Page 7 of Naughty and Nice
Liliana reached over, laying her petite hand on my arm. “Please don’t tell Lieutenant Ruiz. I don’t want the women punished because I said too much.”
“Your compliment is safe with me.”
She released my arm. In some strange way, I felt a void, missing her touch.
“We’re almost to the apartments,” I said. “I sent José a text message letting him know I was driving you. I’m sure he’ll be back as soon as he can.” I turned to her. “Do you want me to stay?”
“No. We have cartel guards. I think I’ll be okay without José sitting in a nearby room, playing solitaire on his tablet.”
I pulled up to the renovated school that Mia had converted into the apartments. “See, you’re no longer afraid of your shadow.”
Liliana smiled as she reached for the door handle. “I’m not afraid of you either. I never was.”
“Really? I’m pretty frightening in a dark alley with a knife.”
“Then I’ll keep to seeing you in the light. Thanks again.” And she was gone.
Chapter
Four
Liliana
* * *
I woke in my apartment to a commotion coming from down the hallway. The alarm sounding in Renata’s voice as she called out to José sent a chill over my flesh. Hurriedly, I wrapped my robe around myself and walked briskly toward the ruckus coming from inside their bedroom. It had been about two weeks since José disappeared to run an errand for Renata. What he hadn’t told me and didn’t want me to know was that he’d gone to the cartel doctor due to shortness of breath. Renata shared that with me later, worried that there was more wrong with her husband.
My knuckles rapped on their door. “Renata, estás bien?”
The door opened. Renata was standing in her nightgown, her eyes wide. “It’s José.” Tears filled her eyes. “I called Lieutenant Ruiz.” She wrapped her arms around her midsection. “I’m afraid.”
“Lieutenant Ruiz?” There were many.
“Emiliano.”
I let out a breath. “Puedo pasar?” I asked, motioning toward the bed where José was lying.
“Sí, he’s breathing, but his pulse…it’s weak. He made a loud noise.” She shook her head. “No, he won’t wake.”
Tears prickled the back of my eyes as I stared down at José. The realization hit like a punch to the gut. Ever since I married Gerardo, they’d been there for me—both of them. Had I told them how much their constant presence meant to me?
I reached for Renata’s hand. “My madre would tell us to pray.”
She nodded. “I’ve been praying.”
“Maybe we could pray together,” I suggested.
Together, Renata and I knelt beside José’s bedside. Her pleas were audible, calling out to Saint Raphael for complete healing. While I’d given up on God during my marriage, I found myself remembering the faith I was raised to believe. There were even times at the apartments when residents would ask me if I believed and if I’d pray with them.
Over time, I’d reasoned that perhaps a greater deity had heard my pleas. Instead of sending a heart attack to save me, he sent el Patrón and a gun along with his angel, Mia. Renata and I continued our prayers, startled when the doorbell rang.
She turned to me with puffy bloodshot eyes.
“I’ll go,” I said.
My heavy heart clenched in my chest as I stood and peered down at José—my bodyguard, my driver. Tightening the sash of my robe and brushing my hair over my shoulders, I hurried toward the door. A quick peek through the peephole revealed a small cartel army. I opened the door and quickly scanned the faces of the men. Em wasn’t alone. Nick was with him as well as two other soldiers who looked familiar, yet I couldn’t place their names. Even though it was the middle of the night, they looked as alert as they did in the daytime.
Did these men ever sleep?
