Free Acoustic Shadows by Patrick Kendrick Page B

the ocean. Just the two of them. They drove from Ciudad Juarez, a city his father literally
owned
, all the way out to the coast in his fancy new American car, a Lincoln Continental.
    They travelled to a small town called Puerto Penasco where Emilio owned a rather large beach house neither Julio nor his mother had known about. There, the father told the son he was now a man, and he allowed him to drink his very fine, aged tequila. Julio had never felt so close to his father, sipping the golden liquor on the warm sand overlooking the blue ocean. He felt as though they were buddies for the first time in his life.
    One morning, Emilio told his son he had friends coming from Tijuana. They were bringing Julio presents in honour of his birthday, because they respected Don Emilio. The men arrived, oddly, driving two beat-up vans. One man got out of his van and, grinning, went to the back and opened the side door. A half-dozen perspiring but beautiful women emerged from the back, as if a genie’s bottle had tipped over and spilled its lovely contents: blondes, brunettes, even a redhead who looked like the American movie star, Ann-Margret. They wore lots of make-up, and low-cut blouses that pushed their breasts up into nice, plump, fleshy pillows. A couple of them wore fishnet stockings. Julio almost drooled looking at them and found himself becoming both excited and a little nervous.
    The sun was setting, casting a warm, welcoming, orange glow over the ladies and the idyllic beach setting. Emilio told the women to go inside the house and freshen up. They walked close to Julio. He could smell their perfume and their sweaty sex. A couple of the
mujeres
winked at him. One brushed by him, slowed, and dragged her hand across his still hairless chest, letting her fingers linger on his nipple and giving it a little twist. Goose bumps broke out all over his body and an erection grew, noticeably, in his swim trunks. The men laughed good-naturedly.
    From the other van, two more men got out. Both of them had automatic rifles and pistols and stayed near their van. No one got out of the back.
    Julio was not frightened, or even surprised. He had seen the men who worked for his father carry guns before. In fact, most of his father’s ‘friends’ had one in a belt or shoulder holster, under their jackets. He knew his father’s businesses made lots of money, so it made sense these men armed themselves, particularly in Mexico, where kidnapping and murder were very common.
    ‘Go in the house, Julio,’ his father ordered. ‘The girls are sweet. They will take care of you.’ Julio grinned as if he’d just given him the best present in the world. No one had to tell him twice. He was ready to bust.
    For the next couple of hours, Julio lost his virginity to a variety of willing women – all pros – using a variety of positions, angles, and tricks that aroused and satisfied him over and over again, until he thought he would die from exertion. They had gathered in the bedrooms upstairs, showered, and played until everyone worked up a voracious appetite. A few of the women had gone downstairs – tired of the insatiable needs of the boy toy – and helped Emilio cook a grand dinner for everyone there. They gorged themselves on paella and homemade sangria.
    After dinner, Emilio told the women to clean up the dishes. He and the men were going outside for a walk and a cigar. Julio was exhausted, but his father insisted he come along.
    ‘The initiation of your manhood is not complete,’ he said. Julio grinned wearily and tagged along behind his father and the other men.
    They strolled down the drive and approached the van the other men still guarded. Julio had forgotten about it and wondered what was inside that was so important as to keep these men out here while the others had enjoyed such a sumptuous meal and the company of the ladies.
    Emilio nodded to the men and told them to get some dinner. They nodded back, gratefully, and one of them said,