Not all who wander are lost.

It was a weird feeling when you felt your own breath catch in your throat but Marsh was always worried about someone recognizing and pointing out whom he really was.  He knew she worked for the Governor so he had to play it cool.  “Mule… what?”  Well that was a weird place to go and his brows stitched together momentarily but he shook it off.  “No, you just seemed like a nice lady.  Sorry if I offended ya, darlin’.”

Lupe noticed he was shrinking down, perhaps he didn’t mean it in the way she took it, or maybe he didn’t see how he was coming off to her. Either way, she mentally kicked herself for what she was going to do next. “Alright,” She held out her hand for the cash. “Pero, I’m not gonna search high and low for it though, if it’s not there, it’s not there.”

Lupe gave the guy a weird look. Was he joking? Or on drugs? She couldn’t tell. “Look, you can give me the money, but honestly you probably won’t see me again.” She rolled her eyes and sighed. “I’ll go in with you though.”

“Quite the opposite, darlin’.”  He paused and changed gears on what he was about to say.  Surely he couldn’t mention that he had the Governor’s personal number or that the woman constantly kissed family ass for campaign contributions.  “We live in the same town and I’m friends with the Kings… I’m sure I’d see ya, luv.  I appreciate your honesty though.”  He shook his head.  “No… I can’t.  Can’t go in there.”

Lupe stepped back and eyeballed the kid. He must’ve been someone, or his family was big in town. She didn’t know who, though. She didn’t really care too much. At times like these, she wished she could throw her cartel connections on people, but she didn’t have that kind of sand, or power. “Do I look like a mule to you? Get someone else to do it.” She scoffed.

“Probably at Wal-Mart, in the little kids section.” Lupe raised an eyebrow at the man.

“Shit… I feared that.”  Marsh looked her over for a brief moment.  She seemed like a trustworthy lady.  “If I give you money will you go in and get one for me?  Walmart scares me… I can’t.”

Lupe gave the guy a weird look. Was he joking? Or on drugs? She couldn’t tell. “Look, you can give me the money, but honestly you probably won’t see me again.” She rolled her eyes and sighed. “I’ll go in with you though.”

“Yeah where can I get one of them Spiderman watches?  You know the ones that shoot the webbies?”

“Probably at Wal-Mart, in the little kids section.” Lupe raised an eyebrow at the man.

“You are such a fucking idiot. Ay dios…. Vete a la chingada!”

Lupe watched awkwardly as Nero yelled at one of his men. She now knew better than to butt in. “Vas a empezar a me recuerdan a su padre.” She told him with a small smile after the other man had left.

Lupe simply responded by giving a small shrug and nodding. That was definitely true. Evelyn would kill both of them if she knew what was going on, but Lupe was positive she would never find out. She’s hidden bigger secrets from her boss. The way Parker looked at her was almost intimidating, but at the same time, it only fueled her desire for him.

“It’s nice, isn’t it? I am easily satisfied with the very best.” Parker grinned, bringing her a drink once they had settled inside the place. He sat down on one of the nice couches – which he updated often to keep his ‘bachelor pad’ up to date. “Come, have a seat.” He said, patting the cushion next to him.

Lupe took a glance around one last time before sit down next to Parker, leaving little room between them and crossing her legs as she did. “Wow, this is super comfortable.” She smiled at him.

“Bars are fun. It’s a good way to socialize and be able to leave whenever you want to. Plus… booze.” Luke grinned. “Nothing to be ashamed of. You’re a beautiful young woman. You gotta get in your R&R somewhere, right?”

“Oh yeah, I’ve met a few awesome people around here at bars.” Lupe smiled, ordering a bottle of beer and taking a sip of it once it was handed to her. She blushed slightly at the compliment. “Well, thanks.” She replied with a small laugh. “Yeah I do, but I don’t know if a bar is always the place for that. There’s some real creeps around this town.”

