Chapter 10

Mia

I pushed that thought away as the interior came into view.

The room we entered was large, reminding me of one of my mother’s rear living rooms. At one end was a stone fireplace with built-in bookcases on each side. The kitchen and dining areas were the other direction. The floor was a lovely natural wood, and there were three massive sets of glass doors.

Aléjandro led me toward the middle one. It opened like an accordion, the wall of glass moving, revealing a beautiful outdoor oasis. Pavers covered the large expanse around an inground pool. Beyond the grass, the Pacific Ocean glistened beneath the sunshine.

“This view reminded me of the Ruiz home.”

“It’s beautiful.” I stifled a laugh as I looked around. “There’s no furniture.”

“There’s some. There are stools for the kitchen counter, and two of the bedrooms have furniture. I’m not attached to any of it. I asked the sellers to leave it.” Before I could speak, he went on, “I thought you might want to decorate.”

“Me?” I spun around, looking up at the two stories. “I get to decorate?”

“Whatever you like, Mia. I don’t know anything about furniture or décor. Fuck, I’ve been living in the Ruiz pool house for the last two or three months and been content. I have the name of a decorator, but I wanted…” He took a breath. “You don’t have to, but I thought…maybe you could take over the responsibility.”

“Yes. I’d love that.” I couldn’t contain my smile if I tried. “Do I have a budget?”

He laughed. “No. Whatever you want.”

Whatever I want?

He took my hand. “Come, there’s more.” He walked me through the over four thousand square feet of home. There was a primary suite on the first floor and one upstairs. They both had beds, bedside stands, and dressers.

“Do we each have our own room?” I asked as we entered the second-floor suite. Both suites also had sitting areas. The upstairs one had a balcony that looked over the pool and ocean. The first-floor suite had the patio with the trellis I’d seen from outside.

“No.” His smile grew. “I may have to take ten showers a day, but I’m sleeping next to my wife.”

I caught my lower lip between my teeth, stifling a smile. It wasn’t right for me to enjoy his discomfort. “The other bedroom?”

“I started telling you about your new bodyguard. His name is Silas. I trust him because he’s worked for my parents for over twenty years. He’s also married to one of the best cooks in the world, Viviana. I asked them to consider moving here with us.”

 “Your family won’t miss them?”

“I’m sure they will. Silas and Viviana accepted my offer. They wanted to move to the States for a while. This was a good reason. Currently, they have a work visa, but your brother promised to pull a few strings and get their paperwork fast-tracked.” He grinned. “The famiglia has connections the cartel appreciates.”

It was interesting to hear the alliance from the other side.

Aléjandro went on. “The first-floor suite will be theirs. Silas will be available to you at all times.” His smile faded. “I’m afraid in this house we aren’t as isolated as your mother’s home. The cartel has done well, and that success has made us a target. I trust Silas with protecting you. And because he’s happily married, I trust him not to overstep with what is mine.”

With me.

Warmth filled my cheeks. “I look forward to meeting them. But for the record, I’m used to cooking and cleaning.”

“You shouldn’t be.”

I pressed my lips together.

Aléjandro went on, “Once they’re here, you and Viviana can work out whatever you want. Silas will also be overseeing the other guards assigned to our home. I won’t take any chances. Oh, warning, there may be a bit of a language barrier.”

I opened my eyes wide. “Tell me they speak English.”

“Un poco but primarily Spanish.”

I shrugged. “I wanted to go to school. Learning a new language can be my first lesson.”

“You wanted to go to school? And what would you study?”

Swallowing, I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Hola,” a deep voice called from somewhere in the house.

Aléjandro shook his head. “Rei. We’re up here,” he called. 

Stepping away, I went out on the balcony as Aléjandro walked toward his brother’s voice. Lifting my face to the sea breeze, I held tight to the railing and closed my eyes. I’d almost asked my husband if I could attend college. That realization made me sick to my stomach and as if the walls were closing in on me at the same time.

For the second time in my life, I was trapped in a marriage that I feared would end up like my first. Soon, I would be thirty years old, and I was supposed to behave as I did when I was twelve—asking permission for things that should be my own choice.

Staring out at the glistening water, I felt the prickle of tears. It was stupid. I should be happy. Most women would be ecstatic about this house and a blank check to decorate. Tomorrow, a bodyguard and cook would arrive.

Aléjandro hadn’t asked why I cooked and cleaned. Rocco and I couldn’t afford to hire a full-time cook or housekeeper. Once I moved back in with my mother, I fell into her lifestyle with maids, cooks, gardeners. Name it, she had it.

The life Aléjandro was offering me was what I thought I’d always wanted, but with it staring me in the face, I wasn’t happy. My chin fell forward as I let a few of the tears escape.

“Mia.”

Quickly, I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand and turned toward the bedroom. Aléjandro and Reinaldo were both standing in the open door. I feigned a smile. “Welcome to our empty house.”

“Maybe I’ll move in here and out of the Ruiz pool house.”

“The more the merrier,” I replied.

Aléjandro quickly answered, “Camila would miss you hanging around their pool.” He laughed. “My brother, breaking eighteen-year-old hearts in two countries.”

“Eighteen is legal,” Reinaldo said with a smirk. “Of course, Andrés would probably kill me if I so much as touched her hand. And since I’m living and sleeping there, I have remained hands off.”

“I’d be more concerned about Em,” my husband said. “He was still contemplating killing the capo until he found out about the baby.”

“Should I warn my brother?” I asked.

“I think he’s safe,” Aléjandro replied.