Chapter 19

Isabella

As soon as Emiliano shut the door, I hurried to the attached bathroom and turned on the light. I wasn’t certain what had happened. Was it shock? It might have been brought on by the sight of Em’s six-pack abs or were they eight? When he lifted his shirt, I barely noticed the gun.

With my hands on the top of the vanity, I stared into the mirror. My reflection was far from beautiful. If someone asked, I’d say I looked ghostly. My insides buzzed in an unfamiliar way. I touched my forehead. My skin felt clammy as if I’d run a fever, but that was impossible. I was too cold for that.

Reaching for the faucet, I ran the water until it warmed. My fingers ached as the water turned my skin pink. I splashed more water on my face, rubbing away the mascara that had smeared. As my body began to warm, I felt the rise in temperature on the back of my neck. A quick search of Mia’s drawers in the vanity and I found a hair tie. As I was securing my hair in a ponytail, I heard a knock.

“Come in,” I called as I peeked out into the office, expecting Em’s return.

“Izzy?”

“Liliana. I was expecting Em.”

“He said he’ll be back here soon. I wanted to check on you. I came earlier, but he was in here with you.”

I nodded. “He talked me off a ledge, so to speak.”

Liliana peered toward the window. “Yeah, that window doesn’t open and if it did, there would be about a foot to the ground. Not much of a ledge.” She sat in one of the chairs at the small table. “I’m sorry about the lunch conversation. I didn’t expect it to get so graphic.”

I took the chair opposite her. “Don’t be sorry. I need to know what is happening if I want to help the…residents.” I feigned a smile. “I’ve lived eighteen years of my life in a gilded cage, not even fully realizing what was happening around me.”

She nodded. “I get it.”

“Did you always understand the cartel?”

Liliana shook her head. “I had a crash course when I married Gerardo.”

“Em said something that made me think.”

“What did he say?”

“My mind is a bit jumbled, but it was about protecting children from the burdens of the family businesses. I don’t know if I hate my parents for doing that or love them for the same reason. I mean” —I gestured around— “this is a lot to comprehend. Could they have eased me into it, or was it better to have eighteen years of ignorant bliss?”

She grinned. “You’re very philosophical.”

I scoffed. “Not normally. It must be a side effect of the shock.”

“Well, Em gave Celeste and Reina an earful.”

“No.” I stood. “He shouldn’t have done that. I’m here to help them. I can’t do that if they’re afraid to tell me things.”

“Maybe you should clear the air.”

Nodding, I went to the door. As I opened it, Em was standing there with his fist ready to knock, his bicep bulging as if the matter of a closed door could never stop his entrance. Gathering my courage, I asked, “What did you say to Celeste and Reina?”

His dark gaze went to Liliana and back to me.

“We don’t lie to one another, remember,” I said.

“Thanks, Liliana.”

She was now standing. “I think that’s my cue to leave.”

“Don’t blame her. What did you say?”

“Most people would be appreciative of a lieutenant stepping in.”

“What did you say to them?” I repeated.

“I told them not to overwhelm you. That you’re having a lot of realities thrown at you all at once and to go easy.”

My fist went to my hip. “Thank you, but I don’t need a lieutenant or a knight in shining armor.” I kept my stare locked with his, unwilling to let myself think about the toned abs beneath his shirt as he blocked the doorway. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to talk to them before I get my lesson on the computer program.”

Em took a step back, his nostrils flaring and his lips pressed together.

Back in the front office, I went to the tall desk. “Ladies.” Reina and Celeste turned my way.

“We’re sorry if we scared you,” Celeste offered.

I shook my head. “You did, but don’t be sorry. I’m here because Mia can’t be. I can’t help her if everyone here is afraid of scaring me. Forget what Emiliano said. My door is always open, and I want to do everything in my power to be here for you and all the residents.”

They both nodded.

“I’m going to go back to the office, and Em’s going to help me with Mia’s program. But that doesn’t mean I’m unavailable.”

Reina grinned. “Got it, jefe.”

“Yeah, I need to work on my Spanish as well.”

“Boss,” Celeste translated.

“Nope,” I corrected. “A better term would be coworker.”

When I returned to my temporary office, I stopped in the doorway. Em was sitting behind the desk in the white chair, his attention on the large screens. I stared at his profile, the sharp cut of his jawline, his prominent cheekbones, and his plump full lips pressed together. Being in his presence had become reassuring and at the same time frightening.

