Eres Mía

~ 21 ~

~brooklyn bridge park~

I took my place in Brooklyn Bridge Park as I waited for my old friend. The first time I met Dante was in this very park. The east side of the bridge.

It was 4 years ago and I had just run away from home. Dante found me sitting on the steps of an apartment building just outside this park with a duffel bag in my hand, and he offered to let me stay with him.

I said no and broke his nose with a punch.

As I laughed to myself about the memory, a figure hurled themselves over the bench and took their place next to me.

"Fénix."

"Stiletto."
[translation: Dagger]

He laughed at our formalities then cracked a smile towards me.

"How's it going with the new family?"

I flashed him a smile back and answered his question.

"You know how it is, a mixed family in a big mansion with an even bigger secret. How's Killa?"

"Getting bigger but he's still just as playful." he replied; he seemed happy that I remembered his dog.

"So what do you need? I assume you want something from me, but what is it?"

I sighed.

"I need you to help me find someone. It's a huge ask but I need this since they're out for my blood."

"Who is this person, pray tell?" he said, furrowing his eyebrows.

Dante wouldn't be happy about this.

"Damien Mozorov..." I said cautiously.

Immediately, Dante got up and began to walk away. I grabbed his arm and pulled him back to me.

"Dante, look at me. You're the best in the game so of course I'm gonna ask you. You're the only one I trust to do something like this, so please man. Help me."

"Lucía. I trust you too, and I know for goddamn sure that you wouldn't screw me over. But this? This is too much to ask. I mean come on, you asked me to help you find your father, which I did. But Damien Mozorov, heir to the Russian Mafia? No."

"He's out for my blood Dante, I don't trust anyone more than I trust you. All you have to do is find him for me, let me do the rest. Para tu mejor amiga?" I asked him.
[translation: for your best friend?]

He sighed and closed his eyes. He opened then again slowly and came closer to me.

"Para mi mejor amiga." he replied as he bumped his fist to mine.
[translation: for my best friend]

Dante was a good guy. To me, he was the light at the end of a dangerous tunnel. To others, I'm not sure. Unlike me, Dante wasn't an assassin but he could kill. He was a hacker and a street fighter and he was pretty damn good with a dagger.

When I broke his nose, he took a liking to me so he offered me food, money and shelter in exchange for using me to fight.

Even though he had no knowledge of how well I could fight, he took me in anyways. He helped me get an apartment, a job and he even trained me everyday so my fighting skills would get better as I stuck with him.

With my fighting skills, he would take me to underground fighting rings and set up tournaments for people to bet on and for me to win. That's where El Fénix was created. With that money, and Dante's ability to find good apartments, I was able to find a place to live and build a new life for myself.