“Leave you under guard.”
“To go and rescue the kids, correct?”
Nodding, she admitted, “I suggested to Quanto that we take you as you could turn out to be levantón as an exchange as huge collateral. But you already know that is not why I captured you.”
Now I took a huge leap of faith as I asked her something that would make or break our possible partnership, “Did you intend to return them to their mother?”
Pausing, she met my gaze. “I did. They are of my blood but I…” She shook her head.
“You are cartel and cannot raise them in safety,” I supplied the reason.
Nodding, she bit at her lip. “I needed to know if they were even alive first. Then beyond that…” She shrugged. “I already know she wants them back very badly because of that recording. Then Alberto Mancini has moved away from crime if reports are to be believed.”
“Moved away?” I asked as I felt curious about this statement for sure. The man was very feared and respected as a mafia head.
“He has stopped all drug running. He still runs some guns, but mostly his businesses are legit now. He has followed his cousin’s example.”
“You mean Stephano Descalia?”
“Si, but I mean his son really.”
“Luca?” Of course, I knew about them all as it had been my business to know.
She nodded. “Yes, he has been running their corporation.”
“I know. At least I knew this six months ago.”
“Seven months,” she reminded me.
“Yes. So, I will be honest here.” I met her gaze again. “I have no resources. I have no dinero. In fact, for all intents and purposes… I am dead. And as that, I am also dead broke. I couldn’t catch a cab, let alone get plane tickets to anywhere.”
She actually chuckled. “You could change that. Join your—”
“Never again,” I cut in. “I do not care what arises, what changes or if you just tossed me out to the street today. I would remain homeless. I will never take dirty money again. I will never kill for money again. I am done with that as I stated before. I really have no choice in that either.”
“No choice?” she asked.
“None. I gave my word…” My voice faded away.
“To who?” she queried as she sat forward.
“You will call me loco if I gave you the answer.”
“Why do you fear that?” she quipped. “I already question your sanity as it is.”
I laughed. “I really like you, Selena. You are truly…” Again, my sentence trailed off. “Your brother was so funny too. Yes, he was good natured, but he also had an uncanny sense of comedic timing.”
“I was just a kid but I remember him well.” She nodded. “And yes, he always made me laugh. You know how little girls are, they love to play with dolls and dress up.”
I shrugged. “I am sorry but no…I do not know what little girls do.”
She laughed. “Bien, I guess not. But he would allow me to put a somewhat frilly apron on him to have tea parties. Then he would brush my doll’s hair and dress them up for me. He would do silly voices and read me stories in those same voices. He took me swimming, sledding, fishing and always came to my room to see me when he got home from work. He would have been a great father…” She paused as her smile left her lips.
I nodded at her. “He would have been a better parent than us. Then again, we are hardcore criminals.” I looked at her and wondered if I should ask her my next question. “Don’t you yearn for a different life?”
Pausing, she stared at me. “I joined up willingly, Carlos. You know my family was not cartel.”
Yes, I knew that. The Gomez family were farmers. Alex could have never been a part of a cartel. Her parents either. They were humble people with no real greed in their hearts. Iremembered them well. “But why would you do that?” I asked her. In all my research about her that was an answer I did not find.
