Chapter 19
Ajori
When I got back to the meeting spot in town, Marcos was already there, leaning against his SUV like he had nowhere better to be. I stepped out, every muscle in my body still humming from the adrenaline of the past twenty-four hours.
As I approached him, he handed me the familiar gold-wrapped package containing my payment. The weight felt reassuring in my palm. “Count it,” he said simply, his tone bordering on businesslike.
“I will later,” I replied, dismissing his suggestion with a wave of my hand. “I trust you.”
It was true; our history dictated a certain level of faith.
He nodded once, then I took a breath and faced him fully.
“Look, Marcos… about yesterday…”
His eyebrows lifted in anticipation, signaling that he was ready to listen.
“I meant what I said, but I didn’t mean for it to come out as harsh as it did,” I continued, my voice steadying with each word.
“I really do appreciate you for giving me the opportunity, the extra cash, and for looking out the way you did… but I’m done.
It’s just too risky now. My brother needs me in one piece, not sitting in a cell somewhere. ”
My throat tightened with emotion, but I pressed on, steeling myself for the implications of my choice.
“I’m bowing out while my record’s clean. All of this—what I’ve done—was always for Kyrin… and now I finally have enough money for his surgery.”
Marcos exhaled slowly, the tension dissipating slightly from his posture. “Fair enough. And I get it. You did what you had to do. Believe it or not, your leave was accepted.”
My head whipped up in disbelief. “It was?”
A smirk broke across his face. "Yeah. No threats… no strings attached.”
“Wow.” I couldn’t help but feel a surge of relief mixed with surprise. “Honestly, I thought y’all were gonna give me hell. Like… jump-me-in, jump-me-out type hell.”
He laughed softly, shaking his head. “Nah. You did your job... and you did it damn well. But… before you vanish back into your safe little world, the big boss wants to meet you. He wants to thank you personally.”
The words didn’t even sound real.
“Really?” I asked, a mixture of excitement and dread churning within me.
“Yes.”
“So will I be meeting him here?”
“No. You’ll go to him… in Mexico.”
“Mexico?” I retorted.
“Yeah. That’s where he’s stationed.”
Well, duh, Ajori. He’s the fuckin’ cartel boss. Where else would he be located?
“Dom will be there too,” he included.
Panic flared within me, and I shook my head immediately. “I can’t be away from Kyrin for long. He needs me here.”
“I’ll talk to him about the arrangement. But you seeing him? That’s non-negotiable. And trust me… you don’t want to make him feel unappreciated.”
Marcos slid his hands in his pockets, the gesture too casual for the weight of his words.
“He doesn’t ask to meet many people,” he continued. “But when he does, it’s either because they did something exceptional…” He paused, letting the second half speak for itself. “…or something so stupid they don’t survive the conversation.”
A chill crawled up my spine.
“But you?” he said softly, emphasizing my position, “You did everything right, so your visit will be different. You earned his respect, and that’s not something you walk away from lightly.”
I felt a mix of pride and foreboding swell inside.
I did all this to save my brother’s life, not to join some inner-circle ceremony I never asked for. But something told me the moment I stepped into Mexico, my life wouldn’t belong entirely to me anymore.
***
The next morning, the sunlight leaked in through the blinds, laying soft, warm stripes across my bed. I rolled over, groggy, and reached for my phone. A bright blue notification pulsed on the screen, demanding my attention.
Marcos: Morning. Mexico is confirmed. Next weekend, five days, private jet there and back, luxury villa on the beach. Chef, driver, shopping credit… all the works. Bring as many guests as you want. Consider it a thank-you vacation for the job you just pulled. All expenses on us… well, BOSS. Lol.
A grin slowly spread across my lips; the kind of grin that hinted at adventure.
“Private jet?” I murmured to myself, a sense of excitement building as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed.
I fired off a text to Lainey.
Me: Get over here for breakfast! I got news! BIG news!
Moments later, my phone lit up with her reply.
Lainey: Unless that big news involves Idris Elba shirtless in your front room, it better be worth my gas. Be there in 20.
I snorted, shaking my head. Then I scrolled to Dr. Hill’s number and tapped it.
He picked up on the second ring, his voice steady and professional. “Dr. Hill.”
“Hey… it’s me, Ajori,” I began hesitantly. “I’m sorry to bother you on a Sunday. I know it’s your day off, but you gave me your number for emergencies, and well… this news couldn’t wait. I have the money… the two hundred thousand dollars, that is.”
