure this marriage was not going to last anyway.

"Ok. We'll see you tomorrow. Let's go Anjy." My father said suddenly, yanking me forcefully from Diablo's sight but even at that, The devil managed to spew more venom.

"She's coming alone tomorrow Mr. Julius so I suggest you spend this night with your daughter dutifully. It must be the last time you set your eyes on her."

"What!..." I yanked father away from me and charged back Diablo's desk.

Diablo Hansen, " I began, ready as hell to spit my s**t if he was playing games. "What do you mean by that?"

He sensed my argument but instead of giving me the reaction I wanted, He was amused.

"You've never called me like that before. You must be pissed."

I made a few and screamed into my head how much I hated Diablo Hansen. I wish death upon him and craved taking away that wide-toothed grin of his. It was such a temptation to hit him.

Knowing fully well that I was seconds from throwing sanity out if the window, My dad held me back and dragged me towards the door while I kept my eyes locked on Diablo imagining how good it would have felt to knock a tooth or two from his smile.

He dragged me down the hall.

Through the party, under the watchful eyes of guests and into a taxi.

"Dad!.." I tried to argue when we were away from Diablo and his choking influence but the man ordered me to be quiet. I had never seen him so tense, so afraid. So I shut the f**k up. I didn't speak until we got back to our apartment on the east side of North Carolina, climbed the stairs to our apartment and closed ourselves inside. Then and only then did he finally speak.

"We need to go. Now," he snapped, moving around, grabbing various items into his arms as he went.

"Dad... what are you doing?"

"Mexico. The islands. Europe. God damn Nigeria. I don't give a damn, but we have to get the hell out of this country right now." he said, grabbing my picture off my bookshelf of the one picture Mom and I took together.

"Dad. Dad," I said louder, almost yelling to try to catch his attention. When I did, I saw nothing but fear and worry and regret in his face. "We can't run from this. You know that. I bet if you looked down at the street that one of his bodyguard guys or whatever they are is sitting in a car outside. He knows our first instinct would be to run."

"You marry him! I won't let you!"

It hurt seeing him this heartbroken but I knew running would get us nowhere. I knew too well the wiles of money and I definitely knew Diablo so I said the only thing that would break my father's spirit.

"You should have thought about that before."