Basically, have I jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire?
Is my trust in Pablo utterly misplaced?
Where the fuck is he taking me?
He must sense my anxiousness because he lifts our hands and brings the back of mine to his lips. He kisses my temple as he brings our hands to rest on his thigh.
Is this some Hansel and Gretel shit where his kindness is the gumdrops and candy he uses to lure me into his magical house that’ll trap me?
How high up are we? The altitude is making me delusional.
It’s not long before we arrive in a garage. I see four snowmobiles and a sled. The latter looks like something Pablo, his brother, and his cousins probably played with when they were kids. A door closes behind our vehicle, but only the front passenger gets out. He walks to a box on the wall that looks like an alarm system control. I watch him tap it, and the screen comes to life. He swipes a few times before looking over at us and nodding. I reach for my belt, but Pablo covers my hand.
The five guys who were in the second helicopter get out, and the six men go inside. They’re sweeping the place even though nothing concerning appeared on screen. My emotions tumble around inside me, and I’m not sure if the vigilance reassures meor terrifies me. Pablo gives my hand a squeeze and leans over to whisper in English.
“No one’s been here in a while. We keep our security systems on, so we would know if there’s ever a breach. But the men know no Diaz would allow family into one of our foreign properties without guards checking it first.”
He’s the only Diaz here, so there’s no one who’s family with us.
“You, little one. You’re the family I’m talking about.”
“Mind reader.”
Him thinking of me as family so soon after we got together should freak me all the way out. However, it’s the only reassuring thing that’s happened since we landed.
He helps me with my belt again, and the driver opens my door. I climb out and walk around the front of the vehicle to meet Pablo. His arm slips around my waist as we enter the house. I don’t know what to expect, but it’s definitely not what I find. It’s clear the house is huge—he has a massive family after all. But it’s cozy like a cabin. The furniture’s inviting, and there’s a fireplace one of the men lights. I can see into the kitchen, and it’s definitely gourmet.
But what’s most impressive are the floor-to-ceiling windows. I can tell they slide open to give the feeling of being on a deck with nothing protruding. I walk toward them, and Pablo follows. I peer out of one, and I realize the house is truly built into the mountain face. There’s nothing overhanging that a blizzard or avalanche could snap off. We’re hundreds of feet above ground, so snow couldn’t accumulate high enough to barricade us in. It’s also high enough that no one is climbing up or rappelling down easily.
I see what looks like it could be a trail down the mountainside, but I wouldn’t take it without an experienced or knowledgeable guide. I’m certain the untrained eye wouldn’t seeit. The snowmobiles must be for this path in case they need another route to escape. It makes me wonder where Pablo and his relatives used the sled.
He takes me on a tour of the house, and I discover there’s a plateau of sorts on the far end. There’s a concrete wall along the wide ledge’s length. This is where Pablo played as a kid. There’s also what appears to be an ice plunge pool with a lid on it.
Yeah, no, I’m not a Viking. This Latin Americanchicaonly does warm water.
Besides, Daniel’s wife didn’t include a bathing suit in the assortment of clothes she brought me. I have nothing to wear in it. I turn away, but Pablo wraps his arms around me.
“It’s heated,chiquita. None of us are polar bears. It’s nice in summer, but we don’t need to use it in winter unless we want to.”
“Why would anyone do that?”
“If you can handle the cold as you get in and out, it’s pretty magical to watch the steam rise as you stare at the stars.”
He gives me a quick kiss before we finish the tour. He shows me our bedroom before showing me the office. We head down a set of stairs, and a flash of fear surges through me. He wouldn’t take me down to see a torture chamber, would he?
He flicks a switch that illuminates an enormous marble room. It’s like being in a Roman bathhouse. There’s a pool long enough to do laps that has a bench running along both lengths. You could swim or sit. The front wall is windows, like the main floor. It’s absolutely spectacular. I spot a hot tub and sauna in the back.
“The windows are avalanche proof and bullet proof,chica. This is our most secure property, but that’s more about protecting it from Mother Nature than attack.”
“But your family built into the side of a mountain as a fallout shelter or something.”
“That’s a fortunate outcome.Papábuilt it forMamáas a wedding gift after they honeymooned in Geneva, among other places. She fell in love with the Alps. She took up skiing and has always enjoyed hiking.Papáwanted to give her the most breathtaking view in Switzerland.”
It’s breathtaking all right when you realize how high up you are. I’m looking more closely out the window.
“Mamá’sin remission now, but when she was in between chemo treatments and well enough to travel,Papábrought her here. We’re all convinced it helped her. My entire family comes here on vacation sometimes. We came a lot more when I was younger, but it’sMamáandPapá’sspecial place when they want to escape the world.”
“They don’t mind you bringing me?”
