Groom Wars

40. A Quiet Breakfast

The following morning found me in the kitchen, making breakfast. My nose was partially clogged, as if I had caught a cold. Colds had an incubation period of one to three days, so it probably had nothing to do with last night's second shower. Must have caught it from somewhere else. Or from someone. I sniffled and spread Nutella on two slices of toast and added some sliced bananas. Muy perfecto. Leandro sat at the island counter that separated the kitchen from the common room. He had made himself some healthy concoction with broccoli and chicken that had no flavour at all.

Unlike his bland meal, my breakfast was sweet. I tried not to think about the night before and sliced the sandwich, separating it into two amazing triangles. Though I didn't hear their tread beforehand, I felt someone press hug my back and cover my eyes coyly. Not Leandro. Too short to be Leandro.

"Morning, Honey."

Spinning, Diego unveiled himself and leaned against the counter. His blonde hair was dishevelled, and his blue shirt askew. He gazed at my face, froze questioningly, then said, "Dude... what the fuck? You're glowing today; are you wearing makeup or something?"

"No. Shut it."

He gazed at the food and licked his lips. "That looks good. Can I...."

"No," I told him. "What's the report?"

"It's a tricky situation. But honestly, I think you should go home."

"I can handle myself."

"Yeah, I know you can handle yourself. But how do I put this in a manner that doesn't betray Lord Columbia? Ah, fuck it, I don't particularly give two shits about not insulting him. I'll just say it. He's an undiagnosed psychopath; you need to run, amigo. Go spend some time con tu familia. I've been in the guy's alliance for over a month; I know he's a complete and utter nutcase. Trust me, bro, you don't want to be here if he snaps."

"But even he can't act as freely as he wants with the security and staff around."

A strained smile appeared on Diego's face. He said, "You're still not getting it, amigo. Lord Columbia whips me with a belt for fun. And he once knocked a guy's teeth out while "practicing" a punch, got blood all over the tiles and someone's sheets; it was a mess. Lord Quebec isn't much better either; he has two boys that he regularly beats and sleeps with, and you know what the staff you are counting on does? They turn a blind eye to the marquess's actions and remind the witnesses that we signed an agreement not to speak about what we witnessed. So even if we leave, we can never tell anyone what they did to us. The staff you refer to even bring Quebec cocaine from time to time."

A chill caused goosebumps to run down my arms. I said, "But surely not all of the staff are in his pocket? And if they're hurting you, why don't you leave?"

"We stay because he threatens our families. If I leave his alliance, he'll ensure that neither my dad nor I ever get another job. My family will starve if that happens; I have no choice but to stay. As for the staff, not all of them work for him, but a good portion of those who work for minimum wage accept any increase they can get. To put it simply, the people at the bottom of the hierarchy enjoy bribes, Adriel. The producers and executives, Cara, they lecture him once in a while, but they're often not around during the night because they're not really needed. So, the marquesses wait for them to leave, then...." He looked at something in the distance, witnessing some tortured memory he couldn't share with me.

"Do you think he would beat me and leave me half dead?"

"Honestly, he hates your boyfriend for some reason. So, yes, I think he would hurt you to torture Leandro. Hence, as your buddy, I'm asking you to leave."

"He's not my boyfriend," I murmured, looking over my shoulder. Leandro was halfway through his dish and was watching us with mild interest. Holding my gaze, Leandro forked bitter, soggy, barely seasoned broccoli into his mouth. I turned to Diego and whispered, "But here's the thing, running prematurely doesn't sit well with me. So, let's keep our eyes and ears open, then make a decision then."

"The thing is your alliance really pissed him off this time, and a good portion of the staff is basically working for him, so I don't think staying is in your best interest."

"I know. Just give me some time to come to a decision." I paused and asked, "Leandro didn't put you up to this, did he?"

"Leandro hates me for some reason; we haven't spoken since the first day I met you. I don't particularly like him either. Something about him rubs me the wrong way. I'm telling you this because I like you, and I want you to be safe." Diego held out his hand, a sheepish smile on his lips. "I would also appreciate a sandwich as payment for the info."

I gave him half, and he chuckled as he bit into it. "Gracias, bello." He sprinted towards the stairs, heading back to his alliance's base while running, ducking, hiding behind furniture, and whirling to avoid people as if he were a ninja. Other participants glanced at him as if he were mad.

I mulled the information I had been given. I didn't want to run simply because everyone else told me to. If I found myself in a dangerous situation, and it wasn't too late to run, I would flee like Leandro wanted. But till then, I would stay here with my head raised high; I would not let anyone see fear in my face. Our alliance was large enough to rival Lord Columbia's; he couldn't attack us without a fight. And if there was a fight, who was to say, I couldn't join?

***