Page 3 of Naughty and Nice
“I will.” I took another deep breath. “I’d really like to talk to her in person.”
“Go,” Izzy said. “We’ll be fine here.”
When Mia convinced el Patrón, the late el Patrón, that I could live alone, that “alone” came with a stipulation. I wasn’t actually alone. José and Renata Pérez were my staff; they came from the mansion in Sacramento. In many ways over the last two years, they’d taken the place of my parents. José was my bodyguard and driver. His wife was my cook and house manager. Unlike my parents, they supported me, keeping me company and taking me under their wings. Renata did what she could during my marriage to Gerardo. I supposed that I should be seeking their approval. I wasn’t. I was heading over to speak to the woman who saved me—Mia Roríguez.
Chapter
Two
Liliana
* * *
José passed a badge beneath a scanner. The large solid gate painted white with gold filigree moved slowly to one side. When I was married to Gerardo, we lived in a well-guarded mansion in Northern California. I hated everything about it. Currently, the-second-in-command, el Patrón’s brother, Reinaldo, and Reinaldo’s wife, Jasmine, lived there with el Patrón’s mother, Joséfina. I could only imagine the atmosphere was much improved since my imprisonment.
Entering el Patrón’s compound was equally as intimidating, yet it lacked the Gothic feeling of dread in my old home. We drove onto a wide driveway made of bricks leading to an ultra-modern house. A pair of armed cartel guards, one on either side of the inside gate, watched, not making any attempt to conceal the long guns they had strapped over their shoulders. Once Mia’s husband, Aléjandro Roríguez, became the head of the Roríguez cartel, the security level went up.
José stopped the black sedan on the bricks and stepped out of the car as the two guards began to approach. I couldn’t make out their words from within the car. José must have been convincing, because the two guards nodded and retook their original spots. My driver opened my door and offered me his hand.
José opened the second gate. Most people would be intimidated entering el Patrn’s home. Apparently, I wasn’t most people. The weight on my shoulders felt lighter as I passed through the entrance and admired the landscaping. Large pavers and rocks covered the ground between the gate and house. Smaller sandstone rocks decorated the exterior of the lower level. A festive wreath hung on the front door. As we approached the house, Silas, Mia’s bodyguard opened the front door.
“Hola, Señora Ruiz,” he said with a smile.
“Hola, Silas. Dónde está Mia?”
He graciously stepped back, allowing me entry.
“Liliana,” Mia called from deeper within the house.
Quickly, I passed by el Patrón’s closed office door. The living room was exquisite, decorated in shades of white with a tall slender tree decorated with colorful lights. Large glass panels were opened to the patio. Beyond the patio and pool, the Pacific Ocean glistened under the morning sunlight, sparkling as if someone scattered millions of diamonds onto the cerulean waves.
Mia was sitting at the kitchen counter with a mug in her grip. Her long hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and her complexion was unusually pale.
“Dónde está Jorge?” I asked.
“Viviana took him upstairs for his morning nap.” She shook her head. “He’s fighting two naps.” Her eyes twinkled. “He has a stubborn streak, like his father.”
“And if el Patrón heard you say that?”
Mia laughed. “Jano would say Jorge takes after me.”
“How are you feeling?”
She lifted the mug. “Viviana’s tea helps. I’m sorry I haven’t been into the apartments. Jano wants me to keep food down before I head back to the office.” She arched her eyebrows. “Is there a problem you didn’t want to talk about on the phone?”
I set my purse on the breakfast counter and took a tall stool near Mia. “Nothing with the apartments. We miss you. Izzy said to tell you hi.”
Mia nodded. “Hola back to her. She’s surprised me.” Her stare met mine. “You have too. I’m so grateful to have both of you taking care of our residents.”
My stomach twisted. “I came to ask you something.”
She lowered the mug to the counter. “I’m concerned by your tone. What do you want to ask?”
“I’d like to take classes at SDCC.”
Mia’s soft laughter filled the air. “Goodness, you had me worried. You don’t need my permission to take classes. You’re an adult.”
“El Patrón’s permission?”
