AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I don't understand…" I trail off.
That…doesn't sound like someone who'd been systematically abused.
Cisco turns brusquely to me, looking at me intently.
"There's only one reason Noelle would think she hadeverything," he states, giving me a knowing look.
"Me."
He nods.
"I looked into it. You'd just been brought over to the hacienda."
"But why… Why would she keep me enslaved? Why… "
"You'll have to askherthat. I've done my part in telling you about her childhood and my role in her situation. It's her turn to tell you the truth about what happened at the hacienda."
"How can I trust her? You said it yourself. She'd do anything for me. Including lie. How do I know she won't tell me what I want to hear?"
"Use your brain," he smiles as he taps his temples. "And your instincts. My sister may be many things but…" he takes a deep breath. "She respects you, Raf. She isn't just blindly infatuated with you, though I may have thought that at one point. She respects you and your opinion too much for that."
Warmth unfurls in my chest at his words. Yet I don't want to entertain any type of hope, or try to justify Noelle's actions in any way. Because where the hell is the respect if she was hiding something as monumental as the fact that it had beenmychild she'd birthed.Mychild that had died. A child that I don't even know how it was conceived.
Where is the respect if she willingly stuck around the hacienda while I was wasting away in that goddamn place? She could have asked for help. She could have gotten me out of there.
But what did she do?
She stayed behind and instead took the role of my abuser.
Where is the fucking respect and love in that?
My fists open and close as I try to regulate my breathing. It won't do if I explode right now. I need to get a grip on myself since this is the one time where all the thinking must be done cold—with absolutely no trace of anger or frustration.
So I change the topic.
"I can't tell if you hate your sister, or if you genuinely admire her," I joke.
"I've never hated Noelle," he states seriously. "I may have failed her repeatedly, but that was never my intention," he takes a deep breath.
Odd hearing Cisco admit this when the man comes across as infallible. Yet it's clear he has many regrets regarding Noelle. And that only makes him more…human.
"I do admire her," his lips tip up. "What's not to admire? She's smart and brave and she went head on with death and won. There aren't many who could have survived what she did. So yes, I admire her. Because I also understand her," he smiles wistfully. "We both operate on the same level, which is why I can tell you this. Listen to her. Try to understand her. Resolve your issues. Because she will never let you go, Raf. Dead or alive, she will never let you go."
I narrow my eyes at him, but not before I hear the confidence in his voice.
"After all, I would do nothing less."
"I can see where she gets that from," I add drily.
"Raf," Cisco suddenly turns to me. "She was capable of altering her own memory because of you. When we saved her from the fire, she thought you'd died. Her child had died. She had no more reason to live. Why do you think she went through multiple suicide attempts? Why do you think I pushed her so hard to survive? In the end, the only way she could go on was by forgetting everything." He pauses. "Everything that had to do with you."
I purse my lips. I'd intuited as much, but hearing it first hand doesn't help my state of mind.
"Right. Got it. Dead or alive, I'm not getting rid of her," I mutter ironically. "I'll do my best to keep both of us alive."
Thanking Cisco for his information, I head back to the hospital, increasingly more certain about my decision.
I grab two cups of coffee on my way as well as a little chocolate treat for Noelle.
