When Lar left and I crawled back into the bed with John, he was awake and waiting for me. I had already scanned the house after Lar had left to ensure no bugs were placed so we could talk freely.
"Why the hell was he here?" John asked me.
"He wanted to make sure I was doing alright with 'Juan' getting locked up and making sure I had a job to pay the bills. I told you he took a liking to me."
"Yeah and so did Alex. Do I need to be concerned about a Fae now too?" He's being defensive and acting a little childish with all things considered.
Trying to keep the annoyance in my voice to a minimum I put my finger tips to both my temples and massage them gently.
"John please don't do this right now. You don't need to be worried about anything. Lar has been behaving like a tio(uncle)."
" He can feel the Fae connection from my gift, he thinks an ancestor of mine may have been Fae. He just feels the urge to make sure I'm alright."
He has to know what he is implying. That I would actually choose someone else over him, how could I? Why would I?
"Oh I'm sorry, 'Maria', I didn't realize there was 'nothing' for me to be worried about." His aggressive and smart attitude is getting under my skin.
I try to take a few breaths because I know this isn't easy for either of us.
"This is not easy for me either, you know, I could use your support and not your hostile aggression."
"Oh please forgive me but it seemed like it was pretty easy for you to volunteer your self up like it was the last slice of pie at a bbq. Without even talking to me and seeing how I feel about it first. You know, like we are supposed to do?" The sarcasm and venom laced words directed at me are not making this situation better.
"John, I AM SORRY. I can not take it back now and you're obviously brewing about it all day and now you want to verbally attack me like this. I could handle it from anyone else but you." My voice breaks and tears slide down my cheeks.
The one person I rely on the most for my strength when I don't know whats going to happen and I was scared of what I might have to do was tearing me apart.
I pulled my knees up and put my head on them wrapping my arms around both and just cried as he just looked at me still angry and merely holding his tongue.
He got up and went out of the room and a few minutes later I heard the front door shut and his car starting up and leaving. I just sat there holding my self and crying until the sun came up.
.....
It's been two days and John still hasn't gotten in touch with me, I haven't tried to either. I'm packaging product together for the next 'buyer' to show up who's going to take a third of what I have still. He'll be bringing someone else along as a 'buyer' to buy some as well.
I'm already getting to the last half of what was purchased so I'll be able to get in contact with Alex here soon and get more product. A knock comes on the door and I quickly stick things away and go to the door.
It's Hector that was the one who got us in touch with Alex.
"Sup, Maria? I haven't seen Juan yet and he's not answering my calls. He still owes me my cut."
What? I don't remember anything like this.
"Cut? He didn't mention anything to me. He got picked up by the cops 3 days ago and they booked him on a warrant and violating his parole man. His court date is in a few weeks though." I say leaning against the door frame.
I guess the hurt from John and I's squabble was evident in my appearance.
"Hey Maria, don't worry about things cause your man's locked up. He only owes me three hundred. I can take it in payments or in product if you would rather that." He says before adding. "We can always make other arrangements if you want."
The disgusting smile and look on his face makes me want to puke. I tell him hold and go and grab the three hundred cash and give it to him.
"We're good now?" I say as pleasant as I can considering he just thought he'd get some from me in exchange for three hundred bucks.
"We're good chica. You take care and if you ever need some help, you can give me a call." He walks away giving me the disgusting go over with his eyes like he's enjoying a damn steak.
I close the door feeling filthy and sick to my stomach and realize I really am going to puke. I run to the bathroom and empty the contents of my stomach. Now I really get why John was so upset. The way that Hector was making me sick to my stomach must be how he thinks of Alex looking at me.
I hear another knock but this time it's the two agents here to purchase 'product' and leave as quickly as they arrive.
Suddenly I'm sweating and puking again. This shouldn't be happening if it's from the cocaine. I really don't feel very good. I call John of course and it rings and goes to voicemail. I call right back.
"Hello." His still upset voice comes over the phone after it rang again.
"John, I'm sorry I know you're still mad at me but I suddenly don't feel good." I start retching again and my empty stomach can just spew out bile.
"I don't know what's wrong." I say finally after I finish retching. I look at the phone and he's hung up on me. I'm shaking now from all the retching and weak and can't stop the tears from falling because I feel really bad. I getting light headed and weak and I pass out on the bathroom floor for how long I'm not sure.
The next thing I know is I hear John yelling my name and then he's picking me up off the floor and running me outside. Even he's coughing and telling me to take some breaths and after a few minutes I'm coming back to.
"What the hell?" I say sitting up slowly and rubbing my throbbing head. John's on the phone calling the fire department about a possible carbon monoxide leak in the house.
