“I need to lie down.”
Finding a family is one thing, but rehashing decades of trauma needs a nap first. Nothing like a family gathering to bring up the past.
“We need godparents.” I sit in bed eating off the tray of food Bruno brought in a few moments ago.
We both woke up six hours after lying down, starving, to find Willow being passed around the living room like she was a hot potato. Lucas had heard her starting to cry and was trying to let us sleep longer. It worked for an hour, he said, but she started to wail, making me wake in a panic.
“Did you have anyone in mind?” Bruno asks, and I let out a long sigh.
“I have no family or friends. You pick, I trust your judgement.” I pop another grape in my mouth and chew while he paces.
Willow is sleeping on her belly in front of me, with her dress clean and ready beside her. I play with the aged lace and wonder how it hasn’t frayed after all these years. It’s not yellowed either, which is a complete mystery to me.
“How about your new cousin?” I let myself fall back onthe pillow in a big huff.
“This is all too much. I went from basically being an orphan with just abuelo, and now I’ve got a whole family I had no idea existed. Why would he keep my mother’s family away?” Bruno leans over me and kisses me softly before running his hand up my torso to my full breasts.
“Mmmm, I see why she enjoys eating so much.” I swat him away as he chuckles.
“I’m serious. What would be the reason to hide them from me? I just don’t understand.” Bruno smiles down at me sadly and then closes his eyes.
“You know.” I push him away and cross my arms.
“I suspect. You’ll need to ask him, but if I were the head of a drug ring and my new daughter-in-law’s family was known to help the government take those down, then I might be wary of them knowing we were family. I believe it’s the reason your parents were targeted. There marrige waas bad for business.” He takes a grape and eats it while I think over his words.
It makes sense.
“Why leave me alive?” Willow lets out a small sound, and we both glance at her.
“They still needed an heir. Fuck, that’s why they want us to have a son. So he can take over both empires. CHRIST!” He turns with his fists bunched up, ready to hit a wall, then thinks better of it when our daughter starts to wiggle on the bed.
“Shh, daddy’s okay gorgoues girl.” He lifts her in his arms, and it calms him physically.
“I need to speak to him.” The words leave my mouth before I give them permission.
“No.” I sigh and stand up.
“I wasn’t asking.” We stare at eachother until he drops his gaze first.
“You know I can’t deny you anything. He can’t know where the call is coming from or that it’s you calling.” I nod in agreement.
“Luckily, we have a Cuban Archbishop in the house. He must have a cellphone.” He bounces Willow and sighs.
“Those can be easily traced. One ping off our cell tower and he’ll know exactly where we are and with whom. No, we need help.” He hands me the baby and pinches the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
“Do you know someone who can help nearby?” I know he’s spent loads of time here with Lucas.
“Too close. It’s time you met Abel.” My eyes widened because I’ve heard him use the name before, like he was a nuisance.
“The hacker who put in Aria at the cabin?” He hates that AI.
“The one and only. He’s Lucas’s uncle.” Wait what?
“Are we related somehow?” Bruno nods sadly.
“By marriage.” He pulls out his phone and calls the man.
“I’m going to need a family tree soon,” I mutter as the phone rings on speaker.
