Page 73 of Play With Me

Sucking the inside of my cheek between my teeth, I mull over my words, deciding how much information I want to disclose. “Everything is fine. There is a security situation at my job and I need to stay in the city for a little while. I would feel much better if Maya was with people I trust.”

“Well, of course, she can stay here,” Mami starts, but Papi interrupts her.

“She can. But what will you have us say, Lita? Do you want us to tell people she’s our granddaughter?” His voice is wary, and if Mami had asked, I would have felt like they don’t want to tell people about theirillegitimategrandchild. But since the question is coming from Papi, I know he genuinely wonders what story I want told.

“I think that would be okay,” I say carefully. “But it would be best to keep her last name a secret. Though, perhaps not going around introducing her to everyone would be preferable.” If I know my parents, they are still super active in the church, and the less people who go poking around about me and Maya, the better. Mami and Papi’s friends are incredibly nosy.

Mami nods. “That’s fine. Is everything okay? You said there’s a security problem. Should we be worried?”

My attention snaps to Anders and Maya, who are motioning that they want to come back inside. I wave them in as I tell Mami, “There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Mom, I’m hungry,” Maya grumbles.

Mami brightens up and claps her hands. “Do you like pastelitos? We were just getting ready to make them before you arrived.”

One of my fondest memories with Mami is making the pastries filled with guava and cheese. However, I did not inherit her cooking gene. I cringe as Mami gives me an incredulous look when Maya asks, “What are those?”

“What are those?” Mami cries out. “¿Me estás tomando el pelo? Carmelita, you never made pastelitos with your daughter? Come, Maya, it’s time to learn.”

Mami pulls Maya toward the kitchen, switchinglanguages back and forth as she mutters about how I was never that great in the kitchen and asking Maya who cooks the meals in our house.

“Anders, how about a beer? You like baseball?” Papi asks, walking back toward the solarium. Anders follows him after a fleeting hug and kiss on my temple.

And just like that, after so many years of being absent from each other’s lives, my family is whole again.

Anders

“I’m sorry, sir. It looks like you’ve been checked out. Whoever was paying for the room went in and packed your things. We have them in the back if you could just give me a mome–”

“What the fuck do you mean someone went into my room and packed my things?” I demand.

This is the last thing I expected when my key card wouldn’t work to get into my room. Why the fuck would Mick check me out of the hotel?

I pull out my phone as the brunette concierge sputters, her whole face turning the color of a tomato. “I’m so sorry, I was told that?—”

“I don’t care what you were told. Pretty sure it’s illegal in all fifty states.” My fingers fly over my screen as I type out a message to Mick.

Is there a reason you checked me out of the hotel?

Less than five seconds later, Carmela’s name pops up on the home screen, along with a picture we took with Maya at Harry Potter World when we all had Butterbeer mustaches. “What’s going on, Cara?”

“You need to come to Désirer.” She sounds baffled.

A pinprick of panic makes my heart pause for a beat. She wasn’t supposed to go to the club without me. “What do you mean? I thought we agreed you’d wait?—”

“Another letter was delivered. It was on my desk when Martin and Nikolai were sweeping the place for more evidence. All traces of membership cards being scanned were wiped along with video footage,” she starts rambling.

A male voice says something in the background I can’t decipher. It sounds an awful lot like Mick. Carmela’s response is muffled, and I assume she is holding her hand over the mouthpiece of her phone.

The concierge jumps when I turn my attention back to her. “Keep my stuff in the back for now. I’ll be by to get it later.” I fish out my wallet and flash my badge. “Do not let anyone else touch my things. Do you understand?”

The brunette nods vigorously, her eyes as wide assaucers. “Yes, sir. I understand. Again, I am so sorr?—”

I turn, not giving a shit about her apology. I know I’m being rude, but I’m sick of Mick treating me like I’m dispensable. Like, I’ll just disappear once this is all over.

And how convenient that he just happens to be at Désirer.

“Cara,” I snap, trying to regain her attention as I walk briskly through the hotel lobby.

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