It was morning and damn early when my phone rang, and God knows how much I hate morning calls, but I bet it's important so I got up. I searched through my phone and found it on my bedside table,
"Hello", I answered with a breaking voice.
"Ms. Audrey, it's me," the voice from the other line answered.
"Who's who?" I scowled as he interrupted my sleep.
"From Mr. Torres's place", he whispered on the phone.
"Oh, yes, Senor, what's up?" I sat down as I continued listening to his report.
I found out that the family besides Torres's unit didn't want to move because of their current job. So I came up with a plan and let Senor handle it,
"So here's what you will tell them. They need to leave immediately because the offer stands only until today. Clear?"
"Yes, Ms. Audrey. I will do anything to make-", he was still explaining but I cut him off,
"Yes, yes. Just finish it today, Mr. but. I gotta go", and I hang up.
I lay down and complemented myself, "Aren't you a genius, Audrey? Who can say no to a house and a pile of money."
"Or maybe I gave them too much?" I questioned myself, "Anyway, it's not my money anyway, so why not splurge on it!"
I felt extremely tired so after a few more minutes of bragging about my genius plan, I fell asleep.
***
Later that day, I waited for Senor's update on the situation. While waiting, I decided to check if the bugging devices I planted at Torres's crib were working.
I turned on the machine and all I heard were static sounds.
"Engg...."
"Kshhh...Kshhh,"
I threw it away, and massaged my ear from the loud sound, "What the–?" All I could hear was the static and the eerie high pitch sound.
Something was wrong with it.
"Should I pay him a visit tonight?"
I called one of Beast's dogs to ask about Torres's schedule tonight.
I even confirmed and gave Senor a heads-up via phone call.
Good timing! He won’t be in his apartment again. He’s probably working or having fun somewhere.
Seriously, I hate Beast even more for asking me to stalk someone without even providing a good picture of him!
The best shot they have was this shitty stolen shot walking along the street near this apartment building. Apparently, Beast told me that this guy is skilled. I tried looking up his photos within my network, but they told me they didn’t have his photo yet because he always lurked around with his men all the time.
Rumors said he was extremely gorgeous.
I sighed in dismay, "What if I already passed by him on my way here?"
I don't know why but this task gave me chills all the time, "Fuck!"
Without wasting any more time, I checked the envelope and it was still there where I left it. I wiped the dust around the envelope with my finger.
“Hmmm? The envelope was not moved at all, and the place is in the same way as I left it.”, I presumed. According to Senor they already returned, but why didn’t he even touch the envelope?
Or did it mean, “This small thick envelope didn't interest him enough?", I muttered as I stood up from my position. I had to finish this work as fast as I could so Beast will give me another share of his fortune.
“How I wish there was another way faster than this but, since we are dealing with someone as sly as a fox, Beast wants me to get acquainted with him and personally manipulate him in my own hands. Tsk. What a nuisance!” I was speaking to myself when I was dragged back to reality.
The walls of this apartment were thin so you could slightly hear the sound from the outside, and speaking of sound, I suddenly heard footsteps from the hallway. "Hold on a second Pete, I'll just get my keys," a man with a deep voice just spoke...
"Yeah sure," another man joined the conversation as the sound of their footsteps became louder, indicating they were approaching.
“Shit! I'll be dead if I get caught." I started to panic, "W..w..wait, maybe this is not the room. Maybe they're from the other–" I was still debating with myself when the door from this apartment unit unlocked.
“Click!”
"Fuck", this was bad timing.
"Why now, of all times?" I cussed a hundred times in my mind.
"I must hide. Somebody's here,” I crammed looking for a place where I could fit my petite body. I sweat heavily and it reached my eyes.
"Hide where? Shit, shit, shit! Audrey, calm down, will you?! You are Audrey!” I convinced myself.
Two men finally entered the apartment where I was.
"Hey Pete, come on, the door's open," so they were heading here after all.
My eyes got a glimpse of a door not far away from the entrance hallway, so I tiptoed toward it as fast as I could.
Phew!
I am now in his bedroom, "Again. This is getting more intense than expected”, it doesn't matter where, all I could think about right now is how not to get caught. Sweat invades my body.
