Chapter 23

Isabella

It was around four thirty when Horace knocked on the doorframe to my office. “Miss Izzy.”

I smiled at his use of my first name. “Yes, come on in.”

He stepped inside. “I received word from Emiliano Ruiz that he is taking you home tonight.”

Warmth filled my cheeks. “I told him I wanted to see more of San Diego, and with the lockdown” —I shrugged— “he was nice and offered me a tour.”

“You’re my responsibility.”

“Should I not trust Em?”

He took a step closer to my desk. “That’s not what I’m saying.”

“Em said he’d get el Patrόn’s approval. He must have.”

“Sí, I asked Lieutenant Ruiz that same question.”

“Then it’s settled.”

“Miss, I’m asking you if you’d like me to accompany you and him on this tour?”

The way he emphasized the last word made me think he thought tonight was about more than a tour. “Horace, take the night off or do whatever it is you’re supposed to do when you don’t have to babysit me. I mean, you leave every night after you take me to Mia’s. You must have someplace to go.”

“You have my number. Your phone has a GPS tracker. If you need me at any time, call. I can find you.”

A GPS tracker. When did that happen?

Instead of asking, I simply replied, “Thank you. I will.”

I’d been staring at a grant application for most of the afternoon. The process was more complicated and exhausting than I’d anticipated. I made a mental note to talk to Mia about it tonight or in the morning. I couldn’t stop my smile from growing as I thought about spending time with Em away from here or even Mia’s.

As if tipped off about my plans by an angel or the devil himself, my mother’s name appeared on my phone. We’d only spoken twice since my arrival. With my newfound knowledge about Papà and well, everyone, I wasn’t certain what to say. I answered on the second ring. “Mom.”

“I miss you, Izzy.”

“I miss you too, Mom. How are Noemi and Tony?”

“We’re all well, but the house seems empty without you. I’m so worried about you out there all alone.”

“I’m not alone.”

“Are you safe? Are you well? Is Mia helping you? What are the whores like?”

“I’m safe and Mia has been great. As for the residents, they’re women, Mom. Just like you and me. They simply chose another profession.”

“They use their bodies to please men and make money.”

A thought occurred to me. “How do you make money?”

“What?” she asked, aghast.

“You, Aunt Giulia, Mia, and Aunt Arianna. Your work is to please your husbands and that includes sex.”

“Isabella Louisa. What has happened to you? How dare you speak that way to me.”

“It was a question.” I stood and walked to the window. Traffic was almost nonexistent on the street beyond. “You and Papà sent me out here to learn about life and about helping people. That’s what’s happened to me. I’m not perfect by any means, but I’m expanding my world and learning the truth about people who before, I never would’ve even questioned.”

When I turned, Isla was standing at my door.

“Mom, I need to go. I’m still at work.”

“I’m going to speak to your father. I think you need to come home immediately.”

“Goodbye.” I disconnected the call. “Isla, please come in.”

“I’m sorry to bother you, Señorita Izzy.”

“You can just call me Izzy.” I gestured toward the table. “Would you like to sit with me? I have water bottles if you’d like one.”

“Sit, sí.” She walked slowly to the table. “No water. I’m fine.”

“Would you like me to close the door or leave it open?”

“Close,” she said at a barely audible level.

I closed the door and walked toward her. “Are you fine?”

Isla held her hands in her lap, staring at them. “I was looking for Liliana, but Celeste said she was somewhere else in the building.”

“Is there something I can help you with?”

She peered upward with a hooded stare. “Can you talk to Mia for us please?”

“I can. I live with her.”

She sat taller. “I didn’t know that.”

“I guess it’s not common knowledge. I see her every day. What is it that you’d like me to talk to her about?”

“It’s about something at Wanderland—someone. He just started. He’s a new guard.”

“Who?” I asked.

“Su nombre es Efrain.”

“Has Efrain done something?”

“He comes into our dressing rooms and our showers. He just stands and watches. We’ve told him to leave, but he just laughs.”

I questioned, “You said he’s new. Who’s his boss?”

“Lieutenant Ruiz, Nicolas.”

That was the name Celeste and Reina mentioned on my first day. “Have you told Nicolas?”

Her eyes opened wide. “No, Izzy. Nicolas doesn’t like us to complain. If we do, he would punish us not Efrain.”

“Physically?” I asked, shuddering inside, afraid of her response.

She was back to looking at her hands. “Sometimes but in other ways. Nicolas determines our customers and if we’re in VIP or not.” She looked up. “VIP is where we want to work, but Nicolas only assigns girls there who he likes. No one wants on his bad side.”

“I’ll talk to Mia about Efrain. Maybe he just needs to be reminded of the club rules.”

“Before Mia, the rules were different. I was thinking that if she knew…”

I sat taller and leaned forward. “Isla, thank you for trusting me. I promise I’ll speak to Mia.”

“Please tell her not to use my name.”

“I’m sure she knows.”

We both turned to a knock on the door. Isla stepped quickly down from the chair. “I should go. If … please don’t tell anyone but Mia about what I said.”

“We were just chatting. I have a lot to learn.”

“Gracias, Izzy.”

Walking toward the door, I gave Isla one last reassuring smile and opened the door.

Emiliano was standing there. Gone was the spicy tobacco aroma and back was the clean, fresh scent. It was as if he’d recently stepped from the shower. His dark hair was damp and combed back. The usual beard growth running over his chiseled jaw was gone, leaving what I could only imagine would be smooth cheeks. I wanted to reach up and feel them for myself. In place of his blue jeans and black t-shirt, he was wearing a white button-down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. Only the tip of the snake’s tail was visible. His black denim jeans fit his ass and long legs to perfection. When he flashed his panty-melting smile, I had to remind myself that this was a tour.

Nothing else.

I tried to temper the excitement about our tour in my voice. “Hi, Em.”

“Adios, Izzy,” Isla said as she hurried away.

“Thank you for your help,” I called after her.

My heart fluttered as Em lifted his arm to the doorframe and stared down at me.

“You showered.”

“I do that on a regular basis.”

“I should have changed clothes.”

He scoffed. “Your job is a lot cleaner than mine.”

I led him inside, leaving the door open. “How many people did you have to kill today?”

“It was a slow day.” He touched his thumb against his fingers as if he were counting.

“You’re teasing me.”

His grin grew. “I am. Zero kills. Wait, does maiming count?”

Shaking my head, I leaned my behind against the edge of the white lacquer desk and crossed my arms over my breasts. “I think I should have accepted Horace’s invitation to have him join us. You sound dangerous.”

Em took a step or two, his long legs bringing him right in front of me. So close, I needed to look up to see his eyes.

“I am dangerous.”

The deep tenor of his voice sent a chill over my flesh, leaving goose bumps in its wake. While my increased pulse and twisting stomach could be physical reactions to fear, by the twisting between my legs, I knew it was something else. “You spoke to el Patrόn. He knows I’ll be on a tour with you tonight?”

“I did.”

Something from my earlier conversation with Horace came to mind. “Why did Horace call you Lieutenant Ruiz? Isn’t that your father?”

“I’ve recently been promoted.”

My eyes opened wide. “That’s good. Or...is it? Is it more dangerous?”

His lips quirked. “It’s good. The danger level varies by the day, not by the title.”

He was so close. I cleared my throat, mentally reminding myself that this wasn’t a date. “Let me freshen up and then we can go.” I was halfway to the bathroom when I stopped and spun toward him. “Where are we going to go?”

“It’s a surprise.”