14. Fourteen

Carlos

Joey wakes from his nap, jolting up in the bed, forgetting where he is again. His whines and moans were hard to ignore while he was sleeping. I didn"t want to wake him. I let him keep sleeping, even though I hated him being back in the same nightmare when he is supposed to be safe in here with me. So I had tried my best to ease his discomfort by lying next to him and rubbing his back gently. It worked for a while and then I knew I had to get up when my own eyes kept shutting. I'm getting too comfortable in more ways than one. He rubs his eyes and stares at me without saying a word.

"How about you go get washed up? Maybe splash some water on your face and brush your teeth. I know sometimes doing those normal things you did outside here can help you—"

"I don"t need your form of therapy or whatever it is you"re trying to do. Since when did you go from being a hitman to being a therapist?"

"Never said I was one. I just know what helped me whenever I was...you know what, it doesn"t matter. You"re right. You know what"s best for you."

"What"s best for me isn"t anything that"s in this place or room."

I swallow hard, not sure why those words sting. Maybe because I don't like how his words make it sound like he is grouping me and this place together. Like I belong here in his living nightmare and am part of what's worse for him. I clear my throat and grab my coat from the chair, slipping it on. "I"m going to step out onto the balcony for some fresh air."

He throws the covers off his body and walks toward the bathroom, not saying anything in response. My phone rings in the black bag in the closet and I waste no time swinging open the door and answering the call. "Hola?"

"Justo donde te dejé."

I chuckle into the phone, and the sound of Isaiah"s voice still has a way of keeping me grounded in the moments I feel the most unsteady. "I hope you aren"t calling, because you"re worried I"ve failed."

"No, although it does bring me relief to know you"re alive and well."

"Well, how about I bring you some more relief so you can sleep even better tonight?"

His breathing increases and he doesn't say anything. I know he's able to conclude what I"m trying to say when he starts stuttering on his words. "I…you…where is he?"

"He"s with me. I found him."

"Can…I…I need to hear his voice…I need to know it"s real. That he"s real."

I nod, releasing a soft sigh. "Of course, but I think we should discuss a few things first since we don"t have a lot of time. We have to be downstairs soon for a late night cap with the boss and some other men I wish to not be in the same room with again. Something tells me they"re onto us or might be. I"m not sure what may be required of us when we go down there. He wants to make sure I"m having a good time with Joey."

"Look, what I said before...I meant it. Do whatever you have to do in order to get you and Joey out safely. Whatever you have to do. Play whatever part you have to play. Just get back home safely to me."

"You mean get Joey back safely to you."

He chuckles. "You"re such a stubborn asshole, you know that? No, I mean you too, pendejo. I expect you both to be back here in one piece in a few days. Don"t keep me waiting."

I laugh. "Always so demanding outside the bedroom. Is this how you are with Joey inside it?"

"I thought you said we didn"t have much time and here you"re wasting it wondering about what Joey and I do in the bedroom."

I chuckle. "You"re right, we should make sure we cover all the important stuff. I think it"s important you know our location. We"re in a place called the mansion outside Tampa, Florida, Red River street. It"s a bit secluded and hidden, but I have faith you"ll find it if you need to. I"m telling you this in case we don"t make it back and you don"t hear from me in a week. There"s a place called Peaches and it"s one of the locations where they unload their deliveries. I put a tracker on one of the delivery trucks and that"s how I found Joey."

"Noted. Locations are always good to know. It does make me feel better knowing exactly where you both are." Those words send a thrill through me even though I know deep down he didn't mean them how they sounded. Something about the words, "You both," made me feel included in something somehow. Like I am just as important to him when I know I'll always come in last place. Of course he likes knowing where I am, because I'm the only one who can help his husband out of this mess. He clears his throat. "And there"s a few things you should know as well. It"s about Santana. I think we know who he is, but we aren"t a hundred percent certain and the more information we find, the more reason I have to believe Veronica was involved in what happened to Joey."

"Veronica?"

"Joey"s ex fiancé. There are pictures of her talking with the man with the scar on his face. They had met up a few times and always appeared as old friends. She seemed very comfortable with the man. If it is her, there is no doubt she will come for me next. In fact, I think she has already tried. Someone tried to blow up one of our clubs in Kansas and outside the building someone left behind a bag of drugs with Santana"s signature. This only happened this morning."

"He"s working with Veronica? But why?"

"That"s what we"re trying to figure out. Maybe she and Santana have some kind of deal or maybe she knows him some other way."

"I have faith you"ll figure it out soon and maybe after all this is over, you and Joey don"t have to hide anymore. Maybe you can finally both be free."

The door to the bathroom opens and Joey freezes in the doorway staring at me. "Is that…" his breath catches and he lunges forward to pull the phone from my hand.

"Izzy?"

Isaiah"s voice is so loud on the other end of the phone and for a minute it feels like he"s in the same room. "Roo. My one and only."

Those words have my throat growing tight. The feeling isn"t jealousy for Joey, it"s something else I can"t make out. Maybe it"s admiration for the love they share, and the realization I"ll never have what they have, not just with Isaiah but with anyone.

"It"s our love that kept me going and it"s the one reason I was able to hold onto my sanity for so long. It kept me from falling deeper than I already had gone and I will use it to get back to you. I promise mi amor, I"ll see you when I see you." Joey smiles and for the first time it"s genuine. I never thought something so simple could be so beautiful.

If it's their love that had kept Joey above the ground then what would it take to keep me from falling through the trenches when the day comes when I fully lose my way?