Chapter 257 - My Past - mtres
Daniel
I didn't have many memories of my mother. I know she was good in my child’s mind. My father was an alcoholic. When I entered the boss's world, it was because of Miguel. By a twist of fate, I replaced a friend in an illegal race. I was just fifteen, living more on the streets than at home.
That time I won, and as soon as I got out of the car, Cebolla intercepted me. Everyone was expecting Sin Nombre, an experienced driver, to show up at that race. He never got out of the car; no one knew him. To meet him, you had to be part of the elite. Over time, I found out there was no elite, and the person who contacted me was the famous Sin Nombre.
From then on, I was under the boss's wing. I earned my place through hard work, becoming a hitman and transporter. A year later, I was allowed into the house and met Inés, my girl. During that time, my father was killed by alcohol, and my mother...
They started preparing me. The bosses trained me, and Inés softened me. I had so much rage because my mother died after leaving with another man. She chose him, and in an accident, she perished. I found God in the lips of my dark-skinned woman.
"A penny for your thoughts."
"I'm thinking about my girl, Repollito."
I pulled her close, placed her in front of me, and hugged her from behind. We were on the balcony. Gustavo came out from the apartment next door. We looked at each other. We could see each other calmly, smile, make our families understand that everything was fine, but the truth was that our hearts were in knots. "God, don't take my girl."
"Everything will be fine. This will bring us closer as a family." She placed her hands on her belly.
"Did you take the test?" She nodded. She held her hands tighter around my waist.
"You guys are going to go crazy with so many kids in a row. Mr. Bermúdez, we'll announce at dinner that we're also expecting."
Since she accepted that I adore her with or without breasts, she stopped being careful, and it took us a couple of months to conceive. But every month, she had her suspicions; it was just a matter of time. I kissed her. The kids will give my girl the energy to move forward.
…………
Arnold
"Are you still mad at me, Tadpole?"
She rolled her eyes. Since Aníbal left, she hadn't paid any attention to me. She left me eating alone and climbed onto the rock.
"I understand you guys share things, but our intimacy shouldn't be public knowledge."
"And it isn't. Besides, why do you make such a big deal out of it when everyone already knows we sleep together?"
"I'd rather get in the water. I can't deal with you."
She took off her clothes. This morning we had planned to come swimming, so she had her swimsuit under her jeans. I enjoyed watching her swim like a mermaid; her body was beautiful. By noon, when Inés dropped that bombshell, I just wanted to punch whatever I could find. I jumped on Majestuoso, and seconds later, I heard Lupe calling me. She was galloping on Piel Canela.
I didn't want her near me, but she followed and matched my pace. When we got to this spot, I was about to hit a tree, but my mermaid jumped on me and clung like a koala, just like the time with the snake. Her scent calmed me. I held onto her, buried my nose in her neck, and started trembling.
Lupe's hands caressed me while I let out my rage, my helplessness at the death of the woman who had raised me. She was my mother, and since we arrived here, Lupe hadn't left my side. Ten minutes had passed, and watching her swim relaxed me. She loved the water.
"Mermaid, come here." She approached. I easily lifted her out of the water and placed her on my lap. "This position would be dangerous at another time."
"I know." She smiled, stroked my hair. "Why do I feel like they take such good care of you, Arnold?"
"Because they do."
She stared at me. Inés told me on the twenty-fourth that she was happy to see me with my Tadpole. She always wanted us to end up together since Lupe arrived at the ranch. She suggested I tell her my life story, to let Lupe in completely. I had pushed her away three times since I ran, and the first two times, she responded. The second time, she just shrugged and ignored me, but she didn't leave.
"Roland, Simón, and Miguel got me off the streets of Bogotá. When I was six, I left the pigsty where I lived with my mother. She sold her body to eat, and she gave me drugs while she ate a plate of food. I was an addict in my early years."
"Is that why you don't drink? Are you afraid of falling into drug temptation?"
"Not necessarily. I was also an alcoholic. I had just turned eleven when Simón saw me fighting over a bottle of boxer."
"What's that?" I looked at her, wondering if she'd leave me after knowing the truth. "I chose you, gave myself to you, waited for you. I'm not going anywhere. I've seen you kill in cold blood with a frightening expression, but at the same time, I feel safe with you."
