Carmelita turned her face toward the window and fell silent.
Leanna’s heart kicked like it was shot through by a spray of bullets What if Ivan told her she’d killed Joshua Cano, too?
Would Carmelita ever forgive her? Her daughter might have hidden her confusion well, but everything was boiling over. She missed Ana and Eduardo. She was now told Leanna was her mother, and she must have known Soledad had been put in place as a decoy for her. Did she know she was the Capo’s daughter? What exactly had Ivan told her between the truth and lies?
Leanna reeled from the car when Axe pulled up to her mother’s house. Soledad and her mother were standing on the porch waiting.
“Mija!” Her mother rushed toward her. “Are you all right? Is Carmelita with you?”
Leanna fell into her mother’s arms. “Thank God, she’s here safe. Oh, Mama, I’m such a horrible mother. You have to teach me.”
“I will,Mija. I will,” her mother crooned. “You’re not doing a bad job.”
“Hey, squirt.” Carmelita swaggered up to her. “You want to know what tattoo Ivan has on his butt?”
Leanna whirled around and jutted herself at Carmelita. “You’re grounded. Monday, we’re going to get you a therapist, and no arguing. You and I are going to get through this together.”
“Listen to your mother,” Leanna’s mother joined in, while Soledad retreated into Axe’s arms. “What happened to you is not a joke.”
“I didn’t say it’s a joke.” Carmelita retreated, hunching her shoulders. “I was only trying to make Soledad laugh.”
“I’m sure she was worried about you.” Leanna put her arms around her girl. “You must have been so scared.”
“I wasn’t.” Carmelita remained stiff in her arms.
“Everyone here was freaked out,” Leanna said. “I thought I was going to die.”
“You mean that?” Carmelita blinked, staring at her with those big brown eyes that mirrored hers.
Leanna bit her lip and nodded. “Well, before I died, I was going to kick Ivan’s ass.”
“You would have.” One side of Carmelita’s mouth lifted. “I would have helped you.”
“That’s my girl.” Leanna kissed her and gave her a closemouthed smile. “So brave, but at the same time, it’s okay to be scared.”
“I was scared.” Carmelita’s eyes widened, watery. Her shoulders shook, and she wiped her eyes. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
“Oh,Mija.” Leanna held her tight and let her little girl cry in her arms.
She barely heard the car doors slam and the voices of her fellow Bumblebees. But when many arms wrapped around her and Carmelita, she let herself relax, buoyed up by her besties.
