“Do you want me to stay here for now or go with you?”
I see the relief in his eyes with those last three words.
“I’d prefer you came with us, but I understand if it’s too soon.”
“Can we pack my apartment today?”
He beams and nods. “If that’s what you want, Liesel.”
“I’d have to do it anyway, but this is certainly a far better reason.”
“We need to take off today. The sooner, the better. With the number of men we have here now, plus my brother, cousin, you, and me, we won’t all fit in Alejandro’s jet that he, Joaquin, and their men traveled in. We’ll need our family’s one to come over too. Between both, they can transport us back. It’ll be at least five hours before we’re ready to take off. We can go to your place now if you’d like.”
I nod, then shift my focus to my parents to see their reaction from everything changing so quickly and the monumental implications to this. Neither of them appears surprised. I wonder what my mother said to my father last night. Heidi’s shoulder nudges mine, and I look over at her. She’s wearing the same shit-eating grin she has since we were kids, and she had a secret she couldn’t wait to share with me.
“Muttiand I can go over and pack up your stuff later if you can only take a small amount. We can ship whatever you want and either store or get rid of the rest.”
I match her infectious smile. “You just want to raid my kitchen for that mixer and air fryer.”
She shrugs unrepentantly.
“Thank you.”
My family knows I mean more than just Heidi’s offer for our mom and her to go and pack up my place. I look over at Jorge.
“Can we go after breakfast?”
“If that’s what you’d like, sweetheart.”
That’s a new one, but it’s an endearment that’s appropriate in public. I nod, and we’re soon filtering into the kitchen to grab plates for breakfast Noor cooked. I’m certain she heard our conversation, and any parts she may have missed, Hisham will fill in later. We save her the effort of having to plate and serve everything, and I’m sure she appreciates that since I doubt she expected such a full house.
It’s not exactly a cheery meal, but we discuss the different things in New York I’ll get to see. None of us actually say it’s a permanent move for me, but it basically is since my family’s offered to ship things.
My father says he’d like to rest, and my mother agrees she could do with some more sleep. Heidi and Friedrich are going to talk more before Friedrich makes a few additional calls. Alejandro, Joaquin, Jorge, and I head upstairs to pack up the few things we took out of our cases. Once Jorge and I have zipped up ours, he comes to stand in front of me and takes my hands.
“Chiquita, when we get to New York, I’d like you to stay with me while this is still being resolved. I will likely have to travel, and I’d feel better with you somewhere that has security protocols already in place. But once things are resolved, if you’d feel better with your own place, I understand.”
“I’d like that, Daddy. I’d feel better if I were somewhere you know is safe. But…”
I pause, unsure of whether I should share my thoughts. That fear of rejection Jorge must have experienced earlier wraps itself around me. He cups my face before pressing a quick but soft kiss to my lips.
“Chiquita, you can stay as long as you want. I’m in no hurry for you to go anywhere that doesn’t have a bed we’ll share every night.”
I nod as best I can with his hands still cupping my jaw. “That’s what I want too, Daddy.”
Jorge grabs our cases and wheels them out of the room. He carries both downstairs. It’s weird to think I’m moving out of an apartment I shared with a man for six months and who I was with for two years in order to move to a new country and live with a man I’ve barely known two months and have only really been with for a week. When I think of it like that, it’s absolutely insane. But it feels right.
I hemmed and hawed about living with Bastian. I wasn’t sure I was ready to share my space with him. But it felt like we were ready and the logical next step. It was an easy transition when we moved in together. Despite my nervousness, it ended up working out well until it didn’t. I wonder if things will go as smoothly with Jorge.
Jorge, Alejandro, Joaquin, and I take one of the large SUVs since there’ll be trunk space for a few suitcases. Jorge explains to me how much room there’ll be for my luggage when they factor in everything else that’ll need to go in the cabins and holds of the jets. It’s not just the space but the weight limits.
When we arrive at my apartment, it shocks me to find Bastian there. I assumed he’d be at work. My gaze sweeps the living room, kitchen, and dining room. Everything’s just as I left it. He’s packed nothing. He stands from the desk where he works when he’s reviewing case notes.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
I feel Jorge bristle, but he says nothing. It’s not that he’ll leave me to deal with Bastian on my own. I can tell he knows anything he says will only antagonize Bastian more. I walk farther into the living room, and Joaquin closes the door behind us.
“I’m here to get some of my things.”
