Page 32 of Branches of Betrayal

That was the thing too; home wasn’t always a place, but a person. Hadina had become Peyton’s whole life and she knew that nowhere would ever feel welcome unless Hadina was by her side.

“Did you know the devil once visited San Antonio in the flesh?” Hadina asked. She wore a smirk like a mask, theatrics laced in her voice.

A shiver went down Vicenta’s spine. “Tell us the entire story.”

“Why don’t we go and get some fresh air?” Darío suggest to Itza. The girl shook her head, giggling excitedly. “Absolutely not! I want to hear every word of this story.”

“You’re too much like your Tía Hadi,” Darío muttered.

Hadina leaned back in her chair, waiting a beat to make sure she had everyone’s attention.

“The story starts in the seventies with a young girl, just turned sixteen, who decided to disobey her parents for the first time. She led them to believe she was going to the cinema with friends, but instead she went toEl Camaroncito, a nightclub club in town. As they arrived, they noted a handsome gentleman already making his way around the dance floor. Dressed in a white suit, he caught the eye of everyone in the bar.

“But none caught his eye the way in which our young señorita did. With her young looks, white dress, and the scent of deception covering her skin, she was exactly what he was looking for. The man and young woman danced and danced, allowing him to lure her more. As the night wore on, the girl leaned in for a kiss from her handsome stranger. However, just before their lips touched, a foul scent arose. Burning her nostrils, the girl stepped back, wondering where such a strong smell was coming from.”

Itza gasped. “Was it him? The devil?”

Hadina smirked at her niece, lowering her voice to add extra drama. From where Peyton sat beside her woman, she couldn’t help but admire her beauty. Hadina was her own personal devil, and Peyton would let herself be lured for the rest of her life.

“The girl happened to look down and in place of the man’s dress shoes were now hooves!”

Peyton couldn’t help but giggle as Itza and Vicenta squealed at the same time.

“At seeing such a hideous sight, the young woman screamed and broke free from his grip. Her cries for help garnered the attention of all the other club patrons, all of whom saw the hooves. Frantic,el diabloran towards the men’s restroom where he ultimately disappeared. Witnesses who had followed him into the restroom say all he left behind was a puff of smoke and the vile stench of sulfur.”

The table was silent for a few moments as everyone took in the dark meaning behind the story. Even Itza, that little rebel, sat with her mouth agape.

“Did that really happen?” she asked.

Hadina shrugged. “It’s up to you if you believe it. But I will say, myMamitold me the story when she was younger and the haunted look on her face… I’m inclined to say it’s true.”

“And that,” Peyton chimed in, despite the cold feeling trickling down her spine, “Is why you shouldn’t lie to your parents. Isn’t that right, Itza?”

The entire group burst into laughter as Itza stuck her tongue out at Peyton, though there was an edge to everyone’s smiles as the night continued.

If anyone should be worried about the devil coming to visit, it was every one of them sitting at that table.

Chapter 19

Hadina

Meeting Darío’s family—andby extension, Itza’s—went better than Hadina could have expected, yet she felt a heaviness in her heart. Despite their agreement, Darío had encouraged Itza and promised her a future. That was something neither of them could do, and Hadina would be the one to pick up the pieces if the worst were to happen.

It felt like Darío was stealingherdaughter, and she hated that about herself. But no matter how much she reminded herself that Itza wasjust her niece, Hadina knew that love didn’t differentiate like that. She loved Itza fiercely and it didn’t matter that they weren’t blood related—a piece of her would always belong to that girl.

“Enough moping, Hadina. You have work to do,” she muttered to herself.

“You know that talking to yourself is the first sign of delusion,mija?”

Hadina looked up, smiling as her father walked into the office, two mugs of coffee in each hand. He handed the largerto her, as he always did, knowing that her body survived on caffeine. “Hola, Papi.”

She watched as he slowly lowered himself onto the seat on the opposite side of her desk. He was becoming frailer and it hurt her heart to see it. His gray hair seemed to be whiter, his wrinkles deepening across his face. If she blinked, she could still see the handsome young man he was when she was young, throwing her around the garden and teaching her how to be respectable.

Sometimes, on her rare sentimental days, she missed those years. She’d caught herself wishing for a repeat more than once, just so she could spend her childhood years with both her parents and really treasure every moment with them.

“¿Qué pasa, Papi? ¿Estás bien?”

Her father smiled, nodding his head slightly. “Sí, mija.I’m perfectly fine. I’m just worried about you. Aboutallof my girls.”

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