Five voices ask the same question. Ourtíoonly calls us that when he’s about to break bad news.
“Where are you?”
“In the van on the way to the airport.”
Europe still doesn’t have enough large SUVs to carry so many men our size. We’re in a passenger van with one leading and one following, both filled with our men.
This is going from bad to worse ifTíoEnrique’s ensuring we’re truly alone.
“Alejo, Vittoria got a call from Yuri.”
“Thatcabrón? I thought he was dead. What’d he want?”
There’s a protracted pause.
“He claimed you impregnated his niece and are a deadbeat dad.”
“He motherfucking what?!”
I see red. The allegation alone is enough to turn me into a blaze of fury, but he said that to Vita.
“Alejo, no one believes him. Vittoria basically told him he’s full of shit.”
“That means jack shit to me. He told her. I’ll fucking kill him.”
“About that…”
I sweep my gaze across my cousins, and our expressions surely match to the point of being uncanny. The Diaz family genes are stronger than our non-Diaz genes. We’re five peas in a pod. But none of my cousins feel the overwhelming rage I do.
“What did ourmamásdo?”
It’s Joaquin who voices what we all want to know. It’s one thing to attack us in business. Our mothers stay out of that. But when the attacks get personal, there’s no holding them back. Take every stereotype of Latinas ever created and multiply them by infinity. That’s ourmamás.
“Fucking hell,Tío. There won’t be a brick left standing in Boston. Please tell me they haven’t left yet.”
Jorge’s voice trembles, and there isn’t a damn thing unmanly about it because we’d all be the same. We’re surely all a shade of green as our stomachs flip.
“We’re on the way to the airport.”
“Mamá?”
Once again five voices fill the air.
“Only Ellie is with me in the town car. Yourmamásand their men are in the SUV behind me.”
“TíaElle, you have to stop them.” I’m flat-out begging.
“I’m the one who told yourtíohe can come or get out of the way.”
I run a hand over my face as I look at my cousins.
“Maks is going to shit a brick.”
“Maks understands his place.”TíaElle’s voice could freeze a volcano.
“Tío?”
He knows what I’m asking, and I know the answer. But I need to hear him.
