The Cartel (47 page)

“I don’t believe you,” Alex’s voice raised. “No. No. I don’t believe you! Why are you saying these things? What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I’m sorry.” Antonio reached out to touch Alex on the shoulder. He pulled away. “Alex, It’s all true. I didn’t even know about you until after your birth and I wanted desperately to go to you and your mother. But I was afraid she would refuse me, and I was right. I sent her money over the years. It was the only thing she would accept from me. Please believe me when I say that I have always loved you. I’ve always wanted you here with me. But I respected and loved your mother. And I would never have gone against her wishes—even if it meant I couldn’t see you.”

Alex stared at him for several seconds. This was like a hazy dream, where everything stood still—air particles, life—all of it. He felt off balance and shaken.“If what you say is true, then why did you find me, finally?” Alex asked, his voice laden with disbelief and anger. “Why would you think that I would ever want anything to do with you?” he yelled. “Why are you telling me these lies, Antonio? What do you want from me?”

“I know this is hard to take, but please listen to me. I am not lying to you. When your mother died, I wanted to reach out and take care of you, make sure you were all right. I sent Emilio to find you. Nothing more. He took it upon himself to bring you into our business. I wanted so much more for you than a life filled with wrong doings and deceit. It was all a part of Emilio’s plan to ruin my life. Believe me when I say that I only sent Emilio to watch over you, that’s all. By the time I learned what Emilio had done, it was too late. I learned that you had already fallen into this trap. I figured that if you wanted to choose this life, then you should at least be under my care.”

“I don’t want to hear anymore!” Alex was now screaming at Antonio, his face colored by fury, his fists clenched and ready to strike. “My mother was right about you. If you’d wanted me, wanted to be a part of my life, you would have been. Life was difficult for my mother and me. And you know what? She was right, and so are you. I never needed you then, and I don’t need you now! Stay away from me! Stay the hell away and out of my life. I don’t want to be a part of you or your business. You disgust me!”

Antonio watched as Alex turned and ran back to the house, his vision blurred by the tears his deceit caused, and he knew he was watching the son he wanted so badly in his life run right out of it.

Long stemmed red roses were delivered to Bella the next morning, the card inside reading, “This is the first of a long list of surprises to come. Love, Alex.”

Throughout the day, every hour on the hour, Bella received another gift. The roses came first, then a beautiful violet colored silk dress with an open back and plunging neckline. The dress epitomized elegance and sensuality. Silver shoes and a matching purse came along in a smaller box an hour later.

Another hour went by, and a pair of one-carat diamond stud earrings arrived. After that, a matching diamond necklace and bracelet. Bella drifted between shock and elation. Each gift contained a small card that read, “I love you. Alex.” The last card contained information on where she should meet him for dinner that evening: Fernando’s, a small, exclusive restaurant set against the cliffs, overlooking Banderas Bay in Puerto Vallarta. He would have a car sent to drive her up from her father’s home in Costa Careyes. She glanced at her watch. Alex had flown from Colombia into Puerto Vallarta the night before and had contacted her, but they hadn’t seen each other yet, and she was dying with anticipation.

“Two hours before the car will be here,” she cried. She wanted to look her best, and was a bit miffed that he’d given her such short notice. Then she looked around her room and saw all the beautiful gifts Alex had sent her throughout the day and her arrogance vanished.

Her father walked into her room and found her flitting around, searching for a bottle of nail polish. “Did you go on a shopping spree today?”

“No, Papa. Alex sent these to me. I’m supposed to meet him for dinner this evening.”

“Ah, of course.” Javier smiled. “Alejandro sent you these things?”

“Yes. Isn’t he wonderful?”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were in love.” A faint pink color rose to Bella’s cheeks. “You don’t need to defend yourself,” Javier said, “I’m happy for you. Even though I wish you were still a little girl. It seems like only days have passed instead of years. And now, before I have a chance to blink, you turn into a woman.”

“Oh, Papa!” Bella walked over and hugged her father. “I’ll always be your little girl.”

“This is true.” Javier pulled away and kissed her on the forehead. “I believe you have a dinner engagement. You’d better hurry up. I’ll have the car ready when you are.”

“Thank you, Papa.”

Javier left the room, his heart swollen with happiness, but yet tainted by a small amount of pain—the kind only a father feels when he knows he’s lost his daughter to another man.

*****

Alex was waiting at the table when Bella arrived. She looked stunning, her long, dark hair cascading down her back in shining waves. The dress fit her petite figure the way Alex hoped it would, and he could smell her scent as he stood to greet her.

“You take my breath away,” he told her. “You are so beautiful.”

She had left her wheelchair in the car and was obviously determined to try and start making it through her days with only the use of the cane.

They began with drinks and Oysters Rockefeller, and soon moved on to a main course of
filet mignon
. Candlelight bounced off the bay windows, casting a glow on the bay outside and also onto Bella. The quaint restaurant was decorated in traditional old Spanish style with wrought iron chandeliers, dark wood crwon molding, and clean white table cloths—a fire in the fireplace in the center of the room burned brightly, a harp was being played in the background. Everything was perfect.

“This is beautiful, all you’ve done for me. Thank you.” Bella said.

“I would do
anything
for you, Bella.”

“I’m starting to believe you.” She winked at him. “Tell me, Alex, what this is all about? All of the gifts, the dinner, all of the romance.” She smiled. “If I didn’t know better, I might think you’re trying to seduce me.”

