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“Somebody better start explaining this...fucked upness right now,” Diezal demands.
“It’s simple. My father kidnapped her, and I rescued her from a fate worse than death.”
“That can’t be it. How did we get here?” Axel asks.
“Guys, please. I’m happy. Isn’t that enough?” Chas asks.
“No.” Diezal crosses his arms over his chest.
“Fine. Seven years ago, my father had her kidnapped from a club. The bouncer there was on the payroll. He was always on the lookout for a girl who was where she shouldn’t be. He called my father’s guy, and the guy came and took Chassie without incident. When she arrived in Cuba, she was brought to the compound where my father approved her without hesitation. I was told to keep an eye on her. For two years, she never left my side. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her but kept my distance until I asked my father for her. I wanted to marry her.”
“I fell in love with him too. He’s nothing like his father. He brought me there for the sole purpose of breeding me. Of making babies for their empire that would be both American and Cuban. Don’t you see? He saved me from…”
“No. I don’t see. Chassie. You did breed for them. For the son instead of the father.”
“It’s not like that.”
“Isn’t it?”
“No. It’s not. This man is my husband and I love him with every fiber of my being. My life could have been so much worse if he were even a fraction like the man his father is.”
“Chassie, your confused. You’ve been through so much.”
“Actually, I haven’t been,” she says, clenching her fists. She’s getting pissed now. My little firecracker. “Yes. I was kidnapped. Yes, that was scary, but the moment Milo took me under his wing, I wasn’t scared anymore. I was safe and I knew I was loved well before he ever said anything to me about it. Milo is my forever. Can’t you understand that?”
“Yes, of course we can, but surely you must see how ridiculous it is for us. You were gone, taken from us, and you’ve been happy most of the time. It’s…”
“I killed my own mother to protect her. I’d do anything to protect her.”
“I… what?” Diezal asks incredulously, staring at me like I have six heads.
“My mother threatened her. I didn’t hesitate to kill her. I love her more than life itself and that’s enough.”
“It’s enough. Diezal, lay off,” Axel says, putting his hand on his brother’s shoulder.
Outside, I hear the car doors slam shut.
“The kids are here,” Chassie says.
“I’ll get them,” I say, opening the front door.
“Mama,” Gen says, running past me, grabbing onto Chassie’s legs.
“Hey baby. These are your uncles Axel and Diezal. Guys, this is Gen.”
“Hi. I’m five,” she says, making everyone laugh.
I take the twins from an agent and turn back inside. Junior is cautious, clinging onto my pants legs.
“Hello, princess,” Diezal says.
“How’d you know I’m a princess? Everyone calls me that.”
“You look like royalty,” Axel says. “And who’s this?” He gestures to Junior.
“That’s my brother, Milo. He’s shy.”
“Hello, Milo.”
“Milo, say hello to your uncle Axel,” I tell him. He lets go of my pants and walks over to Axel.
“Tio,” he says, hugging Axel, who has gotten down to his level.
Axel hugs him back, and the tension is all gone from the room.
Eventually, my sisters-in-law Teresa and Saffron come to the house. After a loud and boisterous take-out dinner we decide to stay the night here. Once the kids are in bed and the house is quiet, I crawl into the tiny full size bed next to my wife. Diezal and Teresa’s guest room is tiny, but it will work for the night.
“I’m glad we did this,” she murmurs.
“Me too.”
“It’s over. We’re free.”
“Yes, we are.”
“I can breathe again.”
“Same.”
“What if our love isn’t enough here?” she asks, sucking all the oxygen out of my lungs. What the fuck?
“What?” I ask, sitting up.
“What if we can’t make it without the pressure of survival?”
“Get that thought out of your head. I can’t survive without you. Imminent danger be damned. Our love will always be enough.”
“You’re right. I love you,” she says, kissing me.
“I love you too,” I tell her, kissing her again.
I can’t shake the feeling that something else is about to happen. Like I am waiting for the other shoe to drop, and I hate feeling this way.
Chapter Eleven
Chassie
We have been here in Bleak for three days and it has been amazing. The first day was a bit rocky and tense, but once my brothers got their hands on my kids and they saw the amount of love my husband bestows on us, they cooled down. I can still see the hesitancy and anger sometimes from Diezal, but he has managed to reign it in.
Yesterday, the boys finally called my parents and told them I had been found and was with them. The first thing they wanted to know was if I was still sane or did they need to have me committed. Needless to say that call was quick and fruitless. Today, Milo’s cousins Eco and Benicio's should be here any minute to meet us and see Milo for the first time in twenty years. He says they are bringing their wives, Eva and Pilar. I know they each have children. I wonder if they are going to bring them as well? “The guys are here, baby.” Milo says, wrapping his arms around me.
