“It’s not your fault. It’s just bad luck.”
I shove my hands into my pockets to stop myself from signing more. They need to know. We have to tell them someone is after me, and potentially Andrea. And that whoever is after us was willing to hurt Maria Carmen to smoke us out.
I walk up to the door and watch as Andrea hugs her crying mother. Isabella looks exhausted, which tells me she’s probably been here the whole time, looking after her mother.
One of the men I hired for our safety returns after having inspected the floor. “Sir, we may have found the man you mentioned, with the face tattoo.”
My entire body tenses, and I step to the side with him. “You found him?”
“Well, we saw him, but he fled before we could reach him. We lost him when he exited to the street and blended with the crowd.”
A shiver prickles at my neck, a lasting sense of danger looming. I was right. This was a trap. Thankfully, Horvat seems easily spooked, and our hired security might be enough to deter him.
“Keep an eye out for him and potential others,” I instruct with severity. “We won’t stay here too long, we’re too exposed.”
“Yes, sir.”
As the man walks further down the hallway, I return to the door. Isabella’s tears have stopped flowing, and Andrea is beside Maria Carmen, holding her inert hand.
“MC, can you hear me?” she asks softly. When there’s no reaction from her abuela, she squeezes her hand and continues with, “I’m here. Your favorite grandchild has arrived.” Isabella huffs in reprobation, but Andrea ignores her.
“Wake up,anciana. I brought my sexy boyfriend with me.” This time, Maria Carmen stirs awake, her eyes fluttering open. “Are you kidding me?” Andrea lets out, half laughing with relief, half offended.
“Te tomaste tu tiempo, ¿verdad?” she mumbles, still dizzy from her sleep.
Whatever that was, it flies over Andrea’s head, and she leans into her grandmother to give her a hug. “Hola, abuelita,” she greets her, tearful.
“Hola, cariño.”
“How are you doing?”
“I haven’t been this high since the eighties.”
“Mamá!” Isabella protests. Andrea giggles, indulgently shaking her head.
“Did I hear you mention your boyfriend?” MC asks.
“Of course you heard that… Did you hear when I called myself your favorite grandchild, too?”
“As long as only you and I know, it’s fine.”
While Andrea giggles at her grandmother’s antics, Isabella comes to the door with me. She wraps her arms around me for a brief moment and then motions for me to get in.
“Ah, Alejandro…” Maria Carmen greets with unmasked glee. “Come closer,cariño.” Once I’m on the other side of her, with Andrea opposite me, she takes my hand. “I’m sorry you two had to cut short your little trip. But I’m happy you’re here.”
“I’m glad we could make it,” I reply.
While the words ring true, part of me still wishes we could have stayed in Canada, safely hidden. Andrea’s eyes meet mine, and we barely hold each other’s gaze before looking away.
A tense silence fills the room until Maria Carmen says, “Have you two been fighting?”
“No, we… we had a disagreement. It’s okay,” Andrea explains.
“Is that what happened to your eye,mijo?”
“No, we were definitely not quarreling when that happened.”
She seems to understand the underlying meaning behind my words, as a sparkle of amusement dances in her eyes. “Nieta, you need to treat your man better, or I’ll steal him from you. Apologize to him.”
