Page 33 of Blood Spilled
I shake my head. “I can clean myself.”
She nods with a forced smile. “Of course, mi amor. While you are getting cleaned up, I'll contact the doctor. I have everything set up for you upstairs. You will find your clothes in the dresser. I'm just happy to finally have you back where you belong. We don't have to talk about anything today. You need your rest more than anything. You've been through a lot.”
“Is it true, Mother? Have I really had brothers out there this whole damn time? If so, why didn’t you tell me?”
Her eyes grow wide and she swallows hard. “Your father didn't want me to. It was better you didn't know.”
“Better for whom exactly?”
Her brows furrow and she frowns. “I said goodbye to that part of my life a long time ago. I didn't think they would ever come looking for us.”
“These men are your own blood you're talking about. Not some old boyfriend. What kind of person sends away and kills their own children?”
“You don't understand many things, Santiago. You don't know what it was like for me with your father.”
My face grows hot with anger. “I don't know what it's like? Me? You don't know what it's like to not know who you are. You don't know what it's like to lose yourself to benefit someone else.You don't know what it's like to have everything you ever loved stripped from you. You chose this life. I never did.”
Her open palm cracks against my cheek. “You think I chose this life? No mijo, you know better than that. None of us did. We just do what we can to survive. Some people run away, or take the easy way out. I chose to survive.”
“You chose your life over your own children.”
“You weren't supposed to happen. None of my past miscarriages were an accident. I didn't want ... I didn't want to be stuck with that man, but when you came, you were my saving grace. He never hurt me again.”
My chest caves, heart pounding like crazy. “You didn't care that he did those things to me, because he left you alone. You never cared. Why bring me back then and don't say because you love me. We both know that's bullshit.”
“Because I need you and you need me too.”
“I don't need you, I never did, and it looks like you're doing just fine without me.” I gesture toward the house.
“I know you know where it is.”
“Where what is?”
She sighs in annoyance. “The money your father hid.”
My eyes go wide. “This is what you're after? Some hidden treasure? If that's the case, you're looking at the wrong person. I know nothing of secret money.”
“Maybe you should sleep on it then.”
“I don’t need to sleep on shit. It doesn’t matter how much rest I get; I still can’t tell you what I don’t know,” I spit.
“I guess we will have to do things the hard way then. If you can’t remember then I can always find ways to make you remember.”
“What if you somehow get what you want, then what? You kill me? Is that what you did to them?”
“Did to whom?”
“Don’t play stupid,” I spit, shivering even with the blanket wrapped around me. My anger causes my teeth to chatter even more than before. “My so called half-brothers. What did you do to them?”
“I did what needed to be done, like I always do. All you have to know is they will never be a problem again. My men took care of it. Keep standing in the way of what I want, and I’ll dispose of you too,” she threatens, placing her hands on her hips.
“You’re one evil bitch. Here I thought father was the monster. He didn’t have shit on you. You think you’re so much smarter, don’t you? I won't stay here.”
She smiles maliciously. “Oh, but you will, mi amor. Because I'll make sure you have nowhere else to go and that all the wrong people know you're alive without any kind of protection. Stay here with me and I'll guarantee no one ever touches you again.”
“You can't promise that.”
“Oh, but I can.” A man I've never seen before comes out of nowhere. He is tall, slender, and appears to be around my mother's age.
