“That’s why you warned me off social media?”
“Yes.” I could see the pain reflected in her green gaze. “Lately, though I have a feeling he knows I’ve been lying.”
“Why?”
“There are times I feel like I’m being followed. I hear these strange noises on my phone when I’m done with a call. As if someone is listening in on my conversations. And he’s grown suspicious that I always seem to disappear every year on your birthday.”
“That’s why you’re not meeting me on my birthday, this year?” She nodded. “Weren’t you followed today?” Without realizing it, my shoulders tensed, and my eyes darted to all corners of the tiny coffee house.
My mother squeezing my hand brought my gaze back to hers. “Because it’s not your birthday. Every year the chairperson of the woman’s society I belonged to and a close friend of mine, have helped me by scheduling their annual getaway to coincide with your birthday. When I mentioned the deal to her, she rescheduled the getaway for this weekend.”
I wasn’t sure why I asked the next question but it just felt right. “Why so much of creeping around, mom and putting yourself at risk. Is it not better to just let him get me married?”
“You don’t understand, sweetheart.” Her eyes shimmered with tears. “Your marriage to the wrong person could start a war. There’s no guarantee you’ll be married to a man who’ll treat you well. These men are bastards. They’re hardcore. They don’t think twice about killing. Worst still is the fear of what would happen to you in the wrong hands if one side gets you and the other doesn’t. You’re a pawn between the Italian mafia and the Mexican cartel in more ways than one.”
My jaw dropped, my eyes almost popping out of their sockets. It took a moment before I could speak. Italian mafia? Mexican cartel? Suddenly unsure what to do with that information, I sipped the rest of my drink until the straw gurgled at the bottom of my glass. “Whoismy father?” I choked out.
Again, a dismal sigh slipped through her lips. “He’s not a man to be easily trusted. While he might’ve promised you to one man, there’s no telling if he’ll keep that promise.” Her grip tightened on my hand and my heart swelled at what she must’ve gone through all these years.
“I don’t understand.”
“He made that promise when you were nine—”
“Nine?” A sarcastic laugh tripped past my lips. “Who does that? Who makes a ten-year marriage promise?” My father apparently. I was beginning to dislike him more and more by the second. “And who would accept that kind of promise?”
“I know it’s a lot to take in, baby.” She gave me a warm smile. “Not long after he made that deal, I arranged your disappearance. A lot has changed in the past nine years and I’m afraid that—”
“My father might give me to someone else instead,” I finished for her, trying to act calm yet the warm perspiration dripping down my back said otherwise.
She nodded. “God, sweetheart, you’ve been so good at following my instructions all these years and to just give you up right now, is something I’ll never do. You’re growing into a beautiful woman who deserves to meet her prince charming and experience what it is to love someone wholeheartedly. Not some dishonest crime lord. And I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you even if it's at the risk of me dying—”
“Don’t say that mom.” I choked on a sob. The mere thought of losing her left me cold. I shivered, immediately squashing the image of her meeting an untimely death. “This man he’s promised me too, do you know who he is?”
“You don’t have to worry about him, sweetheart. The less you know, the better for your sanity.” She stood and pulled me up with her. Slowly, we walked side by side onto the deck. When we were leaning against the rail rimming the deck, she turned to look at me. “I need you to be strong, Gianna. Always. Your father needs that virgin bride, or he stands to lose a lot. So, over the next few weeks, you need to be extremely cautious. More than you’ve been before. Watch who you befriend and trust no one. Will you do that for me?”
“Yes, mom.” I nodded. “Why have you never told me any of this before?”
“Because I wanted you to have a normal childhood. Do all the things girls your age did without looking over your shoulder. While Bhavna and Harsh did a fantastic job keeping you hidden and loved, I wish I could’ve played a more defined role while you were growing. I missed so much.” A tear rolled down her cheek.
I cupped her face. “But you’ve done something for me that was far more important.” At her raised brow, I added, “you gave me up so that I could live. Only a mother who loves her daughter intensely would sacrifice her role as a mother.” I kissed her cheek. She squeezed me in a long hug, kissing the top of my head. “Do Bhavna and Harsh know everything?” I asked when she released me.
“They do.”
“How?” I tilted my head in surprise. “How did you know you could trust them to take care of me?”
“They’re both ex FBI.”
“Huh?” My life was turning stranger by the second.
Her soft laugh lacked mirth as her gaze drifted toward the sprinkle of seagulls swooping over the water’s edge. “Years ago, when I found out what your father was involved in, they contacted me and asked if I’d help them. At first, I refused. Then I began noticing that the late-night callers for your father became more frequent until I witnessed him shoot a man in our living room.” She stopped speaking as if lost in memories. My heart took on a heavier beat now that I knew what my father was capable of. She looked at me again. “He sent me to our bedroom and ordered me never to mention the murder. I agreed because I had you to worry about and I didn’t want his criminal ways to bleed into our lives. I gave the FBI information about him and his associates. Unfortunately, they couldn’t make the charges stick because your father made one of his men take the fall. They did, however, promise to keep you safe and when the need arose, I asked.”
“Wow.” Fear crept through me, slow and steady, grateful that my mother had shielded me all these years. Gripping the front of my t-shirt I gave it a shake, hoping to cool down my agitated pulse. “They never mentioned anything to me, ever.”
“Because they needed to protect you. Letting you in on who they were, put you at harm’s risk if you happened to fall into the wrong people’s hands and I’m not just talking about your father’s associates. As agents, they’ve put a lot of criminals behind bars. More importantly, they needed to present a normal family front to you,” she explained. “Now that you know, promise me you won’t ask them anything?”
“I promise,” I uttered a low laugh, thoroughly mesmerized by everything I’d just learned. “What does my father do?”
My mother shook her head and tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear. “Don’t worry about that, sweetheart. I just want you to focus on staying safe. Okay?”
