Page 136 of Drawn Blue Lines

Chapter Forty-Four

Adriana

Mexico City, Mexico

Six Weeks Later

I was getting cabin fever.

Well, if one could get cabin fever inside a mansion.

Still, in the six weeks since becoming the proud owner of my brother’s kidney, I’d barely been allowed to lift my own fork. He insisted on doing everything for me, and when I argued, he swore he was just protecting his investment.

Right.

However, the minute I got out from under Val’s watchful eye, Eden was there to serve as his stand-in warden.

Yes, I said Eden.

I couldn’t believe how much had changed in such a short amount of time. Not that we were best friends, but the animosity was gone. There was peace in the Carrera house, which only made the cartel that much stronger.

And deadlier.

Brody flew back and forth from Houston to Mexico City as much as he could, which ended up being every week. Val just rolled his eyes, but I saw the smile when he turned his head. Those two weren’t best friends either, but they’d found their peace too.

If the four of us could get along, anything was possible.

I zipped my suitcase closed, shaking my head at the mound of clothes Leighton was making me take to Houston. I didn’t have the heart to tell her half her stuff didn’t fit, so I’d just take them and donate them.

I did charitable shit like that now.

“Do you have a minute?”

I glanced toward the door where Eden stood, her red hair piled high on top of her head, Santi cradled in her arms.

“Sure. Is everything okay?”

She nodded, fidgeting as she walked into the room. “I owe you an apology.”

I waved my hand. “You don’t.” We’d had six weeks of peace. There was no need to open up old wounds just for words that weren’t needed.

Eden sighed, sinking onto my bed. “Adriana, we have more in common than I wanted to admit. We both had rough childhoods where we had to grow up too fast and rely on ourselves to survive. I didn’t have a real family.” She ran her hand over Santi’s dark hair. “Nash was all I had and after he died, well, Val and Santi, they’re my whole world. You scared me, and when I’m scared, I lash out. I can’t apologize for protecting them because I’d do it again. But I will apologize for not trusting my husband’s judgment.”

“Eden, it’s okay.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s not. Please let me get this out.” Pressing her lips together, she took a deep breath. “You had my brother murdered, and I killed yours. I can hate you for it, but Nash wouldn’t want that. In fact, I think he’d be pretty ashamed of me right now. My big brother was my hero, Adriana. He was the best man I knew, and the only one who saw the good in me when everyone else put me down. He always said, ‘Edie, people do bad things, but it doesn’t make them bad people. What makes them bad is when they forget that.’” Her voice broke as tears spilled down her cheeks. “Santiago Nash Carrera is named after my brother, and I want him to grow up being as proud of his mom as I hope his uncle would’ve been. That’s why…” Her shoulders shook as she sobbed. “That’s why I forgive you.”

Before I knew what I was doing, I flung my arms around her. Startled at first, she soon leaned into it, pressing her cheek against my shoulder. After a few awkward moments, we pulled apart, both of us wiping our eyes, looking anywhere but at each other.

“Well,” I said, glancing toward the open door, “I should probably go downstairs. Brody will be here any minute.”

“Adriana, wait.” She grabbed my arm, a genuine smile pulling across her mouth as she glanced down at the wigging baby in her arms. “Santi, it’s time you officially meet your Aunt Adriana.” Scooping him up, she held him out to me, and I waved both hands, backing up like he was a ticking bomb.

“Oh, no, I can’t…”

Her grin widened. “Come on. Consider it practice.”

I didn’t have time for another protest. Eden stood up and dumped him in my arms. It was either take him or drop him. Paranoid, I tugged him against my chest, looking down at the little boy I risked everything for.

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