Page 50 of The Guardian

“And... I-I never want them to know,” I told her as I cried with her. “Yes, I had no choice but I also killed them violently. I wanted them to die. I wanted their black souls gone forever.”

“The same as I felt about Santiago,” she told me. “Black hearted and cruel to the bone. He taunted me for years about my children. Making me feel unsure if they were even alive. He and his sisters were not happy unless they could make someone else unhappy.”

Mr. Mancini took Gabriela by the arm. “Bella, please stay calm.” He did seem concerned about her in this late stage of her pregnancy.

“I-I can’t,” she replied as she kept on crying. “To think that if not for the goodness of this girl, I never would have seen them again.”

“Mrs. Mancini. I murdered them. I am not a good person.”

“The hell you’re not,” Henry exclaimed before anyone else could speak. “You took their crap for years. You stood between them and the twins. I just know that you gave up your food and clean water to give it to those kids. You aided them to be the special kids they became for three years. Please do not downplay this, Maya. They called you their angel and that is just what you are.” He took me into his arms and held me as I cried openly.

“Thank you is not enough,” Gabriela said as she wiped her tears from her cheeks.

“No, it isn’t,” Mr. Mancini agreed. “You shall have a team to aid you in your rescue, Miss Maya. Mr. Rainmaker and Sir Henry are skilled and brave. However, the League will possibly be at a dozen or more to guard this event. Each person up for bloodletting will have a skilled guard on them until the very end.”

“Bloodletting?” Gabriela asked as she looked stunned.

“I will explain it to you later, tesora.” Her husband took her hand and looked over at Henry. “I am also thinking of having that blood moon group wiped out. I usually do not get involved in this type of nasty skullduggery, especially in another country. But now I cannot ignore this craziness.” He nodded his head at Henry and Rain. “We shall have a meeting this afternoon about summoning a team after I make some calls this afternoon. You do not have much time now.” He looked over at Michael. “Figlio, can you have Mrs. Santorini feed them please?”

Michael nodded at him.

Mr. Mancini escorted his wife out as he explained it to her, “These pazzo stronzos run a group that takes people and…” His voice faded as they exited through the kitchen door.

Michael tapped his phone and looked up at us. “Your breakfast will be set up here.”

“We do not need her to go to so much trouble,” I said. “We were late and that was our doing.”

Michael smiled at me as he shook his head. “Miss Maya, I don’t think you truly understand. You will be treated like the queen you are. Don’t bother to try and stop that. Berto, as Gabriela calls him, has one weakness. Her. Well, all of his family. And I admit before I met and married Sia, I would not have believed it. But when he agreed with you about family. He meant it. So now you will be family for the rest of your life.” He paused and then added, “Actually, since you are with Henry and he is my brother, you already are.” He chuckled.

I knew my cheeks were pink now. Being with Henry was still so new.

Henry held me on his lap and hugged me. “He is right. Not that I ever guessed that I would come here to help deliver the kids and find my brother married into the Mancini family.”

Michael raised his hands up. “Can I help it if fate has a soft spot for love? I never had to leave New Orleans but I also never saw myself marrying into a crime family. But you, Henry, think of the fact you went to help rescue Carlos’ niece and nephew in another country, no less. Then you found Maya.” He looked right at me now. “You have to be something special too. I never believed that Henry would ever trust another woman again.”

I admit that I felt curious about this awful woman Henry had been with.

“Bon journo.”

We all looked up.

The cook, Mrs. Santorini came in with a huge smile on her face. “Bene bambinos, I hear that you are hungry.”

I still felt like we were the ones in the wrong here by missing breakfast. I had been a servant and it was not an easy job. “We were late to breakfast, so we can just––”

“What? Starve?” The cook scoffed as she shook her head. “O via, family gets fed well here. Guests get fed even better. Figurati.” Don’t worry about it. She laughed as she went over to the large side by side fridge. “I have a large tray of fruits here. Then I have sausage and bacon. The scrambled eggs are here as well. It has not been long since breakfast was served, si? Bene, it will be a feast.”

“Non vedere l'ora,” I told her. I can’t wait. She reminded me of my mother somehow. Maybe it was the Italian sayings, gestures and the way she spoke? My eyes got moist again. I missed my mother more than anything.

“Are you okay, Maya?” Henry whispered into my ear.

I swallowed heavily and nodded.

Mrs. Santorini looked over at me. “Va tutto bene?” Is everything alright?

I stared at her. “Mi manca mia madre.” I admitted that I missed my mother deeply.

She came over and took my hand. “A mother is something we all need. I am sorry you are parted from her.”