Silence. That’s all I could give her before switching the focus of our short conversation.
“You should have told me you were pregnant, Bahati.”
“After you tried to kill me? Shio, I was happy to walk away with my life. I don’t resent you because I knew how important feeding your family was to you, so instead of imposing on your life, I counted my losses.”
I shook my head at her foolish words. “A baby, though, Bahati? I would’ve fucking been there.”
“I know, Shio. I’d always said that I was going to come find you, but I hadn’t mustered up the courage.” Her eyes fell. “I’m sorry.”
Damn.
I didn’t need another damn thing added to my plate, but I’d never turn my back on my child. Plus, when problems came my way, I didn’t shy away from them or complain about shit being tough. I wasn’t prepared for Bahati to be a permanent fixture in my life, especially since she was only supposed to be there temporarily back then. Her time with me had ended, and I didn’t like to hold onto anything past its expiration date. Still, here she was, and with a plus one. I was a man first, and family was everything to me, so I’d have to adapt as needed.
“Shio, I know you don’t want to talk. You’ve never been one of many words, especially, considering…” She glanced out of the window and grabbed her broken arm. “Why was I kidnapped? I must know.”
It has always been us—the Cuppacios. We’ve gone through what most men could never survive. The mental, physical, and psychological abuse from our fathers that we endured together created a bond that no man or animal could break. Then, we had to merge with the Rinaldis, exposing men and women who didn’t share our blood to our secrets. After that, Solana entered my world, and thankfully, she hadn’t been privy to all things Shio. Now, Bahati was here. However, baby mother or not, she was only getting what I was willing to give.
Don was right about one thing tonight: I’d been letting too many people into the circle.
“To be honest with you, ion know. Why were you kidnapped, Bahati?”
I cocked my head as I merged from the highway, passing a shopping center that was a few weeks away from opening. Some of the buildings didn’t have signs, but the biggest one was a Shopway—a brand-new store that was a cross between Walmart and Target. It was the store Ezio said he’d shopped at when I sent him to buy everything he could for Shya after we’d gotten back from Mexico.
Her broad nose wrinkled, and her mouth slacked.
How did the Rodríguezes know I had a child before I knew I had a child? Solana had only been in my home for less than two months. Granted, it didn’t take long to get information on a person, especially if the price was right and your reach was long but the shit just wasn’t adding up.
“I don’t know! It is why I am asking you! And what is all of this, Shio? Are you rich? Is that bitch that’s obsessed with our baby your girl? Why were we kidnapped by Mexicans?”
“You were kidnapped because they believe I’m in possession of something that belongs to them.”
“What does he believe belonged to him, Shio?”
She was met with silence as the car glided atop a speed bump.
“Is she your girl?—”
“No.”
“Okay…” She sighed with relief, and for some reason, that made the veins in my neck pulse.
She ran her tongue over her straight teeth. “Are they some type of gang? They didn’t speak English.”
Bahati hadn’t been the type to sleep around, mainly because she would do anything to prove that she was my one and only and that she was down for me. Even though this shit was hitting me left field, there was a good chance that her baby was mine. That meant she would be around, and if she was going to be around, she was going to easily be able to put shit together, even if I didn’t tell her.
Still, I’d be getting a DNA test, and if the baby wasn’t mine, I’d just handle her, silencing her and everything I was about to tell her.
“They are a huge Mexican cartel.”
“And you didn’t kill the ones who were in charge. I saw them, Shio. Only one was at the building, and he got away. Will theycome back for us?” Her eyes widened, fear present as she waited for my assurance.
“Aye… I just told you, I got you.”
She nodded curtly. There were so many questions swirling through her mind, I could tell from the way she was biting the nail of her thumb. I didn’t want her in my business, but she’d already witnessed my folks and me murder before fleeing the country after said murders. We’d broken a plethora of laws, and she’d been there for many of them. I had to pivot this because the family’s safety would always be a priority, and now, two women were under my roof that I did not trust. But since Bahati was going to be around because of Shya, I would rather tell her what she needed to know from my mouth than her to be digging around for shit.
“My father?—”
“Your dead daddy?”
