2. Two

Carlos

When I'd received a phone call from the number I least expected to see show up on my screen, my heart was beating so loud in my chest that I was worried my brother would hear it. I knew I couldn"t answer it with him in the car. It had to be something important, because I haven"t heard from Isaiah Juventino in years, only he doesn"t go by that anymore. Not many people know he"s alive and I"ve hidden his secret from my brothers for longer than I should.

Sometimes it is hard to face Mateo when I know his brother is somewhere out there living and breathing. I had sent Isaiah an email after Jose Morales and Julia Juventino died, but I never got anything in return. Just knowing he knew was enough for me. I'd hoped my news gave him some peace after all this time. As soon as my brother"s out of the car, I answer the call.

"Well, well...look who decided to finally reach out. Long time no talk, old friend."

"Carlos. It"s definitely been way too long. As much as I"d love to chat and catch up, I"m afraid this isn"t a social call. I have a feeling you already knew that though."

He knows nothing gets past me. After all, I am the man who had helped him fake his death all those years ago. It wasn"t hard since someone did try to kill him and didn"t plan on him surviving. I had my connections and when an old friend of mine like Isaiah says they need to disappear, I try my best to make sure it happens. He still sounds the same and I bet he is just as handsome as the last time I saw him, right before shutting him away in his casket.

I always had feelings for the man, but his heart always belonged to Joey and rightfully so. He is the one person I could never compete with and I wouldn"t want to, because I know I"d lose every time.

"How can I be of service this time?"

"It"s Joey. He"s missing. I believe he was taken and I"m not sure by who, but I have an idea. I need you to work your magic and track down a few guys that go by the Morales brothers. I believe they were involved somehow. They have a way they do things, purposely leaving behind something of theirs like a type of signature."

"You want me to track down well known sex traffickers? You do realize these men never stay in one place for long and finding them could take days or even weeks. You and I both know if these men did take Joey, he doesn"t have that kind of time."

He sighs loudly and I can hear the distress in his sounds. They squeeze at my heart. I know how much he fought to be with the man he loves and how much he gave up for him, just to have him ripped away again. "Please. Please try, for an old friend and for a client who needs you to hunt down a target. Last time I checked; I"m talking to one of the best hitmen in the country."

I scoff. "I wouldn"t go that far. You know you don"t need to stroke my ego for me to do this for you. I"ll try my best, but I can"t make any promises."

"That"s all I ask. That is my whole heart out there and I"m slowly withering away without him, so this is why I"m contacting the best man for the job. You know I don"t trust many people C, but I trust you."

"You know I"m here and got your back. Tell me where and I"m there."

"Go to the place where we used to meet in between classes, behind the dumpster." I remember the place well. It"s no longer a school and is now nothing more than an old, abandoned building. I am often taken back to the memories of me pressing Isaiah against the wall, tasting the menthol and chocolate on his breath, and attacking his mouth with mine in hunger and eagerness. I was always looking forward to getting him behind that building and then the day came where he wouldn"t meet me there anymore. The day where he'd told someone who wasn"t me that he was in love with him.

All these years I"d accepted my place in his life as an old fling, a friend to help escape with, who shared the same secret. He took that leap with Joey and had left me behind, still managing to keep me around as background noise. I only become visible when Joey isn"t. "I"ll be there in twenty."

"And C, don"t tell your brothers. This stays between you and me."

It wouldn"t be the first time I"ve heard those very same words. I swallow the lump in my throat, hating how I keep this from them. But Isaiah isn"t a secret I have kept from only them; he's my secret from the world. I start the car, taking one last glance out the window, searching for my brothers.

I should let them know I"m leaving, which would only have them asking questions, ones I can't answer. No one can know Isaiah"s alive, not yet. Not as long as his enemies are alive. Especially the one who had tried to have him killed ten years ago.

Placing my hand down on the gear shift, I pull onto the road, trying to prepare myself to see the man I never stop thinking about. The man who chose someone else.

Even though it"s not me who gets to kiss him every night and wake up with him in my arms each morning, I am still willing to drop everything to save the man who did. He means everything to him and Isaiah had always meant the world to me.

I am not a man who grows a soft spot for people, but Isaiah has always had a power over me I could never break free from. It didn"t matter how long we stayed apart, I always remained under his spell. The same way he remained under Joey's.