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“You can’t leave me, baby,” I whisper into his ear, “We need you.”
twenty five
ISABELLA
It’s been three days since Andres pulled me downstairs to find Alex bleeding out on a kitchen table. Three long days filled with tears and sleepless nights. Countless hours spent looking back over our relationship wondering if I’d missed any hints at this whole other life he’s been living. A whole other life I’ve been in the dark about.
While we have all cleaned this apartment, the metallic scent of blood still hangs in the air. Just now, it is masked with the scent of industrial cleaners. Eduardo removed and disposed of the bloodied carpet. I’ve scrubbed this table a countless number of times, but I can still feel the sticky residue of blood on it.
Regardless, this is where I have sat, cried, and tried to sleep for the past three days. Alex’s men have tried desperately to get me to go up to the penthouse. Pleading with me to try to get some rest in my bed, or even a shower to clean up. But I cannot bring myself to leave this apartment.
“Señora,” Andres startles me when he places his hand on my shoulder. Lifting my head from my hands, he slides an orange juice and a bagel in front of me. “It’s been days. You need to eat something.”
“I can’t,” my voice is pained and sounds strained from the days of crying, “I feel like I died.”
“Señora, I need you to eat,” he gently begs me, “Boss will have my ass when he wakes up if he finds out we didn’t take care of you.”
“Look at him,” my arms gesture to the mattress from the penthouse on the floor, “It’s been three days and he’s barely moved.”
“It’s been three days and he’s still alive,” Andres nudges the bottle of juice in front of me, “I’ve been with him since we were kids at Saint Francis.”
“Saint Francis?”
“The orphanage,” he continues with a look on face like he knows he’s sharing things he shouldn’t, “after his family.”
His eyes turn to Alex, and he swallows hard, “We are brothers. It might not be by blood, but he is my brother. He has taken care of me since we were kids, and there is nothing that I would not do for him.”
Caught up in the story he is telling, I’ve eaten half of my bagel before I realize I even had it in my hand.
“I would give my life for him,” he continues, “I would more than happily be the one lying on that mattress if it meant that he was okay.”
“Shut the fuck up,” a whispered groan comes from the floor, “this shit hurts like fucking hell and you wouldn’t make it five minutes.”
“Alex,” I squeal, running to him. I drop down on the mattress way harder than I probably should, based on the loud groan Alex makes.
“Cerecita,” he struggles to lift his hand and place it on my face, “mi amor.”
My eyes close and my face melts into his hand, relishing in the indescribable relief I feel from him waking up. Opening my eyes, my hand slaps across his face and he grunts.
“Don’t you ever fucking do that to me again,” I yell at him as he struggles to smirk back up at me.
“I’m sorry,” his thumb gently strokes the tear falling down my cheek.
“You don’t get to convince me to marry you and make me fall in love you,” I hold his hand against my face, “and then go and die on me. You are a man of your word, and you promised me a lifetime of firsts and lasts.”
“Cerecita,” his voice pained as he continues to wipe the tears from my face, “It’s going to take more than a couple of bullets to take me from you.”
“You also don’t get to make me fall in love with you while you live a double life,” I move his hand to my stomach, “I’m not raising a child with a man who can’t be honest with me.”
His eyes soften and a single tear rolls from his eye. I swipe it with my thumb before anyone else has the opportunity to see this moment of weakness in him.
Using what little strength he has, Alex pulls me down to him and struggles to lift his head to kiss me.
“I’m so sorry,” he mumbles against my lips.
“I will tell you everything.Prometo,” his words trail off as he begins to fall back asleep.
Sliding down on the mattress, I carefully press my body against his side as I lay my head on his chest. For the first time in three days, my heart doesn’t feel broken. The vise that I’d felt around my chest has been loosened. I feel like I can breathe.
