Florencio got out of the car and slammed the door shut. He stared at me through the window, daring me to stay inside the car.

I glared at him as I got out.

I started to walk to the front of the car but I tripped and fell on my knees. I grunted as my hands and knees took the impact of my weight on the concrete.

"How did you fall?" Florencio hushed, coming up behind me, pulling me up. I pushed his hands off me. I huffed as a reply.

His cold eyes did a once over on me.

"Why are you wearing a swimsuit?"

I crossed my arms over myself self consciously. "I was going to the local pool but you decided to jump in front of my car."

The side of his mouth quirked up. "Your knees are skinned." He grabbed my hands and touched them. I grimaced. They were too.

He dropped one hand and held on to the other, dragging me to the hotel entrance.

I resisted. "No...I can't. I'm not dressed..."

He turned around abruptly. "A man with a gun and very powerful people on his side are looking for us, and you're concerned about your outfit?"

I snatched my hand away from his and whimpered when it slid against his hand, hurting mine. "I also don't know you. You could bring me into a room and..."

His eyes dropped, back up again. The big parking lot seemed smaller. I felt sweat form on my upper lip.

"And do what, Parker?" He questioned, his voice dangerously quiet.

My face flushed. "Hurt me."

He stepped closer to me, grabbing my hand again tightly, making my fingers flex in pain. "If I wanted to hurt you, I would have already." His grip loosened on my hand. "You know who's really going to hurt you? Rudy when he finds you and uses you against me."

"W-we don't know each other." I swore he could hear my heart beating.

"Which would make it a lot more easier to leave you behind, wouldn't it?" His tone was serious.

I sucked in a sharp breath and whispered, "fine then. But I get to use the bathroom first."

He shook his head and continued to walk to the entrance. I swore I heard him chuckle.

As Florencio talked to the lady at the front desk, asking for a room, I kept tugging the pool cover down, pulling my swimsuit straps up, and then shifting my legs. The men who passed through the lobby stared at me and I found myself getting closer to Florencio.

He noticed and grabbed my hand, pulling me to the elevator. Seventh floor.

When we got into our room, Florencio immediately pulled out his phone and was furiously typing on it.

"How long are we going to be here?" I asked softly, not wanting to interrupt him.

He glanced up at me. "Till tomorrow morning."

My eyes widened. "I—Florencio, I can't. My mom—"

"Well, figure it out," he snapped, still typing. "Go out there and get caught and tortured or stay here."

I bit my lip hard. My eyes began to burn. I quickly started to walk to the bathroom.

He grabbed my arm before I could walk into the bathroom.

"Parker."

I pulled my arm out of his hold.

Once I got in the bathroom I broke down crying as silently as I could. I sat in the shower, biting my fist as I sobbed. After a few minutes I wiped my tears away and pulled my phone out from the side of the cup on my swimsuit.

I texted my best friend Gina.

Hi, Gina. Can you please tell my mom I'm sleeping over at your house tonight?

Me and Gina had been friends since the first grade so whenever I wanted to go over, there was no questions asked.

Why? She replied.

I swallowed hard and typed something I knew she wouldn't ask questions about. Because I'm with a boy. Please.

Her excited reply came, oh my god! Parker Rose with a boy? I don't think I read that right! Yeah, of course I'll cover for you! Have fun, be safe, love you ;)

I snorted. Be safe.

I got out of the tub and splashed cold water on my face. I looked so gross.

The bags under my eyes seemed to have amplified, my light eyebrows looked gone under the bright lights, and my hair looked like a rats nest. I quickly let it out of its ponytail and did my best to brush it out with my fingers. I brushed my teeth with the toothpaste provided already and my finger.

I exited the bathroom. Florencio was on this phone, whispering in... Spanish? Yeah, that was it.

He turned around to look at me. I felt my jaw clench. He said something to the phone and hung up.

He snatched some blankets off of the bed and walked over to the crappy couch that didn't even turn into a bed.

I stared at him as he set up his 'bed.'

He noticed and started to walk towards me. I walked back till the back of my knees hit the bed, forcing me to sit.

He walked away. When he came back, he had a small hand towel from the bathroom that was damp.

He kneeled in front my legs. I pushed them together.

He grabbed my ankles gently. "Let me clean your knees. You'll get an infection."

I nodded.

He pressed the same towel against my left knee, gently moving it and pushing down. He did the same to the other knee, to my hands.

When he was cleaning my knees, I felt my stomach flip when his hand gently held the back of my thigh, holding my leg in place for when I flinched.

He left to put the towel back in the bathroom.

"I'll sleep on the couch," I told him. "Let me."

"No," he instantly replied, pulling off his sweatshirt, leaving a black long sleeve.

"Let me."

"No!" He looked up at me. "Sleep on the floor if want to wake up with a knot tomorrow."

I took a deep breath. "You can sleep on the bed with me. I want the left side though, next to the air conditioner. I hate being hot while I sleep." I couldn't believe those words left my mouth.

Florencio ran his tongue over his teeth. He sat on the couch, watching me shift uncomfortably on the bed. His mouth started to pull up in a smirk but he bit his lip to stop it.

"Do you want me there?" He asked, his voice rough.

My heart sped up. "I–I don't know what to say..."

He continued to stare at me as he kicked his boots off, socks too.

Think of this as my way of saying thank you for not letting us die.

"Yes," I said quietly. His eyes widened ever so slightly. I crawled to the left side of the bed, as close to the edge as I could, and closed my eyes.

I felt the bed dip and some shuffling as Florencio got comfortable. After a minute I looked over my shoulder and saw him on his side too, his back to me. I took a deep shaky breath, put my back to him and fell asleep.