Maybe my father was right that the cartel was filled with murderers. What he’d failed to mention was that so was the Mafia.

Em turned to the sound of my footsteps on the vinyl flooring. His lips curled. “Are you ready for your first lesson?”

“Not my first. Mia worked with me yesterday.”

“Then your second.” He stood and took a seat in another chair he’d moved around to behind the desk. “I have no doubt you’ll have this up-to-date in a week or less.”

I sat in the leather chair. “Okay, jefe, tell me what to do.”

Em stilled at my side.

I turned toward him, seeing his darkening stare and the pulsating of a vein in his forehead. “Did I say something wrong? They told me that means boss.”

The tendons pulled taut in his neck as he moistened his lips. “It does.”

“Then why are you looking at me funny?”

“Is this one of those moments I’m not supposed to lie?”

“Of course,” I said, leaning back against the chair.

“If I tell you, you’ll go back to being scared of me.”

“I doubt that.”

“Having you call me boss and asking to be told what to do took my thoughts to an inappropriate place.”

My mouth felt suddenly dry and my core unexpectedly clenched. “I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific. I’m as uneducated on inappropriate places as I am on cartel and Mafia specifics.”

“Truth, not elaboration.”

As he began to give an overview of the program, my mind went to places I’d only thought about with movies and books. His large hand gripping the mouse made me wonder what it would be like to have it touching me. And then I remembered he had touched me, my arms, and held my hands. I couldn’t recall all that happened, but his touch had been comforting.

“Do you have any questions?” he asked.

Taking a deep breath, I struggled with telling him I hadn’t heard a word he said. I reached for the mouse. “Let me try.”

It was about three o’clock when Em received a phone call. He took it out into the hall. When he returned, his smile was present, but his eyes weren’t glistening.

“Is everything all right?”

“I have to go.” He jutted his chin toward the computer screens. “Are you good? You can do this. You have been doing it by yourself for the last hour.”

“Honestly, I’m nervous.” I scoffed. “I have been all day, so what’s new?”

“If you want me to take you back to el Patrόn’s, I can now. Otherwise, Horace will need to do it.”

Em would take me. Why? Yet the thought of being alone with him in a car made my body react. I shifted my shoulders. “No. I’ll stay here until at least five.”

“Okay. You have my number if you have a question.”

“I hardly think that if you’re in a life-and-death battle, you want me to call about a spreadsheet.”

“If I don’t answer, I’ll call back.”

“Good, don’t get hurt out there.”

“Would you really care if I did?”

His question caught me off guard. “A few months ago, probably not.” I lifted my cheeks in a smile. “Now I care.”

He nodded and walked away.

Letting out a breath, I leaned against the chair, wondering how I could have been so wrong about not only him but so many things. In Mia’s program, she has information on each tenant. When I saw names I recognized, I pictured the woman’s face.

Julia, the one who was excited about being accepted to community college passed her GED less than two months ago. Luz, the one who cooked the delicious tostadas, told Mia she wanted to be a chef. The two ladies in the front office were younger than I realized. Reina was twenty-three and Celeste was nineteen. The list went on and on.

A world of misconceptions.

As the clock neared five, Horace came back, knocking on the doorframe. “Señorita Luciano.”

“Izzy.”

“Miss Izzy, are you ready to go home?”

I assessed the work I’d accomplished. If tomorrow went as well as this afternoon, I’d have Mia’s program up-to-date by the end of the day. “Yes.” I pushed the chair back.

“Have you decided where you want to stay, el Patrόn’s or Señorita Liliana’s?”

I’d forgotten I had a choice.

“I’d like to talk to Mia about it. So, I’ll stay there tonight if she won’t mind me being there.”

Liliana appeared beside Horace. “You’re tired of me already?”

“No.” I stood and turned to Horace. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

As he walked back toward the front of the offices, Liliana leaned against the doorframe. “I’m tired too. I’ll get my purse.”

When we were in the car with José and Horace, I asked Liliana, “Tell me what your day usually consists of when you’re not giving tours or inputting information.”

“Since Mia’s been gone, I’ve been busier with the residents. This afternoon I spent nearly an hour in one of the apartments trying to deescalate a misunderstanding between roommates.”

“Did you do it?”

She nodded. “I think it is resolved.”

“They really trust you.”

“I feel like I’m helping even if it is just letting each side voice their viewpoint.”