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“Good, amore. Now go get cleaned up. We leave in two hours for Club Ambrosia.”
“Yes, Papa.” I walk away as a maid comes up to me and helps take the bags up the stairs.
“Right this way, Miss.” She takes me up the grand staircase and to the left wing of the house. “It’s best to keep your head down and not make waves, Miss,” she whispers to me as she opens the ornately designed French doors. It’s ironic that my father would allow anything but Spanish decor in his home.
“Thank you. What’s your name?” I smile at the maid, happy to have someone on my side. I think.
“Ellie, Miss.” She unpacks my things, and I watch for a moment.
“Ellie, is there a church nearby? I need… I need peace.”
She turns to me and nods. “Our Lady of Peace is two blocks down, but…”
A guard comes up and Ellie stops talking. He stands to the right of my door. It’s then I realize I’m a prisoner. Closing the door, Ellie looks at me. “Your father doesn’t like surprises. He’s got eyes and ears everywhere.”
Following her into the closet, she chuckles when we bump into each other. Quietly, she whispers to me, “There’s a staircase off the balcony if you want to go to the church. Only the maids use the left entrance. Gate code is 8-2-4-5-5. You need to be back in precisely one hour and twenty minutes. That way, you have time to get ready for the party.”
“Thank you so much, Ellie.”
Immediately, I go to the window and sneak out onto the balcony. Ellie was right. There are no guards here, and the gate opens up with the code. Once I’m on the street, I breathe a little easier. God, how am I going to get through this?
CHAPTER TWO
GERMAINE
E: Jacqulin has made it home. She’s on her way to church.
Me: Thank you.
Fuck, I’m not ready to meet her. I’ve spent the last five months getting rid of the small fish in the Cartel’s pipeline of never-ending bad guys. Jacqulin being home now means something is about to happen, but I don’t know what it is.
She’s the key.
That’s what the last guy said right before I stabbed him in his eyes.
E: Party tonight at Club Ambrosia
Me: For what?
E: Engagement party of Jacqulin’s. He’s marrying her off to Gomez.
Over my dead body.
The front door to the church opens, and I step behind a pillar. My vantage point allows me to spy on Jacqulin as she enters. My heart stops and all the noise drowns out as I watch her.
“Father Zimmerman.”
Turning around, I see Mother Superior standing there, judging me. “Yes?”
“Father Ignacio would like a word.” How the hell do any of these people call themselves Christians? All they do is look at me with disdain and judgment.
Taking one last look at Jacqulin, I notice she sits in the back pew, and as she bends her head down, the light from the window shines on her. Is that a red mark on her face? Without thinking, I take a step toward her. I want to know who dared to lay a hand on her precious skin. The idea of ripping someone's skin off their body sounds wonderful right about now.
“Now, Father Zimmerman.” As we walk to the back office, I ponder how much a sinful crime it would be to kill Mother Superior.
As I enter the office, Father Ignacio looks at me. “Mother Superior and I will make a trip to Italy for the next several months. We expect you to hold down the fort and take care of the issue that’s been going on. Once we are back, I hope you will be gone.”
Finally, relief fills me as they both nod their heads and leave me to the quiet of the room. This is the best news I could have hoped for. Except one thing. I don’t know how to hold a mass or give a sermon. Dammit.