“Aren’t you forward tonight? This is not about anything. Does it have to be a special occasion for me to want to give you gifts and take you to dinner?”

“I am still suspicious, Alejandro Peña! You are up to something.”

He laughed, picking up his glass of wine.

“There’s something more than this surprise I know you’re hiding, Alex. There’s something bothering you.”

“What makes you say that?” Alex asked, setting his glass back down.

“I see it. I know.”

“You’re psychic?”

“No, I am a woman and we have good intuition. Tell me.”

“You are too perceptive.” He sighed and didn’t say anything for a moment. He took a sip from his wine and setting it back down, he said, “You’re correct, there is something on my mind.” He traced the rim of his wine glass with a long manicured finger. “It’s my father.”

“Your father. What about him? You told me he deserted you and your mother when you were a baby.”

“Antonio is my father.” There was no other way to say it.

“What?”

“It’s true. I didn’t believe it myself, but there were too many things he said that convinced me. Besides busying myself with finding only the best that money could buy for you today, my mind has played the scene I had with Antonio, with
my
father yesterday, over and over again.”

“Tell me about it.”

Alex told Bella everything—from what his mother had told him when he was a boy, to the scene with Antonio only the day before. She listened intently and when he finished, his eyes were misted over.

“You love him, don’t you?” she asked him.

“Yes. No. I definitely do not love that man.”

She held up her hand. “Don’t lie to me, Alex. Of course you love him. I’ve seen how close you two have become. What happened to you and your mother wasn’t fair, but he
does
love you, and he wants to be a father now. Don’t you think you can let him? I believe you can. In fact, I
know
you can. Alejandro, you’re a compassionate man. Bitterness isn’t a part of you. Don’t allow it into your heart. It will ruin you.”

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do. All you have to do is listen to your heart. Think about it. I believe it would please your mother.”

“I will think about it. Why are you so smart?”

“Luck.”

“Right.”

They both laughed as their dessert was placed before them: a bowl of beautiful strawberries with fresh cream.

“What’s this? Only one bowl?” Bella mused, lifting an eyebrow.

“I intend to let you have most of them.”

“Oh, I’m sure.”

Alex elaborately dipped the ripe fruit in the smooth, white cream. He then reached across the table, placing it gently in her mouth. When she bit down she felt something hard and cold in the center of the berry. What she hadn’t noticed was that the berry had been sliced to fit the small trinket inside it.

“What’s this?” she exclaimed.

“What?” Alex tried to act as surprised, but appeared sheepish.

“Oh my God!” She wiped off a beautiful, two carat, princess cut, diamond ring.

Alex reached for the ring and then her hand. He got up from his chair and knelt down on one knee. “Isabella Rodriguez since the first day I laid eyes on you, I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you. I knew you were the one for me. Your strength, your intelligence, your kindness with all you meet—especially with your horses…” He reached up and wiped the tears now coming down her face. “Your love for your family—all of it has made me certain and cemented in my heart and soul how much I love you. I want to love you for the rest of my life. I want to have children with you. I want to grow old with you. I want to be your best friend and you mine. I want to argue with you and then make love with you. I respect you. You challenge me. You make me a better man. I cannot even think of a life without you.” He shook his head. “I can’t. So please, please, I beg you, will you marry me, Isabella?”

Bella couldn’t answer, the words catching in her throat. At first, she began to nod her head, and then finally blurted out, “Yes. Of course I will marry you.”

Alex stood and brought her to her feet, kissing her. “You have made me the happiest man in the world, in the universe, in the heavens, everywhere!” He kissed her again—sweetly, slowly.

“We need to tell our families,” she said as he held her close.

“I asked your father this morning for your hand, so he is aware.” He smiled. “Besides, you
are
my family, now.”

“You
have
a family, too.”

Alex looked away. He knew she was right.

“For me, Alex. No, do it for yourself.”

He nodded. “Alright. But first, there is something I want to
do
to you.” He smiled and grabbed her hand. He slid the ring onto Bella’s finger.

She took his face in her hands and leaned in, her lips meeting his in a soft, luscious kiss that sent a vibration of lust and love through each of them. She pulled away from him and looking into his eyes said, “And there is something I’d like to do to you.”

He smiled. “I was going to try and be a gentleman and ask you. I even thought we might want to wait until our wedding night.”

“I don’t want to wait.”

He took a key out from his coat pocket and placed it on the table as he stood to help her out of her chair.

“What’s this?” she asked.

“A suite at Las Brisas.”

“You were hoping I wouldn’t hold you to that chivalry stuff and make an honest woman out of me.”

“I was hoping.”

She laughed.

He turned serious. “Bella, to me you are already my wife in my heart. There is not a day that will pass that I won’t love you and hold you in my soul. You are a part of me.” He kissed her again and then hand in hand, he escorted her out of the restaurant.

*****

Antonio had been filled with every conceivable
emotion during the past few days. Joy filled him every time he saw his daughters together with their mother, becoming reacquainted. But the sadness of losing the son he never really had filled him with grief, too. And each time he and Lydia spent time trying to talk, there was a distance that had never been there before. They were like strangers who had known each other once, long ago. Each of them realized that there was no turning back time. Too much damage had occurred. There could be no going back for either one of them.

As he sat in the garden pondering the losses he’d suffered throughout the years, Antonio was shocked to hear a male voice say, “Father.”