“I have an idea for that. Plus, I have a great view of the city with plenty of sunlight,” I reassure her.
“Can we go back home to Colombia?” she asks, laying her head on my chest. I love that she fell in love with the small town. I hold her, remembering how close I came to losing her. “I promise, but Amor, home has always been where you are. You’re my home.” This woman tests me in more ways than I can count, but she’s my family. I’ve watched Veronica for years, chased her all over the world. I don’t know at what point she became my obsession, becoming something more. Something that consumed me, where all I saw was her, where she became all I needed, but it happened.
Over the next couple of days, she moves in. I don’t want to wait. After what happened with Eric Harrison and Frank Sivila, things have been hectic. The cousins took care of the physical evidence, and I took care of the digital evidence; nothing will lead back to the families. There is something brewing with the brothers; whatever Eric started didn’t end with him. Unfortunately, we never found Tabitha’s body. I know that Veronica feels the loss. Like Tabitha, Susana was never found.
I think about what Susana told me. My mother’s plan to leave my father. And I know without a doubt the land that I kept for so long was part of her plan. It was her fresh start, her way of doing something for herself.
The Nina’s Hope project is scheduled for completion in three months. There is still so much work to be done. I adjust my glasses. I look at the closet that’s being taken over. I have a separate room that I plan on converting into a closet space for Veronica. She has a lot of stuff.
I love her so fucking much. I don’t just protect her from behind the screen, but now I stand by her side. Even when she admits to herself how deep her dependency on pills and alcohol is, which is used to numb not only her fears, but her memories. She attended her first AA meeting a couple of days ago. She hasn’t had a drink since I took her to Colombia. But we know it’s not going to be an easy road. I can see the moments she craves a drink. She starts picking at her nails. Those are the days she begs to be flogged more times than I’m comfortable with. But I trust that she will tell me her limit. There are days when she can’t look herself in the mirror. Those are the days I hold her tighter. I wish she would love herself as I love her. Knowing what was posted for everyone to see in the black market is a tough reminder of her past. She still has a hard time eating in front of others, but she’s more comfortable around me, so that’s something.
She decided to start therapy after making plans to return to college to get a degree. The fear of failure and her anxiety can cause a relapse. I feel her enter the bedroom; she wraps her arms around me. She’s come such a long way. This strong, resilient woman.
“How are your babies?” I ask. She just came from visiting Violet.
“They are doing amazing! I can’t wait for my flowers from Colombia to get here.”
The plants have stayed at her old apartment, which is now inhabited by Will and his grandmother. Will really looked out for Veronica, so I had him and his grandmother move into her old apartment. He still works as a bellman and attends night school.
I turn to face her. “Follow me.” I take her hand and lead her to my office. Monitors cover the entire wall. I move to the keyboard and have her stand next to me. Facing the screens. I type in some codes, and they come to life. I turn to see Veronica’s face.
“You didn’t.” Her eyes are wide, shocked.
“Oh, but I did.” I grin. On the screens are images and videos of Veronica naked and getting fucked in one way or another. In some, she’s bent over the bed. In others, she’s sitting on my face as I fuck her with my mouth, but my favorites are the ones with me on my knees crawling for her. “I want you to see yourself as I see you. A beautiful and powerful queen.”
I can’t tell if she’s pissed at the reminder that there were cameras in her bedroom. Of course, with the new tenants, they have been removed and installed in this apartment, but she doesn’t know that. Just like she doesn’t know that she has a tracker in her. I’ll tell her, someday. Veronica leans forward on the desk. At first, I think it’s to see the images more clearly, but then she arches her back. Showing off the red dress I recently bought her. We are working our way up to the love of the color red. I know where this is going, and my dick knows too. She looks over her shoulder, biting her lower lip, giving me that fuck-me look.
“Time for you to worship,” she demands.
I smile and get to my knees. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Veronica
Epilogue
Three Months Later
Today is the day I’ve been waiting for: the opening of Nina’s Hope Living. It’s much more than I could’ve imagined. Not only did I see this through, but I did it while going through one of the most difficult times in my life. I look at Miles, who’s standing next to me as we walk through the halls. He smiles as he sees parts of his mother in this building. On our recent trip to Colombia, we brought back many of her paintings. We left some there; after everything that happened there, we decided to make some changes. One thing remains the same: the garden his mother started.
The people closest to me are here, even those who I'm rebuilding my relationship with. I take Miles’s hand in mine as we head out the double doors. I have a surprise for him. I see my mom and dad talking to Bere and Abel. A couple of weeks ago, I got the courage to ask my mom moreabout her past and trauma. I wasn’t prepared for what she had to say, but I feel that it brought us closer. There is darkness in my family; it’s within us all. We have all shed blood in one way or another.
Abel has been helping whenever he can. The club has been keeping him busy. Bere has spent much of her free time at Nina’s Hope. She’s been single for a couple of weeks. She’s no longer seeing Sebastian and didn’t want to go into details of what happened, so I didn’t push. The sadness is in her eyes. It pains me to see my friend hurting, but I’m there for her, just as she’s always been there for me.
I look at Miles and notice the moment he registers my surprise. He turns to me, and I can see the emotions in his eyes. There is a large garden; one side is for growing vegetables, and to the right, a sign reads, “Marisol’s Garden.” The garden is full of orchids, all vibrant colors, similar to those his mother painted.
I reach for my neck and touch the pearl necklace Miles gave me months ago. I look at what I’m wearing—a red blouse. The color that I never wore before is now sprinkled through my closet. It’s still not my favorite, but it’s growing on me.
We walk into the garden; the floral scent envelops my senses. I look at Miles, who’s wearing his glasses. Fuck, he’s sexy. He’s still being overprotective, but he’s backed off as much as he can. Therapy is helping me with accepting things in my life that I know won’t change, regardless of how much I complain about them or yell.
To say the last couple of months have been easy would be a lie. I started to attend AA meetings because I have a problem. I became dependent on alcohol and pills as a way to escape my past, more so the liquor. I was doing well but relapsed when I saw a news article about Tabitha, who’s missing.
“Where did you go?” I hear Miles ask me. He’s caught me doing that. I get lost in the memories and the fears I’m too afraid to confront, but I do my best to be brave.
I sigh. “Just thinking. I have an upcoming meeting with Serena.” I feel my anxiety rising. “She wants to meet after this.”
“Cattleya, don’t worry. I’m sure it’s great news.” He tries to soothe me.
“Did she tell you anything?”
