Guns and Royalties Book 2

Angelica

Sonora, Mexico

“This can’t be happening.”

Another batch of ingredients ruined.

“Damn it.”

Despite months of practice, Angelica’s cooking skills were still lacking.

“Watch your language, mi hija,” the woman beside her chided gently.

Angelica flashed a sheepish grin. “Sorry.”

“In Spanish, Angelica.”

She was always reminded to speak Spanish, every single time she slipped into English.

Right. “Lo siento, tía.”

The woman nodded approvingly. “Bueno. Hacer otro lote de tortillas, por favor.”

“Sí.”

Angelica had to mentally translate the words into English to understand them.

The cool morning air made her shiver. She was ready to help Juanita, the woman who had taken her in when she was at her lowest.

Juanita and her husband, Tío Ramón, were the trusted caretakers of a sprawling hacienda. The estate was filled with servants, field workers, and guards.

Angelica had fallen in love with the place the moment she saw it. The lush mountains surrounding a flat terrain with a natural water source—it was a perfect countryside estate.

Despite still recovering from a gunshot wound, this place had become her sanctuary. And Juanita and Ramón were her saviors.

Juanita treated her like a daughter, teaching her how to blend in. But with her blond hair and blue-violet eyes, Angelica stood out, despite her tan.

But no one treated her differently. As soon as Juanita announced that Angelica was her niece, everyone welcomed her with open arms.

“Siempre habla en nuestro idioma, Angélica. El Patrón detesta a extrañas en su tierra.” ~(Always speak in our language, Angelica. El Patrón detests strangers on his land.) ~

“Sí, tía.” El Patrón. Everyone seemed to fear the old man, a fear born out of respect. Angelica had never met him, but she was growing curious.

Would he be like Tío? A fatherly figure? “¿Cuándo volverá a casa?” ~(When is he coming home?) ~

“No me corresponde decirlo. Quiero que te mantengas alejado de él. Por favor.” (~It’s not for me to say. I want you to stay clear of him. Please.) ~

“I will, Tía Juanita.”

But why? Surely, El Patrón was a kind, old man. Angelica shrugged. It was best to heed Juanita’s warning.

She didn’t want to cause trouble. She just wanted to recover her memories so she could find her way home.

Her family must be worried sick. She was too.

She needed to find herself. And as much as she loved this place, she knew she was in danger before Juanita and Ramón took her in.

She didn’t want to bring trouble to their doorstep.

Angelica was waiting for the day she could leave this place and search for her family.

“All I know is El Patron will be coming home soon. So we must be prepared. And it would be better if he didn’t see you.”

“What about his family?”

It was strange—there were no children running around the estate.

“He has no family. He wants it that way. No more questions, si?”

Angelica nodded. It was none of her business.

She just needed to recover, earn some money, and then leave. She had no business being overly curious about the mysterious El Patrón.

***

The mid-afternoon heat made her long for a dip in the nearest river.

Or better yet, the grand pool at the mansion. Its Spanish grandeur might have intimidated others, but not her.

She knew she had seen places like this before.

Angelica knew a lot of things, except who she really was.

She shielded her unusual blue-violet eyes from the harsh sun.

All she wanted this afternoon was to cool off. To forget her worries in the refreshing water.

-~But it’s forbidden, Angelica.- ~

She grimaced. True. Juanita had explicitly told her not to explore certain parts of the house, especially El Patron’s wing.

Her curiosity was piqued, but she knew better than to risk it.

-~No, don’t do it. Stop tempting me! Черт побери!- ~

She looked around, startled. She had just cursed in her head in another language.

Apparently, she was multilingual.

Discovering her abilities gave her hope. But she couldn’t tell Juanita. They would worry, and she didn’t want that.

She could speak French and Russian with ease. Was she KGB?

She also knew guns. The make, the model, their accuracy.

And she knew how to handle them. Big or small, it didn’t matter.

A couple of weeks ago, she had found a gym near the outpost.

It was more like a training ground, so she would sneak out at dawn and take advantage of its facilities.

She was surprised to discover she knew Krav Maga and mixed martial arts.

And she had the strength to train for hours, until her muscles trembled and she was gasping for breath.

Who had trained her? Maman? She couldn’t remember. Maman. Mother.

If her instincts were right, she had left her mother behind. And her mother must be worried sick about her missing daughter.

Angelica blinked back tears. She missed her mother, whoever she was. Did she have a sister? A brother? Friends? A boyfriend?

There was a part of her that needed to be filled. She needed to know.

Her name wasn't Angelica. Tia Juanita had given her that name because she thought she looked like an angel.

-Her words, not mine.

She snorted at the thought. Just because she knew dangerous things didn't make her a warrior of God. She was meant for something else.

And she was far from being an angel. She was restless, craving an outlet. If she didn't find one soon, she'd scream her frustrations to the heavens.

As she looked at the horizon, tears trickled down her cheeks.

-Who am I? What is my real name?

***

“I’ve been looking for you, hija.”

Tia’s voice was filled with gentle reproof.

Angelica knew she'd been gone for hours. She'd ventured through the thick trees and swam in the cold river. She'd even found a quaint cottage.

She made a mental note to clean the place and make it her own. It looked like it had been years since anyone had lived there.

“I went swimming.”

Switching back to Spanish was a bit of a struggle, but she did it out of respect for Juanita.

Juanita sighed heavily as she looked at her.

“Next time, let me know so I don’t worry. I was about to ask your Tio to start a search party.”

Angelica smiled at her words. She knew how much they cared for her.

“I can’t tell you all my secrets. Some things are better left in the dark,” she replied playfully, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Dios mío! You and your teasing. Go freshen up. Dinner will be ready in an hour. Go!”

Juanita shooed her away with both hands. Laughing, Angelica kissed her guardian’s flushed cheek before twirling away.

“See you in a bit, Tia Juanita.”

***

Feeling refreshed and in high spirits, Angelica, dressed in a comfortable off-the-shoulder pale blue blouse and a flowing white skirt, walked cheerfully into the dining room.

She stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide as she watched the heated argument at the table.

This was the first time she'd seen Juanita and Ramon arguing.

“What’s going on? Tía? Tío?”

They fell silent, looking like deer caught in the headlights.

“Nothing, hija!”

Juanita dismissed her question, and Ramon nodded in agreement.

She might have amnesia, but she wasn't stupid. Something was off. There was a tense atmosphere around them, swirling and tightening like a noose.

“You can’t lie to me. You should tell me now so I can prepare.”

With a graceful stride, she crossed the room and took her usual seat at the table.

The dining area was elegant, even though it wasn't the formal dining room or the charming breakfast nook. It had state-of-the-art kitchen appliances, imported ceramic tiles, chandeliers, and a long mahogany table.

With her napkin neatly draped over her thighs and a calm smile on her face, she looked at her companions, waiting, her eyebrow arched.

Angelica had no idea how much she resembled her powerful Maman at that moment. “Well?” she prompted.

Juanita nearly jumped out of her seat. Her chocolate brown eyes darted from Angelica to her husband.

“El Patrón. He’s coming home,” she announced, her voice trembling.

“Oh.”

Черт побери!