I squeezed her butt because that's where my hands were, but there was nothing sexual at that moment.
"In Colombia, when you didn't have money for drugs, you used shoe glue. It curbs hunger. I was always armed, three guys tried to take it from me but I didn't let them. I've always been big, I confronted them and stabbed two of them."
"They left me alone, but the car where Roland was had seen everything. Rata got out and offered me a job. They saw something in me. I arrived at Inés's place very high. My black angel bathed me; Churrusco, Cereza, and Rasca Culo were already living with them."
"There were more people, but only a few my old lady took under her wing. I realized that only Inés had the final say if she wanted them as her children. While she was cutting my hair, I looked at her. I remember saying, 'I always thought angels were white.'"
"Lupe, her beautiful smile, lit up the bathroom. I cried at that moment. I hadn't cried since I left the care of the woman who gave birth to me. I told Inés and asked if she was an angel and if I could ask her for help to eat. I remember sleeping a lot. Then Roland came into the room and told me it would be my room, and to keep it I had to obey him and work by his rules. I was very young, but he was born with a gift for leadership."
"I accepted. The first thing they did was put me in a detox center. That's where our friendship began. They all visited me, taught me to read. Since the Boss had money, every day one of them gave me lessons. Inés played the mother role, and they were like my siblings."
"Everyone taught me except Aníbal; he was in college at the time. It was a very difficult year. But I came out mentally strong, with goals and objectives. I continued taking classes with them and started studying to get my diploma. —Lupe wiped her tears."
"Letters, numbers, technology captivated me. I finished elementary and high school ahead of schedule. I started studying marketing at eighteen, late, but I completed elementary and high school in six years. I took university more slowly."
"That's why Mrs. Vero says you are the result of all of them," I affirmed.
"When I came back from rehab, Aníbal had already arrived, and he loves the countryside. I learned to ride a horse because he taught me and everything related to farm care. It's true, I learned from all of them. I created my own addictions; exercise is one of them. You know I dedicate at least an hour to working out."
"I overcame drugs and alcohol. Only my anger issues remained. Only the Boss could bring me back with a worse beating. Roland hits very hard. But you disarm me very quickly, Guadalupe." His eyes shone. "They all saved me. That's why when I found out who my father was, they feared I would relapse into drugs or alcohol."
"But I confess, only you almost made me drink, if it weren't for Gustavo. Sometimes I drink a shandy, but always under the subtle watch of seven pairs of eyes. And you know? It never bothered me. It makes me feel how important I am to them."
"And who is your father?"
I looked at her. Those beautiful brown eyes, thick with lashes, pleaded with me.
"He is the top boss of the Russian mafia." Her eyes widened. "I have evil in my blood."
"Don't say nonsense. We choose who we want to be. You chose to have brothers, a mother, a family."
"I've killed in every way you can imagine." Her lips trembled, but she didn't look away from me. "That's why I didn't want to hurt you. I confess, Siren, that morning when you had your encounter with that snake and clung to me like a koala, filling my air with your scent and those beautiful brown eyes, protected by those thick lashes pleading for help, that's when you got me."
"Don't say anything else, it's the most romantic thing that mouth has ever said." Her lips claimed mine. "I'm only yours, Arnold. I don't care about your past, and although I know you'll keep killing, I hope you only do it if it's life or death like that time."
"Don't I disgust you? There's a lot more."
"We have time for you to tell me if you want. I'll stay with the man of his word that you are."
"That's our number one rule. And I admire all of them. Only people who earn my admiration gain my trust. Mrs. Veronica, the women of each of my brothers, and for each of them, I would give and do any sacrifice."
"Then... do you admire me?" I burst into laughter.
"You have no idea, Tadpole."
"Would you tell me the reasons?"
"The first is that you're not afraid of me. You challenge me, and few people do. You've shown me how brave you are. I liked that you didn't scream when we were being chased to be killed, and many other things I won't tell you because you'd use them to your advantage." He smiled.
"We have to go back, Blondie." My arms wrapped around his small waist.
"Will you come with me to Germany to take Inés?"
"Wherever you are and want me, I'll be there." She moved unintentionally.
"We haven't made love in this stream."
"Do you want to make love here?"
"That's what I just said." I submerged with her in my arms, my mouth devouring hers.