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CHAPTER TWENTY
‘ANXIETY’ LOVEONFRIDAY
One minute, Dice's mother is speaking to me with politeness, and the next she's pointing a gun to my chest while screaming.
"What did you do to my daughter?!" Raquel's accent is thick with her anger, but her hand is steady as hell.
Raquel is not an old woman by any means, I think she's said she's in her late forties, but I still didn't expect her to know how to handle a gun. Then again, a steady hand doesn’t mean she can handle it.
Hector and Brian go for their guns, I know they wouldn't shoot her, but instinct demands action.
I hold my hand up, stopping them, "Alto." Stop.
"Ma! What the fuck?!" Dice jumps between the barrel and me. My heart jackhammers with fear that she'll be shot.
Fuck that, I quickly yank her out of the way and behind me, shielding her with my body.
"Raquel. Por favor, baje el arma."Please, put the gun down."I did not put these bruises on Dice. I would never do that to her, or any woman for that matter."
"Dicennica, get behind me. Now. We're leav..."
"Julian Cabello's murderer did this to her. Not. Me." I interrupt her with a growl. I will not let her try to take Dice away without hearing my fucking words first.
Raquel's eyes lose their fire as she raises the gun, barrel to the ceiling with her finger off the trigger.
“Is that true, Dice?”
“Yes, ma. Do you think I’d be here if it weren’t?”
Raquel breathes out a heavy sigh and slowly places the gun on the tabletop of the island. She steps back, all the while keeping her teary eyes on me and Dice.
Dice quickly darts around me and embraces her mother while I pick up the gun. I click on the safety and hand the gun back to Raquel, "Keep this gun with you, but you are safe here. Come, let's sit and talk."
I can't find it in me to be angry with her rash action. She's only trying to protect her daughter, and I respect that.
Raquel reaches for the gun, but Dice takes it, "And you said I was reckless. Pfft. You just went fucking Rambo on Leo in front of his men!"
The words sound harsh, but I can see the glimmer of pride in her eyes.
Raquel brushes a loose strand of Dice's hair from her face and cups her cheek, "What did you expect, huh? I'm standing in the presence of the Alonso Cartel Boss, and the first thing I see is my daughter's battered face. Of course, I pulled a gun."
Dice shakes her head and pulls a stool out for Raquel as I turn around and pour coffee for everyone.
Hector and Brian come over to sit with us—coffee always lures them—as Raquel watches us.
When I place the steaming mug before her, she looks me right in the eye, "Leo, I'm sorry for assuming you hurt my daughter, but I won't apologize for pulling a gun. I will always protect her. ¿Entiendes lo que estoy diciendo?"You understand what I'm saying?
I do. She's telling me she will put me to ground if I ever hurt her daughter. Brian and Hector raise their brows, but they wisely duck their faces into the coffee cups. No doubt the assholes are having a good time at my expense. I'm not used to taking threats, but again, this is Dice's mother.
Her threats are a kindness for me. She could easily fight me and damn me in Dice's eyes, but she hasn't, and that's all that matters to me. I'll take her threats all day if it means I get to have Dice.
"Entiendo,"
Raquel nods and sips her coffee. Her face slips from cold killer to worried mother once she looks over at Dice, who sits quietly by her side, "Tell me what happened."
I don't speak; I allow Dice to speak for herself. Besides, I haven't heard the recap from her yet. I intended to get answers from her in the bedroom, but I got completely sidetracked when I saw her soaking in the tub.
I discreetly adjust myself beneath the table as Dice speaks, "Leo's sister was attacked on the streets. He, along with Hector and Brian, left to find her and get her to safety, but her attack was just a distraction. While they were gone, I stayed back with Leo's mother. After about twenty minutes, a man knocked at the stairwell door," Dice gestures to the pantry where the exit door is.