I'm completely fine by the time the fire department arrives and sure enough the old heating furnace was leaking dangerous amounts of CO into the place. The alarm battery was dead and therefore hadn't warned me.
I was questioned on when did I start not feeling good, symptoms, so on and so forth. John told them that I called throwing up and that I felt dizzy. He said he was right around the corner when I called and had rushed in as I fainted. Paramedics gave me oxygen and said I was lucky he was so close when I passed out. If I was in there longer five more minutes I would have died.
Well, then jokes on me then, I probably did. I'm glad nothing was left out incriminating, otherwise things would have been a mess to deal with and handle. The landlord showed up and was anxiously apologizing and was going to call someone to fix it tomorrow, I didn't need to worry about rent the next month, on and on. She thought she had put new batteries in the detectors but must have overlooked that one. I thanked her for her concern and compensation before she left. When the paramedics confirmed I was alright, they left with the fire department and it was just me and John.
We were both quiet sitting on the couch with the windows open and the fans still going full blast even though the furnace was no longer leaking and the air was safe. It was the only noise in the house. There was a lot of tension hanging heavy in the air around us and you could see we both were saying things to each other in our minds.
"You saved me." I finally whispered quietly when our silence was starting to suffocate me.
He looked up at me and did a grim lined smiled. "Yeah, I guess I did."
Silence again between us. Why was the silence worse then yelling at each other? I felt guilt and shame filling me up as I gazed at him as he was avoiding looking at me.
"John, I'm sorry. I don't want you to be this upset with me. It's not worth it. I'll just tell them I can't do this and I'll take a vacation. You mean more to me than any of it." My quiet struggled words came out as I tried to maintain my composure. I hate crying and was not going to let the tears come.
He seemed to be struggling with himself and finally made eye contact with me. "No, you need to do this to take out those corrupted assholes down south and take care of unfinished business. I need to remember that I have to make sacrifices as well, especially when you have done so for me. This is our job and as much as it pains us, we do it for a bigger reason than just ourselves. Do what ever you need to do to get the job done Sin. I will still love you and I always will. "
He sits closer by me without actually touching me still though.
"I don't want any details if something happens though. I also agree with Councilman Graves that the chip inserted in behind your ear is a must if you go deeper undercover across the border. We're working on a better solution for your tattoos and spray tan. Just in case you can't get back here in time before they start to fade. As of now touching up with a tinted moisturizer is the best we got for the tan.
He goes over these things sort of emotionless and detached and it hurts me more. I reach out to hold him and he flinches. I pull back and wrap my arms around myself and sit nodding to what he's saying. Finally he gets up as if to leave and I stand up too.
"John please...." He looks at me and heads in the direction of the door. I hang my head as I wait for door to close. Instead I hear the window close and he walks back to me. A flicker of hope springs into my eyes as he grabs my chin and has me look up at him.
"Where is that strength I know you have at?" He pulls me into his embrace and I just hold him.
"I think it's coming back to me now." I say and he just holds me tighter.
.....
A few days go by and I use the number Lar gave me to give Alex a call since I'm out of product.
"¿Qué pasa? (What's up?)" Alex answers, "¿Quién es éste? (who's this?)
"Hey Alex, it's Maria." I hear him moving around a bit and turning down music in the background.
"Hey Maria, ¿Qué pasa hermosa dama?(what's up beautiful lady?) "You need something?"
"Yeah I do, I need more product and got a larger order placed with me. I need two k if it's possible?" I ask sounding unsure and hesitant. I'm asking for two kilos of the stuff.
I hear him pull the phone away as he chuckles.
"Sure thing Maria. You want two, you'll get them. Anyways I'm having a party this weekend, you should come down with Juan, party with us."
"Uh....Juan got busted violating his parole. He's back in the pen." I tell him hesitantly wouldn't Lar had told him? Come to think how did Lar find out.
"Oh yeah that's right, Lar said something about Hector seeing him getting picked up when he was supposed to go pay him. Hector hasn't given you any trouble right?"
"No, he came by and I paid him the cash." I said begrudgingly. "I wasn't about to pay him with what he really wanted."
"Oh really? Damn that pendejo is a fool." chuckling he continues, "No worries, though, come on down chica and let's party this weekend. Don't worry nothing will happen to you. Tu tío Lar, will make sure of that. So what do you say?" He waits for me to answer.
"Okay, sure I need to have some fun." saying it like 'why not?'
" That's what I like to hear! Sweet, then I'll see you friday. Come on over anytime!"
"K, see you friday."
"Oh and hermosa." Alex calls out before I go to hang up.
"Yeah?" I curiously reply.
