Chapter Fourteen The Best Thing
Maya
“Is that why they came and protected her kids?” I asked him.
“Carlos had said they were fond of Gabby. They were family members and they were aware of what her father did to her. They were not willing participants in that cartel. I think they followed the first pair of cousins to Catemaco.”
“So can I ask something else?” I stared at him.
Henry propped his chin up with his hand and looked back at me. “I am an open book. Except maybe for the years between sixteen and twenty.” He gave me a wink and added, “I admit that I was a bad boy.”
I laughed. “I believe you and someday, I will ask how you learned to do all the things you just did to me.”
He jiggled his eyebrows playfully. “I have more moves coming.”
I kept chuckling. “I’m not sure I could take more of your moves today. I am toast.”
Pursing his yummy lips, he pretended to pout. “I planned to call room service or whatever and keep you naked in bed all day.”
I shivered at his tone as it left playful and went straight to sexy. “We are not in a hotel, Henry.”
He smirked. “They must have servants in a place this huge, Maya. But we digress. What was your question?”
“I did listen to the discussions you all had in the car when we drove to Mexico City then here from the airport too. This man who was so scary came out with Miss Gabriela to greet us… He is Mafioso?”
Henry nodded. “He was. I’m not sure how he and Gabby met but Carlos and his father were at war with Alberto Mancini when Carlos plowed into that tree and went into a coma.”
“Yes, I heard just a mention of this. How odd. I wondered why everyone got so tense and worried when we stepped out of the car. So he got hurt while battling his sister’s husband?”
“I’m unsure if it was while they were together?
But Carlos had been troubled and I told you why.
I think he was getting ruthless and careless.
Two things that might get you dead in a criminal world.
Rain and I only knew what we heard through others.
And when I heard that Carlos was in a coma I wanted to go and see him, but he had many family members there at the hospital.
I couldn’t get in. Then when I heard that he disappeared from his hospital bed, I believed he was dead.
I was saddened at such a bad ending for him. ”
“How did he disappear while in a coma?” I asked curiously.
Henry laughed. “Selena somehow got in and took him. Seems his father had a stroke and most of the Castillo monsters were with him in a hideout. So she simply waltzed in and grabbed him. Bold as you please, she just wheeled him out. Flew him across the country to hide him. Had him for a month maybe? Then when he woke up, she asked just one question.”
“Where the kids were,” I interjected.
Nodding, he laughed. “See what I mean? Selena is ballsy. Plans and executes the kidnapping of one the most notorious cartel leaders in the western hemisphere. Then waits for him to wake up to confront him? With no fear. That is absolutely mad.”
A knock sounded on the door.
He and I glanced at each other as we both wore the bed sheet and no clothing.
Henry got up, grabbed his pants then shoved his legs in and tugged them up. He zipped up and headed to the door as a second knock came.
I looked over at the clock….9 a.m.
Henry opened the door.
“Well, hello there, mate,” a man’s voice greeted him.
Still stuck on the bed, I laid down, covered up with the blanket and hid my head.
“Michael?” Henry asked as his voice sounded confused.
“Yes, Sir Henry. You do remember that I am your brother and haven’t seen you in years, right?”
“Yes, so can I meet you downstairs at breakfast?” Henry told him.
“Oh, that happened at eight. But yeah, there’s always something in the kitchen to eat and you probably need your tea.” Michael chuckled. “Meet me there as soon as you and your girl over there get dressed, ok?”
Silence.
“I used to be a cop, bro,” Michael broke Henry’s silence. “I take things in and know the happenings instantly. Come on.”
“Damned cheeky motherfucker,” Henry grumbled in response.
Michael’s laughter echoed from the hallway.
I heard the door slam and rose up out of my blanket hiding.
Henry stalked across the room and stood at the end of the bed to stare down at me. “I am sorry about that.”
“He is funny, no?” I teased him.
“Hell no.” Henry scoffed. “He only believes he is.”
“Si, but he is right. You and he haven’t sat down and just talked.”
“We are blokes, what would we talk about?”
“You could ask him about his wife,” I suggested as I rose up and tucked the sheet around me.
“Fine, then what?”
I paused and stared at him. “Henry, I lost my brother,” I told him softly. “I cannot visit with him anymore. You came here and your brother just wants to see you.”
Henry lowered his head then raised it to look at me. His green eyes held a serious look. “I’m sorry. I know you are right.”
I laughed. “Women are always right, bloke.” I bent down to grab my scattered clothes from the floor.
“Wait darling, I will get them for you.” He knelt and picked up my blouse. Pausing, he stared at my bare feet. Then his gaze slowly roamed up to my legs, over my torso and finally to my face.
“What is wrong?” I asked in concern.
“Wrong?” he repeated. “No, sweet angel. Everything is just right. You are just so damned beautiful in that sheet that it struck me all over again how lucky I am to be with you.”
I blinked at him in surprise, then I shook my head as I scoffed. “Non essere pazzo. You are just crazy, Henry.”
Henry stood and handed me my pants. “Maya, there is no way that you do not know how freakin’ hot you are!”
I laughed as I looked around for my underwear and bra. “I am not even as pretty as any of the women in this house.”
He stepped closer and had my undergarments in his hand.
I stopped to stare at him again.
Slowly raising my underwear up, he pressed his nose into the silky garment and took a deep breath. “Your scent is addictive to me. Your beautiful face is something I wish to see every morning when I wake up. And I want to be able to kiss your luscious lips each night until I take my last breath.”
