Tia
We left the plane; we weren’t at a typical airport. It was a warehouse with a landing strip and it was surrounded with prison-like fences and barbed wire around the top. Before we got off the plane I was told that if I misbehaved I would be shot in the head. It was made crystal clear that I was expendable. They said they could easily get to one of Tommy’s sisters. He had a pregnant sister who would be an easy mark. I believed them and I cooperated.
We travelled in an old Jeep down a long dirt road and it opened up into a palatial property. Gardens, tennis courts, pool, pond, huge home, several smaller homes. I was in some sort of compound that had its own landing strip. Nothing further had been said to me other than the threat. Earl and his two cohorts were quiet through the flight. I felt like I had gone from the frying pan into the fire.
When they walked me into the main house we were greeted by an older Spanish housekeeper and we were led to a big flower-filled solarium where an older Mexican man was tending flowers. He was short, stocky, and grey-haired, with a weather-worn face. He was at least 60, if not 70. He looked at me and then motioned to a small bistro table that had been set with a tea set and a plate with little triangle crustless sandwiches.
“Please sit,” he said. He had a strong Mexican accent.
I sat.
“You, my dear, have the misfortune of being a pawn in a game, I’m afraid. But you’ll be safe here, provided the Ferrano family meets my demands. They are not known for bargaining so I hope that you mean something to that fiancé of yours.”
I would’ve gulped but my throat was so dry I couldn’t.
“Please, have tea, something to eat.” He poured tea into the cup and glanced at his wristwatch. I didn’t know what else to do so I shakily spooned sugar into the teacup.
Tommy
Pop had agreed, without hesitation, that we needed to get her back. They had demanded that he, not me, come down to negotiate tomorrow. But I was already there so we were pushing back.
I still didn’t know why he picked this specific girl for me but he clearly wanted me to have her because he was on board with getting her back, no matter the cost. He didn’t try to talk me out of anything.
At first, Dare ranted about the fact that we didn’t play these games with our enemies and that if we negotiated not only would we appear weak but Tia would then become an ongoing liability because our enemies would know that she was a weakness. I thought I’d have a fight on my hands with Pop, that he’d wave his hand dismissively and tell me to let the Castillo family do whatever to her.
But Pop was on board with getting her back and gave me the green light to do whatever it took, “This is the mother of my future grandchildren,” he said in retort after Dari
o protested, She’s already part of this family. Yes we don’t usually play these games but what if this was Luciana or Contessa? You’d pay any price. This girl is your brother’s so now she’s your sister, too. Besides, if we don’t take care of our own what will that say to people who trust us? Tommy, you’re all but boss now so you have my full support, whatever you have to do to bring her back. As soon as she’s back we plan the wedding and then you are in full control. Me and Monalisa are retiring to the Caymans.”
I knew that if I didn’t get her back fast they wouldn’t kill her. No, they’d do worse. They’d use her. Then when they had sucked out her soul and left her a shell of a person she’d be sent off to a Mexican brothel where she’d get addicted to blow and where she’d eventually die, either from an overdose, from suicide, or because a John had been too rough. They couldn’t have her, couldn’t ruin her. She was mine. The thought of “mine to ruin” was in my head but I pushed it away. I didn’t want to ruin her. I hoped I hadn’t already done it.
We were going to play ball to get her back and then I would systematically destroy that cartel. I would tear Castillo limb from limb with my bare hands. If he dared let anyone touch her, I would take even longer ending his life. I couldn’t even begin to think about what I’d do to Earl for his betrayal. He knew how we operated. What would possess him to do this?
“We don’t play these games. What are we even fucking doing talking to the fucking pedo?” said Dario, again shaking his head, when he and I were on our way to the airport.
I’d snarled at my brother and threw him up against the wall, “Dario!”
He hadn’t said a word since but when I’d responded that way, he looked at me and something flashed in his eyes, a knowing look. I think it must’ve hit him then that she meant something to me and his whole demeanor, his body language shifted. He was quiet on the plane, leaving me to stew and plot, and seethe throughout the flight. He dealt with our guys, with clean-up back home, he dealt with everything for me throughout the flight and started to confirm arrangements with our people on the ground and he just let me be. Now he stared out the window of the car that was taking us to the meeting place, looking deep in thought. A van followed behind with eight of our men. A car followed behind that one with six more. We were going in to negotiate but we were protecting ourselves, too.
We were established here. We had a safe house and we had people and muscle in this area that we had on standby as well. All this was news to me but whatever. Castillo was small time compared to some of the players in the game and this had been a bold move. Too bold. I didn’t understand the point of this. We’d crush him.
Tia
“So,” the man said, “I’m Juan Carlos. Your name is Athena, correct?”
I nodded.
“You been engaged to Ferrano not too long.”
I shook my head.
“You love this man? He kind to you?”
I didn’t know what the right answer was. I didn’t even know if Tommy was alive. I tried not to give anything away. Before I had a chance to respond he continued,
“If he does not come for you, I’m sure we can find someone to be kind to you. Or for you to be kind to?” He gave me a smile. He had a gold eye tooth. This felt like something right out of a movie. A Spanish man with gold teeth and broken English? Was I in a freaking Tarantino movie?
Okay so Tommy couldn’t be dead. I didn’t know if I felt relief, I thought I might, but I couldn’t exactly reconcile the emotions swirling around in me right now. I couldn’t process much. I felt sick.