The cartel catches up with Manuel.
1308 Words
Ben
I woke up holding my Jo. She was so soft and quiet.
I kissed her eyes and then her mouth waking her up.
She stretched and yawned.
" Thank you for not turning me away last night." She said.
I nodded.
" Jo, I was a jerk. I was pushing you and I told myself not to do it too. What's wrong with me?" I said.
" Ben, I love you. I am still legally married to you. Is it OK if we just love eachother right now, because I need you very badly. I'm not fine. I tell everyone else I am fine, but I'm not ok.
You are the only one that understands what I mean. You are my confidant, my sweet lover. Please be my friend too. I really need you to." She said.
" Yes, I can be your friend and I will love you too. I apologize for saying we f****d.
I know it was love making. I was just being a d**k again. I do that a lot." I grinned down at her soft face.
" Make love to me now." She said in a husky voice.
I shook my head. "You are far too tired. Rest a bit longer my love."
She yawned again and closed her eyes. "Ok."
***********
Ben
Next time I woke there were a pair of brown eyes staring at me.
" Papa, can you get up now. I'm bored." Angelina said looking at us lying in bed together.
" You little sneak, you picked the lock didn't you?" I smiled at her.
She nodded and moved back and forth, thinking I was mad.
" My mother locked me in my room. I learned to pick the lock when I was like 4." She smiled.
I put my hand out to her.
" Come here." I pulled her under the covers and held her to my other side, Jo was snuggled next to my heart.
" Papa, what if my step mother tries to take me home, I'm scared."
" Angel, your step mother is not coming. She passed away. The police found her... she wasn't breathing any more." That's all I wanted to say about that.
" Shes dead?"
Tears were filling her eyes now.
"Papa can you be my real papa now?" She asked me.
She was so brave.
" I would love to be. And what about your other papa?"
" He never came back for me, I waited a long time. He doesn't want me. He promised that he would come for me, but he hates me.
I heard him tell my mother that as long as she kept me alive, then the cartel would pay. I think they both hated me.
Not like you, you are a very good papa. I...I think I love you papa Ben." She said, mimicking Jo by calling me Ben.
" Oh, I love you too. That's for darn sure." I told her hugging her tighter.
She fell asleep next you me, what a sweet girl. I wanted to talk to Jo about adopting her somehow, I wanted Jo to adopt all my kids.
My phone beeped, drawing my attention from Angelina and wife.
You better bring Angelina home to her father before he finds you first. He had put a bounty on your head Manuel, 10 million US dollars.
Jorge Armani is not someone to cross. He will kill you. Call me NOW!
I got up and slid into my bathroom, slowly shutting the door tightly.
" Where are you Fillipe, how did you get this number?" I spoke in a hushed tone.
Fillipe was my main contact for the cartel, he brokered deals between me and the cartel for their money laundering schemes.
I invest dirty money in high return businesses, like laundry mats, corner stores, gas stations, other commodities. In return I get a percentage.
I used my money to invest in land and properties.
Fillipe sounded tired.
" Manuel, you have enemies. Didn't you think that I of all people could infiltrate your little compound and find someone that would lead me to you?
When you vanished, our bosses were quite certain you were dead in the storm destruction of your house.
To hear that you have been alive all of this time and on top of it associating with that scum Grislan, they are not pleased.
After Grislan was taken care of, Jorge learned that you absconded with his daughter Angelina. He wants your head Manuel. They all do."
" Here's the thing Fillipe, I am dead. I owe nobody nothing.
That b***h Grislan held me captive as her damn prisoner, I barely escaped.
I had no clue Angelina was Armani's daughter. She doesn't even know this.
I couldn't just leave her there with that crazy fucker. So actually, I saved her life.
But, how do I know Angelina will be safe with Armani. She's a gentle girl with a very brave soul. I am quite fond of her."
" Yeah, that's the other rumor, that you are a pedifiler." Fillipe added.
" f**k, you know that's not true, I would never harm a child." I yelled angrily.
" Some people say that you threatened to kill your wife's little neice Manuel, tsk, tsk not nice, they say that's why your b***h, slave wife ran away from you."
" Fillipe, you better stop right now. I'm going to kill you." I seethed.
" Do you really want to risk everything Fillipe...you know what I am capable of, as far as my wife, she's dead. Died in the ocean trying to escape me.
So f*****g tell Armani that he is not ever getting his daughter back, she's mine now, and f**k you!" I hung up, breathing hard.
This is a big f*****g mess. s**t!
I couldn't bear the thought of Angelina going to that crooked lawyer Armani. I had to hide her.
She was mine now. I decided to send her and Jo home to Oregon, to live with Jo and her parents. Charles could keep them all safe with his finances.
If I had to face Armani, I would do it alone.
I quietly left the bathroom and looked for Jo's phone.
I grabbed it and took it with me to the garage.
" Hey, Joey we just got to our rooms, I was just about to call you baby." Charles said in an affectionate tone.
" It's not who you think it is, this is Manuel." I shocked him.
" Where is Josephine you sick wife beating fucker?" He scathed.
" Calm the hell down, she's fine.
Charles, I want you to come to Texas. Bring Jo and my daughter Angelina home with you.
I'm having Arturo meet with my lawyer to draw up the divorce papers today.
I'm going dark soon. You need to promise you will marry her and adopt all of my kids, legally. In return, you will never see me again."
" Shit...." He said quietly. " You must really love her don't you?"
" More than my own life. I will be on the next flight to Mexico, where are you, I'm taking your place." I said, knowing that I would be killed once the cartel spotted me back in town.
" Well, are you certain you are up to it, I mean what that sick b***h did to you...that was pretty rough stuff."
I nodded, swallowing hard.
" The little girl, she's a cartel lawyer's daughter, Grislan and her ex were using the girl as a pawn to make Angelina's father, Armani do their bidding.
I can't let Jo or Angelina get hurt by my former cartel connections.
Charles, promise you will never tell either of them of this call. They must believe that I am dead, understand?" I began to get choked up.
- Writer
