Chapter 2: Talking to Mom

Thalia POV

That last job paid me enough to get out of this area. That businessman was grotesque. I don’t know what made him think I was going to open my legs to him, but he was sweaty, fat, bald with a really sad comb over, and smelled of alcohol and cheap cigars. 

He thought that I was a pretty young thing selling my body. No, cupcake, I’m a pretty young thing sent to off your pathetic ass for backstabbing your partner. I made sure to tell him that before I slit his throat too. Once the job was done and I sent my proof, the second half of my payment was deposited. When I checked my private account, I saw almost seven figures staring back at me. That’s enough to give Mia and I a new start. I need to figure out where to go lay low before making my permanent exit with Mia. That’s my plan. We will start in one place and then pivot and move in the night and disappear. I will change our names, and we will live our lives for ourselves. Not for any man, trying to control what we do and don’t do in our lives. 

I get back home and when I enter, my mom is waiting for me in the kitchen. “Mi hija, I was starting to worry. How was your evening?” 

“It was long mama.” 

“I heard about your argument with your father. Do you want to talk about it?”

“Why? I’m not marrying Armando. He is a creep and doesn’t respect women. You know, like papa.” 

My mother knows I’m right. My father doesn’t even respect my mom. I think at one point he was in love with her, but his greed made him forget how he started and who was there for him in the beginning…my mom. My mom is a beautiful woman too. Even though she is older, I look like her. Dark curly and wavy hair and dark eyes, olive complexion, full lips, and eyebrows. She is a beautiful woman. I wish she would have left my dad years ago, but she stayed because of me. Then Rodrigo and Mia came along and by then, she felt trapped. Sometimes I wonder if she regretted having me, instead of leaving my dad. She could have had a different life if not for me. 

“Thalia, I know you and your father don’t get along. You both have very strong personalities. But he does love you. He loves all three of his kids.” 

“You don’t force your eldest daughter to marry a man simply because you want to control the man’s business. You know don’t force your youngest daughter to work for the company until a suitable husband can be found to strengthen the family business and make your daughter give up her dream of becoming a doctor. That’s not love mama.” 

“What?” She said. 

“You didn’t know?” I asked. 

“No. What are you talking about?” My mother asks me. She looks horrified. This tells me that once again, my father is only giving her half-truths. 

“Ma, papa told me he wants the Reyes ports. He wants me to marry Armando to infiltrate their business and take it over. Then the Moreno Family controls all the ports.” I begin, “Then Mia told papa about going to medical school and he said he wasn’t going to pay for medical school for her to become a doctor. He said she would work in the mailroom of the business until he finds her a suitable husband. That means, a husband that will help the family business grow. I won’t let that happen. Mia and I deserve to have a loving and peaceful life.” 

“Mi hija, I didn’t know. He just said he wanted you girls to marry into stability.” My mom said. “No, you won’t be marrying Armando. Your dad is putting you in danger with the way he is thinking.” 

I grab my mom’s hands and whisper to her. “I’m leaving with Mia, mama. You could come with us. We could get out of here. I’ve been saving money. I can hold us a float until we get something permanent.” 

“No, mi hija, I cannot go with you. I chose this life for myself, but it doesn’t need to be your life or your sister’s life. Where do you think you want to go?” 

“I’m not sure, ma. Somewhere they can’t get to us easily. Until I can get our names changed and start over somewhere new.” 

“I have an idea. Your father is leaving in a little while for a meeting. Once he leaves, let’s call your uncle Raul. He is in a pack, plus he is a doctor, perhaps Mia can get a letter of recommendation from him for a medical school.” 

“Okay, mama.” I left for my room. I showered and changed into my sweatpants and T-shirt. I waited until I heard my dad left.

My mother knocks on the door, and I see her face. He has hit her again. Her cheek is bruised. “What happened, ma?”

“Shh…I bought us time. Now let’s call your uncle. We have about an hour, and we will need to cover a lot in that time.” 

She grabs a tracker phone. I didn’t even know she had one of those. She dials his number and after two rings the phone answers, “Dr. Moreno, how can I help you?” 

“Raul, it’s Blanca. I need your help.”

“Blanca, what’s wrong?” He asks. He sounds concerned. I don’t know if he knows about the abuse or not.

“Diego is trying to marry off Thalia and Mia to bad men. He is doing it for greed and not for their well-being. Thalia has saved money, but she needs somewhere to go. I know you went to a pack. Can they come to you?” 

“I can’t make that decision, Blanca. Pack life is different, you know that. I need to ask the Alpha about letting my nieces, who don’t belong to a pack currently, come into the pack to live. The Alpha here is kind, but he is no pushover. Plus, the girls don't know anything about pack life. I need time to prepare. It’s late right now. I will talk to the Alpha first thing in the morning. If he agrees, then how long do you think it’ll take to get here?”

I speak up, “a month, Tio.” 

“Thalia, my sweet niece, when you get here, you and Mia need to have learned pack hierarchy and pack culture. Can you both do that for me?” 

“Si Tio, we will know it. Mama will help us.” I say as my mom nods her head. 

“Okay, wait for my text message tomorrow, Blanca. If he says yes, don’t worry, I will take care of them both, like they were my own.” 

“Thank you, Raul.”

We said our goodbyes and then hung up. Now we wait.