Page 40 of Haze of Obedience
She crosses her arms and raises her eyebrows.
I hold out the bag. "Go on. Take it."
She slowly reaches for it and peeks inside. "This is a lot of stuff."
"I wasn't trying to be an ass. I'm a huge fan."
"Ha ha."
"I'm not just saying that. I've been to at least a dozen of your concerts."
"You listen to Latin music?"
"Yeah. Mostly just yours."
She tilts her head like she doesn't believe me.
"I'll show you my playlist sometime."
"You've been to my concerts?"
"Yeah. Since I was in my twenties. I know all your songs and follow you on social media."
"No, you don't."
"Yeah, I do."
"Dirk, time to get out. We need to change," Penelope says.
"Sorry." I turn back to Zoe. "I'll see you outside." I'm almost to the door.
"Hey, Dirk."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"No problem."
Everyone except Andre, Hunter, Naomi, and Vanessa go to the river.
The current has picked up speed since earlier in the morning, and it isn't long before we all are in pairs, with the women clinging to us, so they don't get swept downstream. We're all spaced apart and in private conversations.
I hold her tight to me and remind myself that everyone else is around.
"So this is the real Belize, huh?" Zoe nervously glances around.
"Yeah. I take it you've only seen concert arenas?"
"And embassies," she mumbles and stares across the river.
"I need to tell you something."
Her brown eyes fill with worry. "What?"
"Interpol is sending Naomi to the U.S. but everyone else to their home countries."
The color in her face drains. She shakes her head. Her eyes tear up, and she whispers, "No. Please, Dirk. Don't let them send me back to Mexico."