I checked the bed but the space under it wasn't enough for me to hide. I looked around as I heard the footsteps from the living room and the men talking. I eyed a closet big enough to hide me, so without any other choice, I fit myself in.
To be exact, "Forcefully, fit me in."
This closet is a good hideout. I hope he won't be needing a change of clothes now. I heard the main door shut. Good thing the bedroom door was open. I could hear them clearly from here. I opened the closet door a bit, I could see them from here as it is parallel to the door. I watched and continuously listened to them.
"So Damien, how's it going?" said the man in a brown leather jacket. Lucky, I thought. At least, now I am sure, this man is the real Damien Torres. I now know what he looks like.
"Doing fine. But I haven't seen her yet," answered him–the one with perfect body features. He was wearing a fitted V-neck shirt that accentuated his muscles. No shit! He's got great biceps! I almost blurt the comment out of admiration. He was in jeans, and he stood at around six foot two tall. His arms looked like he was well trained, similar to Beast’s arms when he was still in his mid-forties.
“God! Torres is deadly hot!” I said deep down.
I shook myself and went back to their conversation, "What are they talking about anyway?"
"I'm telling you, dude, she's really hot, sexy, and really beautiful. Your eyes will consume her with lust when you see her!” said the man named Pete. Wait, is he talking about me? That’s a lot of compliments dude!
The good-looking guy frowned at him and sighed, "Hey Pete, stop it. You know that's not why I came here," Pete called him earlier, Damien.
So the man with perfect body features is indeed the infamous Damien. My intuition was right all along, gorgeous, smart, athletic, and a freaking hottie.
"Relax, will ya, man?” putting his hands up as a sign of surrender, then he added, “Why don't you try and visit Lotus Bar, first. See it yourself! Know more about their hidden gems, and maybe you'll meet the goddess, after all. It will be good for your new business, don't you think?" exclaimed Pete.
"Whatever, man! Just get to the station first," Torres coldly responded.
But before he disappeared, Torres looked in my direction. Fuck! I think he noticed me.
I started perspiring even more when Pete noticed something, “Oh, wait, there's an envelope full of money beside you. Take it and pamper your men more."
Hold on a second, isn't that the money we gave him? What the hell?
Pete took the envelope with him and then left saying, “I got some girl hunting to do!”
Then Torres just smirked at him and threw him out of his apartment.
"Finally!” thinking that the two of them had gone their way.
Pete peeped at the door again and convinced him, “Sure you don't want to tag along?”
Wait? What? Torres isn’t coming with him? I panicked. Shi! Should I wait until he came out?
10 minutes passed.
30 minutes passed.
My legs started to cramp. When is he going to leave, seriously?
"I think I may get suffocated and pass out."
An hour has already passed and he just sat, read, and checked on his phone.
"Gosh, I'm tired of this, when will he be leaving?" I was losing my patience, let alone my breath. I was stuck inside a closet for fuck's sake.
Yet I have to endure it or else... I was talking to myself when a deep voice interrupted me out of the blue,
"Aren't you tired of hiding?" Torres suddenly talked, but who is he talking to? I didn't see or hear anyone arriving at this apartment. So I ignored his words.
"In case you're wondering, I'm talking to you, lady, who's been inside my closet for almost 2 hours." His figure remained seated despite his claims, so maybe he was just bluffing or just practicing a dialogue or something.
Then I reassured myself, "That’s impossible!”
How would he know that a person is hiding in here? And a woman?
"Come on, you'll only exhaust yourself, stop hiding. I won't hurt you, I promise," his words were direct to me. But how did he know? I was careful.
"At the count of three, if you don't come out, I'll come to you," Hmm, that's a fair warning, I am almost convinced, Torres. But, do you think I would fall for that?
When I didn’t move an inch, he started counting, "One," his voice was stern.
"Two," the tone in his voice doesn't change at all. But why do I feel so nervous? God! Should I go out? I don't know!
"Two and a half…" Oh shit! I don't have a choice, do I?
"Three... I'm coming!" he finally stood up.
"Oh, no! He is fucking serious!" leaving me no other choice, I spoke,
"Okay! Okay! Easy will you? Just step back and I will come out! Deal?"
"Deal!" He responded.