Gringa - in the Clutches of a Ruthless Drug Lord - 2 by Eve Rabi

Maria cries. ‘That’s his birth name!’
    ‘ S,i si , si , ’ Rosa says, on the edge of her seat again, ‘that’s his birth name. ‘Did you kiss?’
    ‘Well, we didn’t, but the food was so good. We talked, laughed …’
    They look at each other, take turns arching and knitting their eyebrows then prompt me to continue.
    ‘We held hands ... ’
    They clasp their hands to their breasts. ‘Ooooh Senorita …’
    ‘Did you kiss?’ Rosa persists.
    ‘Eh, y …yes. ’ No need to mention it was on my forehead.
    The room erupts with cheers and for a few minutes I sit and smile as they discuss the kiss between themselves.
    ‘Didn’t you guys see us kiss last …?’
    ‘Na, ha.’
    ‘Oh. Hey, did you know Senor Vito ...? ’
    ‘ Si ,’ Rosa says, ‘he come every day. Teach Diablo to be a good husband, good man so gringa will ...’
    ‘Yeah? But you guys never told me ... ’
    ‘And then, Senorita …’ Maria interrupts.
    Okay, I guess she’s waiting for the grand finale or maybe she wants to know why Diablo was not in my room this morning.
    I shake my head from side-to-side and purse my lips. ‘He, eh, he spent the night with … Santana.’
    For a few moments, you can hear the refrigerator running. Their shoulders sag, their jaws slacken and I feel I have let them down.
    ‘Well, I think …I think …well, I saw her ...’
    ‘But ... but ... How could you let that happen, Senorita?’ Rosa snaps.
    Maria glares, her eyes reproachful eyes, her lips now a thin line.
    ‘I did not let ... ’
    Luckily, Christa appears. ‘What are you doing talking to the gringa?’ she yells. ‘Why you not cleaning?’
    ‘It’s the Gringa,’ Maria says. ‘She make us sit and …’
    ‘ Si ,’ Rosa says standing behind Maria. ‘The Gringa – is all her fault.’
    Both women scurry away. Sellouts!
    Christa turns her head slowly to look at me, her eyes cold and hard. ‘So ... you are taming beastia eh?’ Her voice is low and dangerous. ‘Very clever Gringa. Very clever. You and Senor Vito, very clever peopoool. ’
    I get up, grab an apple and walk out of the kitchen. Damned if I’m discussing my date with her. I just hope she doesn’t attack Senor Vito. He’s doing such a good job on Diago.
    As I walk I find myself craning my neck to look around. It’s not like I’m looking for Diablo or something – I’m just looking. But where the hell is he today?
    Then I see him, standing at a window of a villa high on the ranch, looking down at me. I smile and raise my apple at him. He smiles back. Then I pretend to throw the apple at him. His smile waivers for a moment and I laugh. He shakes his head at me. Senor Vito appears behind him and I quickly lower the apple. Diablo nods and reluctantly moves away from the window.
    So the lessons continue, then.
    Later in the day, Maria and Rosa tell me about the conversation they overheard last night. ‘Christa and Santana they not happy, Senorita,’ Maria says. ‘Christa say, Diablo, he is becoming too soft. She say he dress like a Gringo and he forget who he is.’
    ‘Si,’ Rosa says. ‘Christa say the other gangs, they see Diablo dress like a Gringo and they think Diablo is not strong anymore and they come take our land away. The men, they get frightened and they say maybe they talk to Diablo – tell him to stop.’
    ‘Really!’
    Well, Christa sure knows how to incite uproar among Diablo’s men – I mean Diago’s men.
    His name is really Diago. Diago. I like the name Diago. So much better than …
    ‘You be careful of Christa,’ Rosa warns.
    ‘Huh? Okay.’
    I see Diablo at dinner looking casual and handsome. Okay, very handsome.
    We smile and sneak glances at each other throughout dinner. I’m barely eating and I notice he’s barely touching his food.
    But, he stays away from me at night. Confusing.
     

CHAPTER TWELVE
    The next evening, I see the men moving the large dining table out of our villa.
    ‘Hey Maria. Wassup? Our furniture being repossessed or