Page 11 of Naughty and Nice
“Worry about what?”
“I’m not going to expose myself to you again.”
“Fuck,” I growled. “You didn’t. I barged in.”
Liliana scoffed. “I know I’m not exactly built like the majority of the residents.”
“Don’t compare yourself to whores.”
“Sex workers.”
“Yeah,” I said, “Sex workers. You’re not like them.”
“I’m not a virgin.”
“Not the same.” I remembered what she’d told me about her parents. “You were married. That doesn’t make you damaged goods or whatever the fuck you said your father told you.”
Liliana inhaled. “Let’s just stop this conversation.”
“I lied to you.”
She whipped her head toward me. “About what?”
“I’m sorry to have intruded on you. I’m not sorry I saw you. You’re a beautiful, strong woman, Liliana. I know you don’t want to be with anyone after Gerardo. Fuck, I don’t blame you. And you and I are…family.”
She nodded.
“But if you ever change your mind…there’s a man out there who would treat you the way you should be treated.”
Swallowing, she nodded. “Let me know when you find him.” She sighed. “Because if José doesn’t get well soon, I’ll be living in the apartments until el Patrón finds me a new bodyguard.”
My phone vibrated in my pocket as at the same time, Liliana’s phone rang from her purse.
Our eyes met, hers round and filled with worry.
I nodded toward her purse.
Her hands trembled as she pulled her phone from the depths and read the screen. “It’s Renata.”
I held my breath.
“Hola,” she said into the phone. Her next word wasn’t really a word, more of a gasp and a sob. “No. No. Lo siento.”
Without thinking, I reached over, placing my hand on her knee.
“Call me when I can help,” she said. “Te amo.” She disconnected the call.
“Fuck, Liliana. I’m sorry.”
I pulled up to the apartments.
Her body trembled with sobs as she lowered her face. Squeezing her knee, I longed to do more. “Liliana.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I need to pull myself together before any of the residents see me.”
“Most of them are at the club.”
“Right. You’re right.”
