Page 32 of Fate's Dice

CHAPTER ELEVEN

‘CRYBABY’ LIL PEEP

Dinner went quickly after our deep conversation, which gave me my answer. Yes, Leo is swimming with me, but I can't answer him, yet.

I don't know how I feel. I'm so damn enthralled and I'm definitely attracted to him, but is that enough to become committed to him? Enough to say I'm willing to have a lasting relationship with him?

Probably not, but I am willing to spend the evening with him and take it day by day. Loyalty is something I take seriously, and if I were to commit myself to him, I'm also committing to his lifestyle.

And right now, I'm just not sure I'm built for it.

Tonight, though, I'm spellbound listening to Leo's rumbling voice as he tells me about his childhood.

We’re sitting in his car as he drives us to our next location.

"So, you grew up in middle class, too? I never would have guessed. You're so... I don't know, put together?" I chuckle at my lack of eloquence.

Leo’s brows furrow, "Yeah, I grew up in the hood, but our circumstances don’t dictate who we can be. It can hinder and block, but anything can be overcome when you have the right motivation and determination.” What the fuck is this guy, a motivational speaker? He’s right though.

Leo continues, “My mother and father never allowed us to give up without a fight, no matter what it was. They also raised my sister and me to speak correctly in English and Spanish. My father used to say, a slack tongue is the highway to becoming a slack man."

When I toss my head back a little, because yeah, I'm definitely a slack speaker, Leo laughs, "It was a pain in the ass, but I appreciate it now because when you're having a sit down with Governors and Mayors, you need to navigate around their worded circles."

"Governors and Mayors? What are you, Leo?"

We turn off the main street and through wrought-iron gates.

My eyes squint to take in the surrounding scenery, but it's so dark that all I'm seeing are trees and little stone buildings.

“I’m exactly what you think I am, doll. All the rumors and whispers on the streets, about ninety-nine percent of them are true.”

I turn to look at him, but he looks down at a folded piece of paper before driving further into this place. I don't know why, but I kind of have the hee-bee-gee-bees.

"Where are we?"

Leo parks and turns on the inside cab light before handing me the paper.

Waves of the Lake Cemetery,

Julian 'Smokes' Cabello, plot: two-hundred-forty-two

"I'm someone who won't lie to you, a man who will give it to you straight even if it's not something you will like. I won't keep secrets from you, and I will never intentionally hurt you."

I look at him in his eyes and see sincerity, but I'm still confused. Why are we in a cemetery?

"Okay... why are we here?"

Leo opens his jacket and pulls out a small photo from the inside pocket and looks at it, "I brought you here to give you insight. Julian Cabello or as the streets called him, Smokes, was in love with a girl everyone called Rockie."

My mom said that used to be her nickname, but I'd heard no one ever call her that.

"He was the Underboss for the Reyes Familia, and just before he could propose to Rockie, he was murdered along with his two younger brothers. Rockie was pregnant with their child and he died never knowing it."

I have tears in my eyes because I just know what he's going to say next. I know it like I know blood runs in my veins.

Leo looks into my eyes, "Rockie gave birth to a little girl and she grew up thinking her father left her. But, Dice, Julian was a stand-up guy. He would have given you the world. Your mother must have known what kind of life Smokes led, but her love for him looked past it.” My eyes burn with unshead tears as I hear Leo’s words, “She kept you a secret to protect you, but if I could find this information, so can your father's enemies. Your stalker may be one of them. The list of suspects has grown in the last day and I don’t want you in the dark. There’s more I want to tell you, but I won’t overwhelm you tonight."

I nod, accepting that. I honestly don’t think I could handle any more life altering news.

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