Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Nick
“May I be the first,” Father Gallo said, “to introduce Senor and Senora Nicolas Ruiz.”
The guests stood and clapped.
Liliana’s grasp of my hand tightened, alerting me of unexpected alarm.
Her glowing smile from a moment earlier was gone, the color drained from her cheeks.
I followed her line of vision to the back row of guests.
There was a couple present I didn’t recognize, but I was certain my wife did. “Are you okay?” I whispered.
It was as if my question pulled Liliana from a spell. Her soft brown eyes met mine, and her beautiful smile returned. “Of course, I’m your wife.”
“Are you able to walk to our reception or should I carry you?”
The sparkle was back. “I can walk.”
With her hand in mine, we made our way between the guests as congratulations came from both sides of the aisle. Once inside el Patrón and Mia’s house, I tugged Liliana to the front of the house, outside into the inner courtyard, trying for a moment of privacy.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
Once outside, I reached for her cheeks and pulled her face toward mine.
This was the kiss I wanted to give her during the ceremony.
She tasted of mint and spice. Liliana willingly allowed my tongue entrance as hers joined the tango.
When I released her, she panted for breath, a smile curling her lips.
“I like your kisses.”
“That’s good,” I said, “I plan on doing that a lot more.”
Liliana looked around. Beyond the inner gates, guards patrolled with long guns. Yet within the courtyard, there was a sense of calm. The dark sky was filled with stars, as if God himself approved of our marriage, adding his own twinkling lights.
“Did you bring me out here just to kiss me?” she asked.
“That’s one of the reasons.”
“What’s the other?”
“That couple in the back, they’re your parents, aren’t they?”
Liliana nodded.
“I don’t recall seeing them before.”
“You have,” she said. “The last time I saw them was Gerardo’s funeral.”
I scoffed. “Well, sorry, they didn’t make an impression on me.”
“My father now answers to Reinaldo. I wonder if he made them attend.”
“Why would Rei do that?”
“Sofia is here. Jasmine invited her to fly down from Sacramento. I feel like Sofia would have told me my parents were here.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what to think.”
I was trying to recall before the ceremony. Em and I had been in el Patrón’s office. “I didn’t see them enter.” I shrugged. “They didn’t arrive with Rei and Jasmine.”
Liliana feigned a smile. “Do you think we should go back inside for our reception?”
I wiggled my eyebrows. “Or we could skip the reception and go straight to our apartment.”
“Ours?”
“Sí, Senora Ruiz, you not only have my name, but you have gained a roommate.”
“And a new bodyguard.”
“Sí. However, I think it would be best not to have any live-in help for at least a few days.”
“Why is that?”
“Because with the plans I have for us, it would be better if we didn’t have an audience.”
Liliana tucked her chin.
I reached for it and lifted her face. “You’re my wife. You can tell me no.”
Her long lashes blinked, revealing her soft suede orbs. “Thank you. I don’t think I want to do that. It’s good to know I can.”
The door to our side opened, warm light spilling onto the pavers. “Hey,” Mia said. “There’s a party in here for you two. Do you think you’d like to attend?”
“I’m going to kiss my wife one more time,” I replied.
Mia smiled and waved before going back into the house.
Our lips met.
“I love you, Liliana. Never forget that.”
“I love you too.”
With her hand in mine, we walked back into the house. Down the hall we saw the guests mingling around the living room and out onto the patio. However, it was the discussion in el Patrón’s office that caught my attention, especially at the mention of my wife’s name. Liliana and I stopped.
“That’s my father,” she whispered.
I jutted my chin toward the living room. “Go. I’ll find out what this is about.”
“No.”
I wrinkled my brow. “Did you say no?”
“I did. You just told me I could. I’m not afraid of my father, especially not with you at my side. I want to hear what he’s saying to el Patrón.”
“I really don’t want to have to kill him in front of you.”
My wife grinned. She actually grinned.
“I trust you to do what’s right.”
“Okay.” I knocked on the partially open door and pushed it inward.
Liliana’s mother, Nailea, was sitting in a chair near the window. “Lily,” she said softly as we entered. She wasn’t my focus.
The discussion involving Socorro Cervantes, Rei, my father, and el Patrón garnered our attention. Socorro, turned to us. His expression was less than heartening as he straightened his neck and scanned Liliana and me up and down.
Tugging on Liliana’s hand, I moved her partially behind me as I took a step forward. “I’m sensing an issue,” I said, puffing my chest.
“Nick,” el Patrón said, “the Cervanteses were just leaving. I’ve called Silas to drive them to the airport.”
“You’re leaving?” Liliana asked.
Socorro’s focus was on me. “You think you can marry my daughter without talking to me?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“She’s my daughter,” he said louder. “When Gerardo married her, he offered compensation for her hand—a bride price. We negotiated.” He waved his hand up and down.
“You just take her? Is that because she’s no longer of value.
She’s not a virgin.” He spat out the last sentence like the words were sour.
Gritting my teeth, I took another step forward. “You stopped being her father after Gerardo was killed. You have no right to make any decisions for her.”
“Nailea,” he said. “I told you he wouldn’t pay for used goods.”
Rage roiled through my circulation. I didn’t plan or strategize my next move. Within a second or two, I had my knife unsheathed, Socorro’s suit coat gathered in my fist, and the tip of my knife at Socorro’s throat.
My name was shouted from around the room.
“Rei, you deal with your soldier,” el Patrón said.
Liliana’s mother was now standing. “El Patrón, we’re sorry. We’ll leave.”
“How much?” I asked through clenched teeth.
A trickle of blood appeared on Socorro’s neck.
“How much did my uncle pay?” I asked again.
Socorro’s eyes bulged.
“Fifty thousand,” Nailea replied. “Socorro tried for more, but el Patrón, Jorge, agreed to fifty thousand.”
Liliana gasped. “You sold me to that monster for fifty thousand dollars?”
I pulled my knife an inch away from my father-in-law’s flesh. “Leave today. Do not contact my wife again, ever, and I’ll pay you one hundred thousand dollars.”
“Nick,” my wife gasped. “No. He doesn’t—they don’t deserve your money.”
Pushing Socorro backward, he stumbled as I sheathed my knife and turned to Jano. “El Patrón, I’d like to pay the Cervanteses one hundred thousand dollars for my wife’s hand.”
Socorro’s expression morphed from fright to a smug smirk.
“Nick,” he said. “Socorro is wrong.”
“He is,” I agreed. “There’s no price worthy of Liliana’s hand.” I turned, meeting my wife’s teary gaze and lifted my hand to her. Slowly, she put her hand in mine. I turned back to Jano. “And Cervantes is also wrong that Liliana has no value. My wife is priceless. Please authorize the bride price.”
“Are you sure?” my father asked.
I looked him in the eye. We’d disagreed on many things of late. I wasn’t confident that he’d have my back. It was my money. His opinion was moot. “Positive,” I replied.
“El Patrón,” my father said, “I support my son’s decision.”
Jano looked at Rei. “I’ll approve the bride price if you take care of other matters in Sacramento.”
“Sí, it will be done.”
Liliana stepped forward. “What will be done?”
It was el Patrón who answered. “A soldier does not enter my home and make demands without consequences.”
Socorros’s complexion paled. A drop of blood slithered down his neck as his Adam’s apple bobbed. I took a step closer to my father-in-law. “You’ll have your money. You and your wife are dead to us even if Rei allows you to live. Never darken our lives with your presence.”
There was no doubt he had more to say; however, with el Patrón, his second-in-command, and top lieutenants in attendance, he wisely only nodded.