I scan the quiet ruins, half-expecting a small army to come out to detain me, but nothing moves.
“Where are your men?” I demand, not nearly as worried as I should be. Despite being under Juan’s gun, there’s a temperament about him that has me thinking this won’t be our final meeting.
“It’s just you and me,” Juan says, softly.
“Bullshit,” I growl. “You wouldn’t be so stupid to meet me here all alone.”
“I’m not alone,” Juan says, shifting enough in place so that I can catch the look on his face. A sorrowful grin crosses his weathered features as he gestures towards the gun he has pointed in my direction.
I can’t help but laugh. “You were never one to get your hands dirty. Where’s the sniper that will put a bullet between my eyes if I upset you?”
Juan chuckles along. “My hands are far from clean, Angel,” He jumps down from his spot on the wall and disappears into the dark shadow it casts.
For a second, I tense up. My fist is eager to reach for the gun tucked under my belt, but then Juan reappears, and his gun is by his side, no longer pointed at me.
That’s a mistake. We both know I’m quick enough to get a shot off before he could raise his weapon to shoot back. But I’m too curious to kill this basta
rd just yet. Plus, an annoying little voice in the back of my head is drilling a seed of hope into my brain.
He’s on your side...
No, impossible. He’s working for my brother.
“You look as good as ever,” Juan smiles, stopping some fifteen yards away from me. The heavy humid air that’s been swirling around the country lately is blocked out by the ruins. It’s quiet here, and deathly still.
“You look like hell,” I snap back. It’s not a lie. Juan looks like I feel, like he’s been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders for the past two years. “I guess working for someone like Dante will do that to you.”
“I only work for your brother in name,” Juan says, his soft smile dropping for a more serious scowl.
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“It means I do his bidding... as long as it benefits me.”
“So, you’re not denying that you’re a traitor?”
Juan sighs. “Unfortunately not, but I can explain.”
A younger me might have ripped out my gun and shot him where he stands the moment he confessed, but I’ve had time to mature over the past two years, to think. I’m not going to make my mistake with the gilded lion again.
Juan must know where Catalina is. So, he’s of much more use to me alive than dead.
“Go on, then. Explain.” I urge him.
To my surprise, Juan holsters his gun and raises his hands. “I thought it might be you, finally returned from your exile, who was killing so many of Dante’s men, but I didn’t dare hope...”
“You wanted me back?”
“We both did.”
My heart stops. “... You’ve been talking to Catalina?”
“I’ve been taking care of her.”
“What does that mean?” There’s no cruelty in Juan’s voice, but I can’t help but anger at the thought of someone else taking care of my girl. That’s supposed to be my job... but I failed. Fuck.
“It means that I’ve been doing what I can to help her.”
My shoulders slouch as heavy hope desperately climbs up over my fury. “Does Dante not have her anymore?”