Page 25 of Snatched Up By the Cartel

I stepped into the dimly lit apartment, the air thick with the smell of smoke and something else — the sickly sweet scent of drugs. What a terrible place this was. It made my stomach churn.

"I need a place to stay," I said softly, my eyes taking in the squalid conditions. The more I looked around, the more I felt just how much I needed to get out of here as soon as possible. "Just for a few days, until I can figure something out."

That was my hope, anyway, but I had no idea if it was really only going to be a few days. It could end up being more.

My friend nodded, his eyes understanding. "Stay as long as you need," he said. "But be careful, Mateo. This place ain't no good for a baby."

I nodded, my eyes scanning the room, my heart heavy as I imagined Rylan and our unborn child in such an environment.

My friend didn't have to do this, but he still was. He had a good heart, no denying it. His only problem was that he was living in this place. Hopefully, it wasn't going to become my problem as well.

"I know," I whispered, hiding my grief. "But it's all I've got for now."

He understood me, nodding. He actually wished he could do more, but it was impossible. He couldn't do anything more than this. He was as broke as I was.

As the days turned into weeks, the reality of our situation settled over me like a heavy blanket. Rylan and I kept our distance, our interactions strained and filled with words we didn't want to say to each other. We knew that if we voiced them, our relationship would be broken beyond repair.

The weight of his betrayal hung between us, a constant reminder of the chasm that now existed where love and trust had once resided. Could it be filled with the last two things again? I had no idea. The more I thought about that, the more impossible it seemed.

One afternoon, as I sat in the dimly lit apartment, my eyes heavy with exhaustion, Rylan approached, his steps tentative. "Mateo," he said softly, his eyes filled with unshed tears. "Please, let's talk. We can't keep avoiding each other. Our baby deserves better."

I sighed, my shoulders sagging under the weight of my grief and anger. I really didn't want to talk about anything, but I knew he was right. Avoiding the problem wasn't going to make it less tormenting.

"What is there to say, Rylan?" I asked. It was a very good question. What was there to say? I didn't think there was anything to be said. "You betrayed my trust and put our baby in danger. What more is there to discuss?"

I didn't think I could have made it simpler than that. It was because of him we were living in this place. It wasn't good for us and the baby. He knew it was his fault.

Still, it wasn’t going to stop Rylan. He took a step forward, his hands reaching for mine. He was going to try to do something, but I didn't think it was going to work.

"I know," he whispered, his voice shaking. "And I'm sorry. I made a mistake, a terrible one, but please, Mateo, let's not throw away what we have. Our baby needs us, needs a family."

I pulled my hands away, my heart too wounded to accept his touch. Shaking my head, I couldn't help but think how wrong he was. The baby needed me and I was going to be there for him, but I wasn't going to say I forgave Rylan. At the moment, I didn't think I could say that, and my mind would probably never change about it.

"You threw it all away, Rylan," I said softly. "The moment you chose to betray my trust, you shattered our family."

His eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat as he processed the finality of my words. He knew I was right, which was the reason he was having difficulty finding the right thing to say.

"Please, Mateo," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I don't know what I can say to change your mind, but please… Try to stay with me for our little one. You don't need to stay for me."

I stood, my eyes never leaving his, my heart aching as I delivered the final blow. I wished I could stay for our little one, but it wasn't so simple. The more time I spent near Rylan, the more I hated him and myself.

I knew what I had to say next was going to hurt him a lot, but it still needed to be said. He needed to face the cold reality around us.

"No, Rylan. It really is over between us. No matter what you say, you can't change my mind. It's that simple. "

He took a few steps backward, his eyes widening. I knew he wasn't taking this well, but he shouldn't be surprised. Time wasn't going to heal my wounds. He must have thought that, just because we were living together, we were lovers again, but we weren't.

"No," he whispered. "When are you going to realize that what you're doing hurts you as much as it hurts me?"

I shook my head again. It felt like everything was repeating itself. I had to get out of here. Rylan and our little one would be okay. I didn't have to worry; my friend would keep them safe and fed.

With that, I walked away, my steps heavy and my heart aching with each step that took me further from Rylan. This time, I really had no idea where I was going. As long as I was away from the person who betrayed me, I supposed I would be okay.

Still, I had to figure out something, and most importantly, I had to discover how I really felt about us.

Chapter 9

Mateo

---