All I could do was stare at him. Was he serious? No one had ever said such things to me. I shook my head. “Pazzo.”
Nodding, he handed my underwear and bra to me. “I am crazy over you, Maya. Maybe someday soon you will get it.” Leaning in, he gently kissed my cheek and pulled back. “I cannot kiss your lips because if I do…We will never leave this room.” He stepped away and said, “Now, where is my shirt?”
I went to the bathroom to get dressed and brush my hair.
Yes, it had brushes, combs, hair clips, perfume.
I opened a few drawers to see them stocked with many hygiene items for both men and women.
I also knew my room would probably have the same.
Maybe I was wrong when I told Henry that this was not a hotel. I snickered.
A few minutes later, we were in the elevator heading down to the main floor.
Henry took my hand in his.
He seemed to be a sweet man. I never thought this when I first met him though. I thought he was rigido e noioso, stiff and boring. Boh, was I ever wrong.
We arrived at the kitchen a few minutes later. We came here with the twins when we first arrived to this place, so at least we did not get lost in this massive house. A person needed a map.
Michael sat at the table as he smiled at us. “Have a seat.”
Rain sat next to him and he gave us a nod. “Your tea is ready, Sir Henry.” He then smiled at me as he added, “There is espresso for you, Miss Maya.”
We both stepped forward.
I smiled and nodded at Rain. “Grazie.”
Henry pulled a chair out for me.
I sat down and smiled at him too.
We both looked at the two men.
They were grinning at us.
Henry chuckled as he shook his head. “You are two busy bodied old ladies. You know that, right?”
The two men chuckled, not in the least bit insulted by this remark.
I felt a little embarrassed, but I did not know why.
“You two are cute together,” Michael commented.
“Da, very how you say, sweet.” Rain smirked.
Ok, now I knew why they were acting like this.
They were teasing Henry. I already caught on to the relationship Henry had with Mr. Rain as I called him.
They were competitive and they teased each other.
Making jokes and this had made us all laugh in the hotel and the car.
To me, it showed a great friendship. But do not try to tell them that, Selena had informed me.
They would never admit to it. I did note that Henry simply volunteered Mr. Rain to help me before he even came to talk to us about my family being missing.
Henry glanced at me in concern.
I reached over and patted his hand. “It is bene. No worries.”
Both men looked over at me.
I gave them a nod.
“Damn, I didn’t think about it as giving you a hard time,” Michael told me.
“And I did not receive it as that.” I smiled at him. Then I looked over at Rain and gave him a smile as well.
We all sat there sipping our prospective drinks. The kitchen fell quiet for a few minutes.
I looked over at Henry and then tapped his ankle with my foot.
He snapped his gaze over to me.
I rolled my eyes and motioned my head at Michael. We came down so they could talk.
Henry finally got it, so he turned his head to look at his brother. “So Mikey’s a daddy, eh?”
Michael nodded. “A daughter and she is as adorable as I am.” He gave Henry a smirk.
“I am curious about something, baby brother,” Henry smirked back.
Michael raised his hands up. “I know what your question is. How did a cop marry the daughter of a… Mafia leader?”
“Well, yes. And not just any mafia leader.” Henry leaned forward to add, “Houdini Mancini? Were you insane?”
His brother laughed. “Well, even with the risk of being ribbed about this endlessly by you, big brother, I shall tell you the truth. I love books.”
Henry stilled and blinked at him in confusion. “What?”
“I walked into a bookstore and there she was. I felt like my world had tilted. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
I swear I wasn’t hitting on her but I just had to talk to her.
I wanted to know everything about her. It was insta-love.
I know they say there’s no such thing, but I found out that there is. ”
“And you knew who she was?” Henry asked while looking intrigued.
Michael shook his head and set his cup down.
“Hell no. She called herself Sia. Who she was or who I was, never came up really. We just clicked and wow…Then I got called away of course. The job, ya know? But I knew where she lived so I wasn’t worried.
Then she was never at that condo again whenever I checked for the next two months or so.
I lost her and I really felt that. Then lo and behold, we finally got a warrant to…
” He paused and laughed as he waved his hand.
“…Search the Mancini house and property.”
“Oh, wow,” I said.
Nodding, he scoffed. “My Sia was Alessia Mancini. I felt like I’d gotten hit by a train.”
“Sounds like a trainwreck,” Henry agreed.
Michael smirked. “Oh, no, the train wreck happened when we reached her place with another search warrant. And I found evidence alright. A positive pregnancy test.”
“Oh, mate!” Henry laughed.
“Yeah, so…I chose her and the baby and left the job behind.”
“That is sooo romanzesco!” I exclaimed.
The three men looked at me.
I laughed as I shrugged my shoulders. “Bene, it is very romantic.”
“I would have wanted to be a fly on the wall when you and her father had that first talk,” Rain finally spoke.
“Yes, me too!” Henry exclaimed. “Like he could have had you shot! Getting his daughter pregnant then being a cop that was here with a warrant? Holy shit.”
“Brave man,” Rain commented.
“Or stupid,” Henry teased.
Michael gave him a huge grin. “Best thing that ever happened to me.”
Henry took my hand under the table.
I glanced over at him.
He smiled at me and turned to nod at his brother. “Now that, I can understand.”