Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Liliana
“Liliana,” she replied with a smile. “You’re here early.”
“Something happened last night.” When she didn’t ask, I went on. “José is gone.”
“Gone?”
I nodded with a frown.
“No.” Her hazel eyes opened wide. “Are you all right?”
“I’m sad but fine. It wasn’t a cartel thing. It was his heart, or so they say.”
“I’m so sorry.”
I pressed my lips together. “I’m sad for Renata. José was a good man. For now, I’ll be staying here.”
“What about your apartment?”
“I haven’t heard from el Patrón; however, last night Ni…Lieutenant Ruiz said I couldn’t stay in my apartment without a bodyguard.”
“After what happened last night at Wanderland, I’m not surprised.”
“What happened?” I asked, my pulse kicking up a notch.
“Two soldiers from the Cabez?n cartel.”
“I thought they were all sent back to Mexico a few years ago by el Patrón’s father.”
Luz lowered her voice. “Rumor has it that they were working with Herrera.” Herrera was the cartel leader who took down Jorge Roríguez. “With Jorge and Herrera both gone, they want a stake back in the market. They’re challenging the new el Patrón’s power.”
I let out a long breath. “It sounds like I’ll end up staying here longer than I planned. What did they do at Wanderland?”
“It wasn’t with any of the residents. From what I heard, there was a disagreement about a gambling debt, guns were brandished, and Roríguez soldiers escorted them from the club.”
“Anyone hurt?” I asked, suddenly concerned about Nick. He was in charge of Wanderland.
Luz shrugged. “I don’t know what happened to Cabez?n’s men.
Everyone from Roríguez is accounted for.
” She looked down at the stainless-steel counter covered with flour.
“I’m making blueberry muffins.” Her eyes lit up.
“We have a new shipment of fresh fruit. Or if you’re hungry now, I can make you some eggs and bacon. ”
“The muffins sound amazing. I thought I’d grab a glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee. I can come back when the muffins are done.”
“No,” she said with a smile. “Once they’re done, I’ll have someone bring them to your office.”
“Thank you, Luz.”
With my drinks in hand, I walked toward the offices, worrying if the mayhem at Wanderland would have been settled easier if Nick wasn’t spending time with me.
The morning sun shining through the window in my office eased my concern.
Setting the glass on the corner of my desk, I took the mug to the window.
Nighttime was gone, replaced with blue skies. Sipping my coffee, I watched as a black SUV slowed and turned into our parking lot. Through the mostly darkened window, I recognized Horace, Izzy’s driver and bodyguard.
A few minutes later, as I brought my computer to life, I heard the tap of Izzy’s shoes on the hallway. “Hola,” I called.
Isabella came straight to my office. “Oh, Liliana. Are you all right? I sent you a text message last night. I’m so sorry about José.”
“Does Horace know?”
Pressing her lips together, she nodded. “Em called me late last night. He said he went with José and Renata to the warehouse before thinking about you. He wanted me to check on you. What happened? Did you stay in your apartment? You know, there’s something happening with another cartel.
” Her forehead wrinkled. “You should come stay with us. Like I said in my text message, Valentina wouldn’t mind. I even asked her this morning.”
“I’m staying here right now.”
“Here?” She pursed her lips. “Oh, we do have an empty apartment. But don’t you want to leave here—and not be here day and night?”
“I want to stay in my apartment.” I shrugged. “I guess I need to wait until a new bodyguard can be assigned.”
“Wait,” Izzy said. “You were still in your apartment when Em left with the Pérezes. How did you get here last night?”
“Nick brought me.”
“Nick was with Em?”
I nodded. “Once everyone left, Nick realized I was alone. He insisted on bringing me here.”
Isabella let out a sigh. “I’m glad Nick was thinking. But seriously consider my invitation. I’m sure Mia would want you too.”
My phone rang.
“Speak of the devil,” I said with a grin, looking at the screen. “It’s Mia. She’s probably only recently heard.”
Izzy waved. “I’ll let you two talk.”
Sitting in my desk chair, I hit the green icon. “Mia.”
“Liliana, are you okay? I just heard about José. We have renovations planned in one of the bedrooms for the new baby, but you’re always welcome to stay here. We have other rooms.”
“Thank you, Mia. I’m at the apartments right now. We have an empty unit. I’ve invited Renata to come here and stay with me.”
“Oh…you don’t know.”
Aware of the tightening and prickling of my skin, I sat taller. “What?”
“Renata isn’t staying in the US. José had his citizenship; Renata doesn’t. With him gone, she’s afraid to stay here. She still has family in San Miguel de Allende. Jano arranged transportation for her. She left this morning.”
My stomach dropped. “So fast? She couldn’t even stay for his funeral?”
“Liliana, I’m sure she didn’t want to leave so soon. Things happened quickly.”
A new rush of sadness overtook me. In a matter of hours, I’d lost both José and Renata. “I understand.”
“You don’t need to be working today.”
My gaze scanned my desk, bookshelves, and office. “Mia, I don’t know where else to be.”
“Here. You can come be here.”
“I-I” —I took a breath— “I want to be here. The residents make me…feel useful.”
“Liliana, you’re useful. You also deserve time to mourn.”
“I heard something happened at Wanderland last night. Let me feel out the residents as they wake. If they need to talk, I’ll be here.”
“Tonight, you can sleep here,” Mia said.
“I would like to go back to my apartment.”
Mia lowered her voice. “I can persuade Jano on many matters. However, when it comes to women living alone without protection, he’s adamant. My husband takes the responsibility for the safety of all the members of his cartel. I can’t fault him on that.”
“If I had a new bodyguard?”
“I’m not sure what happened at Wanderland last night. I only know Jano has been in his office with lieutenants and soldiers coming and going since before five this morning. I’m sorry, but finding you a new bodyguard probably isn’t the cartel’s top priority.”
I swallowed a new lump of grief. Of course, I wasn’t a priority. I never had been. “I’ll let you know about tonight. Thank you.” With my temples throbbing, I disconnected the call before Mia could say more.
“Liliana,” Angel, one of the residents, said as she stepped into my doorway with a metal basket containing something hidden beneath cloth napkins. “Luz said to bring these to you while they’re still warm.”
Pushing the overwhelming feeling of loss down, I feigned a smile. The rich aroma of blueberry muffins filled my senses as Angel set the basket on my desk. I pulled open the napkins; the sweet scents multiplied in the air. Four large sugar-crusted muffins filled the basket. “Oh, they smell amazing.”
“Probably taste better.”
“Do you want one?” I asked.
“No, those are for you and Izzy. Luz would hunt me down if I took one.” She grinned. “I’d better get back to the kitchen. Everyone is starting to wake. It’s earlier than usual.” She scoffed. “Rumors of muffins will do that.”