Page 42 of Burning Beauty

"Geez," Maria breathed, taken aback. "These mafia families are sure intense."

Cassandra laughed for the first time that morning. "Honestly, you have no idea."

They sat silently for a few minutes and then Maria put her arm around Cassandra and gave her a tight one-armed hug. "We choose our family when the ones we're born with don't work. For you, yours doesn't understand how amazing you are and don't deserve to have you in their lives. For me, most of mine are dead, so I hold those I have left close to my heart."

Casandra blinked back tears and returned Maria’s hug. "Thank you, and thank you for being part of my chosen family. I know you were reluctant at first and that I bullied you to love me, but I'm glad you gave in and we're best friends now."

Maria laughed and they sat by the pool together giggling and talking about how Nic had kidnapped Maria and then Cassandra had forced her into a friendship. They both agreed that Maria probably had Stockholm syndrome.

"Why did you look so sad when I first came out here?" Cassandra asked during a lull in their conversation.

Maria frowned and had to think about it, but then she remembered. "I was actually thinking about my family too."

"You said most of them are dead?" Cassandra prodded.

Maria nodded. "Yes. I didn't have many family members to begin with and life in Guadalajara wasn't easy. We had our fair share of poverty, and the cartel runs things down there. My mama died about five years ago, leaving just me and my brother."

"And your brother... he's still alive?" Cassandra asked hesitantly.

"Si, yes, he is," Maria said with a sigh. "He came with me to America for a new start after... after things went bad for me in Mexico. He's my protector and my loyal friend." Maria hadn't talked about her brother with Cassandra. She missed him terribly and there wasn't anything she could do about his situation except trust Nic when he said that Ruiz was being treated well.

"Where is your brother?" Cassandra asked gently, catching onto the downturn in Maria's mood.

"He's in Las Vegas, I think. I haven't seen him in a month." And the time and distance were killing her. It was the one big dark spot on the horizon of this new and glamorous life that had been forced on her.

"Have you talked to Nic about him?"

"Not really, or not since he brought me here." Maria shook her head. "Nic and I... well, we're in a delicate place right now. I don't want to remind him that I have an illegal brother who helped get me in trouble in Vegas. I think it's best if we just leave things alone for now."

"Eventually you'll have to talk to him about it," Casandra pointed out.

"Like you should talk to Nic about your dad harassing you?" It was a low blow, but Maria knew how to deflect questions she didn't want to answer.

"Touché," Cassandra said slowly, her eyes narrowed.

They didn't speak again for a few minutes as each contemplated her own problems. Finally, Cassandra looked over at Maria and said, "RuPaul?"

Maria laughed out loud and pulled her feet out of the pool. "Okay, but I want to watch the Allstars this time."

"No, we have to watch all the seasons in order!" Cassandra yelled after Maria as she gathered up her bag and sunglasses and headed for the house.

Maria glanced back over her shoulder as she threw the sliding glass door open. "I'll meet you in the TV room, I have to go see Nic first." She didn't wait for a response from Cassandra but went straight to Nic's office and banged on the door. She had to do it quickly before she lost the nerve. Nic's office was private and he rarely summoned either of the women there. In Maria's mind it had become a spectre of masculine dominance. One she both wanted to destroy and hide from.

"Come." Nic's sharp clipped voice sounded from the other side.

Maria pushed the door open and walked in. She stopped short when she saw that Nic wasn't alone. Luke was seated in the chair opposite him, an open laptop on his knees. At her approach, Luke snapped the laptop shut and stood.

"I'll leave you alone for a few minutes." He kept his eyes averted, which was probably for the best as Maria realized she was wearing nothing more than a bikini and a sheer white bathing suit cover. Nic's eyes roved hungrily over her, then flicked to his man with ice in them. He clearly did not appreciate Luke seeing her this way, which was laughable, considering Maria hung out at the pool for hours each day and any of the estate guards had a decent view. She didn't point this out though, deciding it was healthier for the staff to keep the info to herself.

"No, you should stay," Maria said to Luke, who looked at her quizzically. She barely spoke two words to Nic's big bodyguard and now she was insisting he attend the meeting. She clarified, "This is about Cassandra."

Luke's eyebrows pulled down in a fierce frown and his muscles rippled in automatic response. He looked suddenly so scary that Maria took an involuntary step back.

"What about Cass?" he demanded, his voice hard and ominous. "Is she hurt?"

He was halfway to the door when Maria called him back. "Whoa, Hulk, chill. She's fine. Only her feelings are a little hurt."

"We do not have time to discuss Cassandra's feelings," Nic drawled coldly, his voice dripping with disdain. "If you insist on speaking to me about this matter, then you may come back when I have time. I'm available tomorrow after 3pm."

---