56. Lucas
CHAPTER 56
Lucas
" O kay, enough with the suspense," I lean back in my chair, trying to appear nonchalant but my heart is racing. "What’s this all about?" My grip on Serafina’s hand tightens as I brace for whatever comes our way.
Paz's eyes plead with Don Martin, silently urging him to start. He takes a deep breath, his voice weighed down with sorrow and regret. "Lucas, there’s something you need to know. I'm your father."
His words hit me like a ton of bricks, knocking the air out of my lungs. My mind spins, trying to make sense of this new information. Suddenly, the term of endearment he’s used a few times to address me, mijo , takes a new meaning.
My voice barely above a whisper, I manage to choke out, "W — what?"
The room falls silent as Don Martin's distant eyes seem to transport him to another time and place. "Your mother and I... we loved each other deeply," he says, his words heavy with sorrow. "But when I got involved with the cartel, she asked me to leave. She wanted to keep you away from that lifestyle and I decided to respect her wishes. She wanted you safe, and she knew I could never offer that to you."
"Safe?" The word tastes bitter on my tongue as I try to comprehend the weight of his confession. "You call leaving us safe?"
"Sí, Lucas," Paz interjects softly, her voice filled with understanding. "He did it for you, for your mother. He thought it was the only way."
"Then why are you here now?" Serafina's voice breaks through the tense silence, her hand squeezing mine reassuringly. With each tightening of her grip, it feels like she's hugging me, silently conveying that everything will be alright as long as I have her by my side.
"Because you deserve to know the truth," Paz says, her eyes filled with empathy. "You deserve to know that you’re not alone." The weight of her words hangs in the air, heavy and important. "And your brothers, Benjamin and Ethan, want to have a relationship with you."
My heart is overcome with emotion as I realize that the two men who had recently saved my life were not just business partners, but my actual brothers. Growing up, Nora and Alex had been like siblings to me, but part of me always yearned for a true familial connection. And now, knowing that I was a part of their bloodline...it leaves me speechless.
Paz's eyes are fill with emotion as she explains, "That's why took you in, Serafina. When Martin mentioned that you and him wanted to leave the Cartel life behind, I saw an opportunity to give you both a fresh start. It's something I wished for my own sons." She turns to me and continues, "Unfortunately, they still ended up in this dangerous world."
A hush falls over the room, and the weight of their words hangs heavily in the air, weighing us down. Serafina's voice quivers as she finally breaks the tense silence. "Is that why you live apart from your family, Paz?"
Paz's response is barely a whisper, but it carries the weight of years of heartache and sacrifice. "It hurts my heart to see them living the lives they've chosen."
"Lucas," Don Martin's voice draws me back from the heartache Paz carries on her shoulders. "I know it's a lot to take in. But I hope you know that I never stopped caring about you. Even though your mother rejected my help, I still sent money to support you. From a distance, I watched you grow up. And when your mother passed away," his voice catches and he swallows hard, "I knew I had to come back and be there for you. That's why I had my organization pursue you. And when Alex reached out for help, I took it as an opportunity to be close to you. For us to know each other."
My gaze drifts over to Serafina, her emerald eyes meeting mine with a mix of shock and something else. It takes me a moment to place it, but then I see it: hope. Hope for a family we never knew existed, for connections that seemed impossible to have. And in the depths of her gaze, I see something even more surprising - love. Love that I never thought I would find again, shining like a beacon despite all the odds stacked against us. It's a beautiful and unexpected sight, one that fills my heart with warmth and joy.
I stand up slowly, my mind racing as I take a hesitant step towards Don Martin. He meets me halfway, rising from his chair with surprising agility and pulling me into a warm embrace. "Mijo," he murmurs, his grip tightening around me in a mixture of familiarity and regret.
I should be seething with anger, knowing that my father was so close all this time yet chose not to be a part of my life. I should want to lash out and punch him for all the moments he missed and will never get back. But as I sink into his embrace, for the first time, I feel the effects of the hard life he’s lived. From the thin frame that I somehow failed to notice before, to his salt and pepper mustache and head of hair. It reminds me that I've already lost one parent, and hell will be dammed if I'm going to pass up the opportunity to get to know this one.