Leanna knocked her forehead against the window panel, and her heart sank. He’d ruin the carefree Carmelita who liked to watch anime and play videogames. A sweet girl whose bed was probably full of stuffed animals. He’d teach her how to fight and shoot, and he’d make her into a woman who tortured men and kept them on tenterhooks. The daughter of Joshua Cano would be a femme fatale, not innocent and naïve like the young girls he liked to bed.
Things didn’t look good for Carmelita.
Leanna glanced at Gabriel, and for the first time, she wondered why Cano wanted him to visit. There was no purpose in keeping the friendship going. She couldn’t imagine Joshua considering his daughter’s feelings or consenting to any influence other than his own.
Something was wrong. Badly wrong.
Joshua wouldn’t want her to influence Carmelita either. His orders had been clear-cut the day Leanna found out she was pregnant.
Abort her.
Little did he know Axe’s father would shoot him in the balls, and he’d lose the chance for another child.
Leanna huffed and smiled. The man who knew everything did not know his future. On that point, he was as blind as anyone else.
Gabriel gave Leanna a thumbs-up as a huge, Moorish-styled castle came into view. It was perched at the end of long, winding drive where a Jeep and a Hummer were lumbering up. Men sat with their guns pointed out from the vehicles, and another helicopter took off from the helipad.
Moments later, the chopper Leanna was riding in hovered down onto the helipad. Leanna and Gabriel were helped off the helicopter and brought to a lounge with two restrooms.
A soldier frisked Gabriel while another guard searched her purse and removed her handgun. He snickered and said to a female guard, “She was one of Capo’schicas. Her father brought her back for more.”
Their laughter rubbed Leanna the wrong way, but she pasted on a smile, knowing she was in Joshua’s lair. Nothing could take away the excitement of seeing her sweet Carmelita. She’d put up with any inconvenience if only Joshua would let her into Carmelita’s life.
A girl needed a mother, after all. Especially one about to hit puberty. A girl needed someone to confide in, someone to nurture her, someone to stand by her, and someone to comfort her.
“Here’s your purse,” the female guard said, handing Leanna’s purse back without the gun. She ran her hands around Leanna’s bra and patted her down before escorting her to the restroom. “Fix your hair and makeup. Capo Cano requires you to look your best.”