"Dress to impress, trust me, nothing will be over the top for this party. You may want to pack a bag and bring a bathing suit too. My parties last all weekend. Just text me when you're ready Lar will come get you." He hangs up and I just sit there looking at the phone.
'Shit, what kind of party did I just agree to go to?'
....
When Lar shows up after my text on friday, he looks at me dumbfounded. I'm in a knee high off the shoulder midnight blue silk dress with a thigh high slit with a black lace slip under peeking out. The dress was tight enough to show off my figure but loose enough not to show lines and be comfortable. Paired with the black three inch dress heels and the jewelry set that Cass put together for me, I felt I was over dressed.
Lar's reaction only confirmed my fear.
"Oh I overdid it? I'll go change really quick." I turned to go change and Lar stopped me.
"No! Mija, You look perfect! I just couldn't believe my eyes at the angel that was in front of me!"
I stopped and turned around, "Lar don't be teasing me, you and I both know I am no angel."
"You don't have to be one, to look like one! Now you packed everything you need?"
"I think so? He just told me dress to impress for the weekend and bring a bathing suit."
"Okay, perfect." Lar smiles up at me and snaps his fingers.
...
It's like the feeling you get when you know your dreaming and your about to wake up. I don't know how else to describe it, except I blinked and the next second I opened my eyes and we're not at Alex's place but we're on a massive yacht at sea. I look around and notice we're in the captains deck, I see a helicopter pad on the forward bow of it and to the stern of the boat is at least three decks of entertaining space and an infinity pool on the deck below us.
The water doesn't look like the pacific ocean or even the Gulf of California.
"Lar, Where are we?"
I'm startled by the captains door opening and Alex walking in loudly, "We are on the Amalfi Coast in the Mediterranean Sea, by Italy. By the end of the this weekend we will be in the French Riviera, baby!" He said loudly and quite proud. I had to admit I was impressed and was not expecting this.
Then he notices how I'm dressed and gives me a top to bottom and right back to the top gaze with wide, pleasantly surprised eyes. His lips twitch up into a big grin.
"¡Madre de Dios! Maria te ves muy bien! (mother of god! Maria you are looking very good!) He raises his hands and claps them together.
"Let me show you to your room, Maria, I can take your luggage for you too." He takes my bag and directs me to follow him. He continues on to tell me that I'm getting one of the three suites on this deck.
'Wow, preferential treatment.'
"Do you treat all the girls you meet and like, to this... extravagance?" I ask as he motions for me to go into the door he just opened.
He chuckles, "No, but I thought I would save you from staying with Lar and his brothers. Trust me when I say you do not want to wake up from them watching you sleep all night. It's terrifying."
"I...." paused I remember how I reacted when Lar woke me up the other night. "guess I should thank you then.....Thank you, Alex. That being said I guess I should cut to the chase. I don't like people who try and weasel their way into someones pants, or think they can buy their way in. I just want to be clear with you, if you are expecting something for this weekend."
"¡Oh Dios mío! Maria, I'm not expecting sex, I would not say no if it was offered but I am not expecting it. I want you to work with me this weekend though. IF you're up to it, if not you can just have fun and party all weekend here. It's your choice. No problem."
"What kind of work are we talking about?" I am cautious before I say anything more.
"Well, I would like you to be a gorgeous piece of arm candy, meaning, just hold on chica," He holds his hands up to stop me before I start talking. He motions for me to take a seat at the seating area located a yard in front of the bed.
"Okay, now, I mean arm candy as in I escort you to the dinner later and you stay near me most of the night. No touching will be done from me and is not asked of or required of you. Just to do this, I'll pay 10,000 U.S. a night. That's 30,000 for tonight, tomorrow and Sunday."
"Just for being arm candy? No physical obligations what so ever? I don't even have to talk just sit there?" I ask incredulous.
"Yeah, now by chance you know any French?" He looks at me slightly hopeful.
"I took some in high school, I'm no.t sure how great it is anymore." I say hesitantly.
"What kind of grade did you get in it when you graduated?"
"In the nineties percentile."
"Well, perfect, high school was what 10-11 years ago? You shouldn't be too rusty then. At least better then they're elementary English, or both of our really bad Italian." He says perking up at that information.
ALL I could think was, yeah high school.... 10 -11 years ago... >_<
"So what you want me to help be a translator?"
"Yes ma'am. For your time, I'll compensate you well as a translator. How does 150,000 U.S. sound for the weekend?"
I sit back and put my arms up on the back of the couch, very relaxed. "I think if any one asks me what I do for a living, I'm gonna tell them, I'm working for Alex." I smile smugly and Alex smiles right back.