“Miralo.” Nero said, scooting his chair closer and clearing the accumulating blood and ink off her breast. A brother took the instruction to change the angle of her head, forcing it down to watch the ink punch again and again into her otherwise pure and markless skin. Half way through, he took a break to stretch his back and let the skin settle. There was no anesthetic cream or lotion to smooth the latex of his gloves against her chest. Just bottled water to rinse away the excess. “You did this yourself.” Nero cracked his knuckles and took the machine once again.

Even after being forced to look down as Nero marked her, she closed her eyes and tried to keep her body from moving as she practically sobbed. The tattoo felt like it was burning her skin, and in such a sensitive spot, it hurt terribly. With nothing to cool it down, her skin quickly turned red on and around the area he was placing the tattoo.

Her question didn’t deserve an answer. As a matter of fact, she’d hit her quota on questions so he shot her a look while he loaded his needle into the machine, plugged the foot pedal into the outlet, and tested it out. Nero sat back and wondered what best place to tattoo the insignia on her that could be easily hidden at work. Knowing that her job declared some form of modesty, he wanted everyone to know outside that she was theirs. 

Lupe saw the look Nero gave her and knew it meant to shut up. Still, she continued to struggle a little as he loaded the needle, to no avail. As he looked her over, she was speechless. She couldn’t even protest anymore. Hot tears continued to roll down her face as Nero found the spot to place the tattoo.

Lupe’s heart began to race when he began to tie her hands together. After he turned her around, she jerked her face from his grasp and attempted to fight her way out of his hold. “Let me go, Nero!” She shouted louder than she meant to. “I didn’t do anything.” She added, quieter this time.

“Pero tú querías!” He roared, slapping her hard across the face. “Cállate!” Taking the gun from his back, he pressed it below her chin against the soft vulnerable gap of flesh unprotected by bone. “This is your consequence.” Nero called for two brothers, leaving the third still guarding the door. Holding her down firmly in Francisco’s chair, Nero walked back to the door and locked it again. “Cinturónes.” Lupe’s ankles were then bound to the legs of the chair. 

Lupe tried to hold out as long as she could, but once he slapped her, the pain itself caused tears to flow down her cheeks. At the feeling of a gun pressed under her chin, she asked, “¿Por qué haces esto, Nero?” Lupe never thought Nero would become this way, and she couldn’t help but think she was being used as some sort of example to Francisco.

Before Lupe could react, she felt his grip on the back of her neck and in the blink of an eye, the side of her face was slammed down onto the desk. She cried out at the impact and fought back tears. Feeling him behind her only caused her to whimper. “Nero, please, let me just go…”

He made a condescending cooing noise, smoothing her hair back. Low against her ear, he chuckled darkly. “No puedo hacer eso mi nenita” Whipping his belt off, one hand still firmly pushing her down on the desk, he quickly let go to tie her wrists together. The belt was lithe and flexible yet strong and durable. Nero turned her around, hand gruffly cupping her jaw. “You made a very big mistake, Lupe.”

Lupe’s heart began to race when he began to tie her hands together. After he turned her around, she jerked her face from his grasp and attempted to fight her way out of his hold. “Let me go, Nero!” She shouted louder than she meant to. “I didn’t do anything.” She added, quieter this time.

“I was told to wait here for him. Besides, I would rather talk to him directly. I can just come back another time.”

“Come back another time?” He chuckled. “Para alguien que no es de la familia él te trata como una princesa.” Nero brushed all the papers off the desk, gripped the back of Lupe’s neck and slammed her against the desk. Holding her there, Nero kicked her feet apart and positioned himself to fit cozily between her legs and perky backside. “Qué deberíamos hacer sobre eso?”

Before Lupe could react, she felt his grip on the back of her neck and in the blink of an eye, the side of her face was slammed down onto the desk. She cried out at the impact and fought back tears. Feeling him behind her only caused her to whimper. “Nero, please, let me just go…”

“El no está aquí ahora mismo. Dime lo que puedo informar más tarde.”

“I was told to wait here for him. Besides, I would rather talk to him directly. I can just come back another time.”