A heavy silence lingered before he responded, “You do?” His tone carried a quiet note of disbelief, like he wasn’t fully sure he’d heard me right.
“Yes! Look, you said you could help… no questions asked. I’m holding you to that.” The urgency in my voice reflected the gravity of our previous discussions.
Dr. Hill exhaled long. “You’re right. Come see me tomorrow morning. Nine o’clock sharp. I’ll prep the paperwork and contact the surgical team.”
My heart raced with a thrill I couldn’t contain. “I’ll be there. Thank you, Dr. Hill.”
I ended the call, tightening my robe around me as I made my way to the kitchen.
Breakfast that morning wasn’t going to be just any breakfast; it was going to be a spread fit for a celebration.
As I stood in the kitchen with my hands on my hips, Kyrin’s favorites started lining up in my head.
Scrambled eggs with spinach folded in just right, turkey bacon crisp but not too hard, fresh fruit on the side, whole grain toast, and strawberries with a light drizzle of honey… just enough, because he liked them sweet.
Vanessa was nowhere to be found, and for once, that alone felt like a quiet blessing.
By the time I started assembling the plates, Lainey came prancing through the door.
“Whew!” she fanned herself dramatically. “Smells like IHOP and Cracker Barrel had a baby in here! And what’s this ‘good news’ you couldn’t text me about?”
“You’re right on time… to fix your own plate,” I teased, smirking at her eagerness. “Then we’ll talk.”
Lainey didn’t even respond; she just grabbed a plate and went to work like she was on a timed mission.
I shook my head, grabbing my own plate.
Once we both had our food, I motioned her toward my bedroom.
The second the door closed, I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Lainey chew like nothing in life could interrupt her appetite.
“So…” I started casually, “how does an all-expense trip to Mexico, for five days, next weekend sound to you?”
Lainey stopped chewing mid-bite.
Slowly… very slowly… she turned her head toward me.
“Run that back,” she said, squinting as though her ears had just betrayed her.
“All-expense trip… Mexico… five days. You don’t have come out of your pocket for nothing.”
That girl swallowed so fast it almost looked painful. Then she pointed at me with her fork. “When you say ‘nothing’… are we talking nothing nothing? Or ‘bring some money just in case’ nothing?”
“Nothing,” I made clearer.
“Ajori, don’t tempt me with a good time!
I will flake on all of my upcoming appointments!
” These clients gon’ be outside of my door confused, pacing, and checking their watches like, ‘She said 10:00!’ Whole time I’m boarding a flight with a mimosa talking about, ‘New life, who dis?’ I don’t know them people no more! ”
I giggled. “I’m serious, girl. But please don’t flake on your clients. At least cancel their appointments.”
“You’re right, boo. Let me go be professional real quick before I become a missing person.
I don’t need nobody praying on my downfall because I ghosted them with their deposits in my account.
But… to answer your question regarding how your generous offer sounds…
that sounds like a damn good time. But hold on—hold on—let me make sure I’m hearing you correctly before I embarrass myself.
You mean the country? Like, the real México?
With beaches and margaritas and men who say ‘mami’ every five minutes?
Not some raggedy cruise stop where the beach smells like fish and regret? ”
“Yes, girl… the real México. And… we’ll be flying private.”
The fork slipped right out of Lainey’s hand and clattered against the plate. “Private!” she whispered-yelled. “Girl, you mean the kind where they bring you champagne and warm towels and you don’t have to fight nobody’s baby for the armrest?!”
I chuckled. “Yes, fool!”
Lainey clutched her chest dramatically. “Jesus, I’ve lived long enough to see my blessings! But wait… who exactly is paying for this miracle?”
“Apparently, the ‘head honcho’ wants to meet me, and Marcos said I can bring whoever I want. So you know I couldn’t leave you out.”
Lainey pressed a hand to her chest as if she’d just received life-changing news. “See? I knew when I accidentally bumped into you at that school pickup that day, it was destiny. The universe lined us up for this exact moment.”
I blinked at her. “Really, Lainey? So none of the other moments in our friendship mattered?” I started counting on my fingers.
“Not when I stayed up all night with you while you cried and swore you were never dating again? Not when I rode with you to get your car back from that ex who tried to keep it like it was his? Not even when you ate crackers for three days straight because you spent your whole paycheck on that ‘revenge makeover’ after the breakup, and when I found out, I had to drag you to a buffet before you passed out in the beauty supply aisle?”
Lainey pointed her fork at me. “First of all, that makeover was necessary; it was a part of my emotional recovery. A woman has to rise from the ashes like a phoenix… with lashes.”
