Page 37 of The Leader

Jazzy scrunched her nose as she followed her inside. “Never understood your love for tea.”

“Don’t worry. There’s also coffee for you.”

When they sat at the kitchen table, overlooking an empty backyard, Jazzy noticed the eerie silence. “So, where is everyone?”

Carmen handed her a mug. “Franco has fired the staff and doesn’t allow anyone inside the house anymore. Ever since the rest of his family got locked up and killed, he’s been paranoid, thinking everyone’s after him. A few days ago, he had a meeting with his lawyer. I think he’s under investigation.”

Good. I hope they lock him up. Jazzy nodded while taking a sip from her coffee.

“He’s become more…unstable lately.”

“So, now what?”Please let me help you.What every woman needed was a man that lifted her up instead of tearing her down. She wished she could make Carmen see that.

“I’m…I’m going to leave him, Jaz.”

“You are? I mean, finally.”

“I—I’m pregnant,” Carmen said, with a catch in her voice.

Oh, crap. “That’s um...” Jazzy had no idea what that was. “Is that good or bad?” Either way, she would support her sister, but she obviously wasn’t going to congratulate her if she decided to not keep the baby.

Carmen smiled. “It’s good, Jazzy. It is really, really good.”

She gave her sister another hug. “Then I’m really, really happy for you. I can’t believe I’m going to be an aunt!”

Carmen’s smile widened. “And I can’t believe I’m going to be a mom.” She gave a deep sigh. “I guess all of this, everything, is going to be worth it after all.”

Jazzy hated herself for not noticing earlier how miserable her sister was. “Why haven’t you ever told me? I could have helped.Nonnowould have never let Franco—”

“I couldn’t tell Grandfather. You know how he thinks of marriage. He’d say that it’s my duty to stand by my husband, no matter what. And you, you would have tried to help, going in guns blazing. Franco...” Her breath hitched for a moment. “He would have hurt you. He threatened to kill you if I ever left. To him, his wife leaving him, it would be the ultimate humiliation. But the baby changes everything. I can’t have him raise my son in his image or hurt my little girl.” A sob escaped her throat. “I can’t have my daughter growing up with a coward for a mother, not able to protect her from her own father.”

“You are not a coward,” Jazzy said vehemently, holding her sister tight. “He’s the coward, for raising a hand at you. For thinking that just because he’s stronger, it’s okay to hurt you.” She grabbed her bag from the counter. “Let’s go.”

Carmen shook her head. “I’m not leaving everything behind for him to destroy when he discovers I’ve left him. Some of Mom’s old stuff is stored up in the attic. Franco won’t return from his trip until tomorrow morning. I still have time.”

She looked around, a bit flustered, and Jazzy could only imagine what her sister was going through. “I will arrange a moving truck,” she promised.

“I…I don’t know where to go from here, Jaz.”

Oh shit. “Are you having second thoughts?” As much as she wanted to drag her sister away from this place, she knew it had to be her own choice.

“No.” There was a determined look on Carmen’s face as she placed a hand on her abdomen. “I’m not sure where to go, but I’m not staying. Maybe it sounds silly, since I only found out I’m pregnant today, but I already love this baby. I will do everything I can to protect him or her.”

“We’ll figure this out, okay? You’ll be coming with me. We’ll see from there, one day at a time.”

“Are you sure your husband’s going to be okay with that? He might not want—”

“Don’t worry about that. Gio and I are good. He won’t mind.” That is, she hoped he wouldn’t. And if he would expect her to turn her back on her sister, well, tough.

They made a deal to meet in a few hours and Carmen went upstairs to start packing.

Jazzy sent Gio a message that she couldn’t make it for dinner since she had to pick up her sister. He responded instantly by telling her that he didn’t like her going to Caruso’s house. She ignored his heated message.

She then sent Tommie a message and went by his place, happy to spot his old van parked across his apartment.

He opened the door, dressed in purple shorts and black tank top, keys jingling in his hand.

“Thank you so much.” She reached for the keys, but he shook his head.

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