May to December

Chapter Eighteen

EZ knew that Galindo wasn't at home as he rode up the driveway of his estate. Coco had run recon in advance. He hoped this would be the first and last time that he ever had to visit this place. If all went well, this would be the second to last time he'd ever come face to face with Emily.

Emily's eyes lit up when she saw him at the door. "Have you found my son?" She threw her arms around her neck, and he had to force himself not to cringe at the unwanted contact.

"Not exactly." He gently pushed her off of him. "Let's go somewhere and talk, baby." He hated himself for using that endearment.

Emily took him by the hand and led him through the gaudy mansion until they reached her husband's richy rich office. "What's going on?" She closed and locked the door.

EZ crossed his arms over his chest. "I know who has your son. He's safe, but there's only one way to get him back."

Emily took a seat on top of the desk, crossing her legs at the ankles. "I'm listening."

EZ proceeded to explain about Adelita's group, and then he got to the set-up. "She'll only give you your son back if you turn your husband into the feds."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Emily jumped to her feet. "I'd be taking my baby's father away from him because they'll put Miguel away for the rest of his life."

"You either take away his father, or Adelita takes away his," he bluntly lied to her. Adelita would never hurt a baby. "She wants Miguel in handcuffs in the next seventy-two hours."

"Jesus fucking Christ." Emily ran her hand through her hair and began to pace back and forth.

"You won't be alone, baby," he got to the part that he had been dreading. "I couldn't exactly say anything with Coco's kid standing right next to me, but if Miguel's out of the picture, I'd be happy to take you and the baby and get the hell out of town. We could start over."

A small smile played on Emily's lips.

***

When EZ got home, he found the real woman he loved waiting anxiously for him.

"What happened?" Letty met him at the door.

EZ closed and locked the front door before pushing her into the living room so they could sit on the couch and talk. "She bought it. She called and set up a meeting with the feds while I was standing right there. She's seeing them tomorrow. Now we wait." He leaned back against the couch.

"You didn't do anything with her, right?" Letty sat beside him, biting her lip with an uneasy look on her face.

"She hugged me twice, that's it. She thinks I'm waiting to make a move until Galindo's locked up." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Look at me, mi amor." Warm brown eyes looked up at him. He cupped her cheek in his hand. "You are the only woman I'm ever gonna want. I ain't touching anyone but you...ever." He pulled her mouth to his for a bruising kiss.