She’s far more inconspicuous than I am, but I know it means she’ll vouch for Vita. Considering how confrontational they were when we arrived, I’d say we’ve moved forward by leaps and bounds.
“Elodie—”
“It’s Elle.”
Mytíainterrupts her with what is such a benign comment in most situations, but in this one, she’s proven Vita is someone she trusts. The only people I’ve heard her introduce herself to like that are my cousins’ wives.
“Thank you.”
Vita’s voice is softer than it has been since we arrived. I don’t think she feels on the defensive as much as before.
“Elle, perhaps I can help you make a list of the most likely hitmen. We could narrow down who would take a job with your nephews or me as targets.”
Over the next fifteen minutes, the two of them list nearly four dozen people. The rest of my family sits in some state of awe as the two women go back and forth, not only naming men and women, but assessing their skills and likelihood to take on a job where they targeted my family or a fellow mercenary. It’s a conversation I’m certain no one in my family ever expected to hear.
When they’ve exhausted the possibilities, Vita inhales and looks atTíoEnrique.
“I should call my father.”
The statement hangs in the air as everyone stares at her.
“My parents know what I am, but they’ve never asked, and I’ve never offered information about my work. I’ve asked about jobs I’ve heard about that could affect me, so it wouldn’t be unprecedented for me to be curious about a hit on someone like Alejandro. That’s one that would’ve caused a commotion if I’d gone through with it. There’s always the chance my father could find out if there’s a hit on the mercenary who’s failed. He could find out whether there’s one specifically on me. He and I have worked with people who would tell my father, some out of respect and others with glee. I don’t have to come right out and say what I’m asking for and why. I can allude to it.”
I’ve sat quietly through most of this conversation, but now I speak up.
“You’re not taking that call alone. I won’t say anything, but I will be there for it.”
Vita’s head slowly turns toward me, her expression shifting from incredulous to stubborn.
“I will speak to my fatherwheneverI want, and I don’t needyourpermission to do that. Do you not trust me again?”
I’m kicking myself for speaking up in front of my family. I’m not an impetuous man by nature, but there’s something about this woman who makes me act before I think. The entire room stares at us. My gaze darts to my cousins who are laughing like hyenas.TíaLuciana shoots them a silencing glare which only makes them sound like balloons withering.
This isn’t the best place to have a whispered conversation, especially since it’ll be about my family, but I got myself into this shit. I lean over to bring my lips as close to her ear as I can.
“I trust you, Vita, and right now so does my family. Given who your father is and the situation we’re in now, my family’ll be far more trusting if I hear the conversation. No matter what’s said, I’ll remain silent.”
I sense she’s just as uncomfortable as I am about whispering in front of everybody. I can also tell she resents the situation I put her in, but she goes along with it as she whispers her reply to me.
“Are you always going to listen in on all my conversations?”
“No. I offered to before anyone could insist mytíoor cousins be there too. I’m offering you as much privacy as I can.”
She huffs, clearly not in agreement.
“Chiquita, I’m doing this to protect you. I know you rarely agree with, want, or appreciate my type of protection, but I still give it freely.”
She turns her head, and our noses practically brush together. She narrows her eyes and glares at me before continuing to whisper.
“I may not want or agree with your type of protection, but I’ve never been unappreciative of it. I can dislike it while still being grateful for it. If I’ve come across as unappreciative, then I’m sorry.”
We both calm down, and our expressions relax. There’s something deep and even tender that passes between us as our gazes lock for a moment. Her temper looked like it was ready to combust, but she reined it in. I realize a simple explanation rather than insisting went a long way. I know that’s common sense to most people, and it would be to me in most situations, but my protectiveness ran away with my mouth.
I remind myself she survived six years as a spy and two years as a mercenary before we met. She’s obviously capable of taking care of herself, but now that she doesn’t have to do it alone, I want to share that burden with her. Instead of communicating that, I was simply overbearing. I sweep my thumb over her knuckles.
We whisper “thank you” at the same time.
“Jandro, I know you’re just trying to help.”