I playfully rolled my eyes. “Girl, you didn’t rise from ashes; you rose from my couch… for three weeks, eating my food and listening to me fuss at you every time you tried to text that man again.”
Lainey gasped dramatically. “Ugh! Here you go! I swear you fuss like somebody’s grandma!”
“And you act like somebody who don’t learn their lesson,” I shot back. “If I hadn’t fussed, you’d still be outside his house writing love letters on his windshield.”
She shook her head, trying not to laugh. “Whew, chile. The disrespect in this house.”
I smirked. “Lainey, please! You survived heartbreak and my lectures. If that ain’t friendship, I don’t know what is.”
“Okay. You’re right. You’re the best. Yeah, yeah.” She chuckled. “But listen, if heartbreak and poverty come at the same time again, just know I’m skipping the cracker stage and going straight to the buffet.”
We shared a laugh.
“Now, back to this trip. Girl, I’m so in! Private jet, beach, seafood I can’t pronounce, and fine men who say ‘hola’ like it means something, and maybe a little vacation flirtation? Lord forgive me in advance, because Lainey is about to behave like she don’t know a single commandment!”
“Good. Now, while you’re feeding your face, I’m gonna count this money and see how much extra we got to spend in…” I switched to Spanish with a playful flourish, “…México.”
Laughing, I knelt and pulled the shoebox from beneath my bed—my secret stash, a promise of security for Kyrin’s upcoming surgery. But as I opened it, my heart plummeted into a void.
The box was empty; a gaping emptiness where hope had resided moments before.
“No, no, no, no…” My breath hitched, panic starting to claw at the edges of my mind.
I scrambled through the space under the bed, rifled through the closet, and tore open drawers, but there was nothing.
Lainey’s smile faded as she sensed my growing distress. “Jo, what’s wrong?” she asked softly.
“The money’s gone… all of it!” My voice trembled, disbelief washing over me.
“What?! Maybe Kyrin—”
“He didn’t.” My voice wasn’t harsh, just… dead certain.
I couldn’t afford to let doubts creep in; Kyrin wouldn’t touch money that wasn’t his, which meant there was only one other person to point the finger at.
Vanessa.
“You don’t think it was your momma, do you?”
I turned to her with narrowed eyes. “I know it was Vanessa.”
“Okay, Jo… I’m not taking sides, but you said your mama had been doing better lately. Before you jump the gun, it won’t hurt to ask Kyrin. You know how kids love to play with money they find.”
As much as I hated to admit it, Lainey had a point. With a reluctant nod, I walked into the living room, forcing calm into my tone.
“Hey, sport. Did you happen to move some money from my box under the bed?”
Kyrin turned from the TV, his expression innocent. “What money? And what box?”
“Nothing. Just go empty your plate,” I said, my composure slipping as I retreated back to the bedroom.
Back in the bedroom, my hands shook as I dialed Vanessa’s number, desperation climbing higher with each ring.
Voicemail.
I called again.
Straight to voicemail.
A surge of fury rose in my throat, hot and bitter. “She took it!” I choked out, the betrayal penetrating deeper than I cared to acknowledge. “I know she did! She stole it!”
Lainey cautiously stepped closer, her voice gentle. "Okay, just—”
“No, Lainey!” I burst, emotions spilling over like a dam breaking. “Do you know what I had to do for that money?! That was Kyrin’s surgery money! And now what? Now I gotta get back in the game, risk my life again, because she couldn’t keep her sticky-ass hands to herself?!”
As tears threatened to spill, they weren’t soft; they were blazing with anger and disappointment.
“I swear… I hate her sometimes! I hate her! How can a mother be so—” My voice cracked as anguish twisted painfully in my chest. “So selfish?! So careless?! Why would she do this to me—to Kyrin—when she knows what he’s facing, even if she didn’t know what the money was for? ! What kind of mama does that?!”
Lainey moved closer, her presence a comforting weight as she lowered her voice, “Breathe, Jo… just breathe. Listen, your momma’s choices isn’t your reflection; they’re hers. And sometimes the people we keep hoping will change, just… don’t.”
She squeezed my shoulder, grounding me in that moment.
“My advice? Go on this trip and clear your head. Maybe going to Mexico will give you the kind of clarity you can’t get sitting in the middle of chaos. Sometimes stepping away is the only way to see what needs to be done.”
I looked away, fire still licking the back of my throat. “It better, because right now, I can’t win for losing.”