Six months later.
I smiled as I stood on our balcony off the master bedroom. Guests gathered below, filling our backyard and motorbikes filled the driveway. I spotted Nestor near the ornate flower archway talking to Alex, he knelt down and started fixing the matching tie around my sons neck. The sight made my heart soar and my eyes sting as tears threatened to fall. Don't ruin your makeup.
"It's not too late to run." I said over my shoulder.
Luisa's soft laugh was the only response I got. I turned to look at the bride as Maria pinned the veil into her hair.
"She's not going anywhere." Felipe grumbled, looking uncomfortable in his suit. "I only have one job, to get you to the end of that aisle."
"All done beautiful lady." Maria said as she placed a soft kiss on Luisa's cheek before going to find her seat with Bishop.
I could never have imagined this a year ago. I had my son, I had Nestor and I had my crazy family all together. Maria worked for Miguel now, hiding the drug money from the government and had caught the Mayan president hook, line and sinker.
I looked over the crowd and spotted Miguel. I was glad he decided to come, it was a small sign he was trying to move forward. We hadn't spoken for a month, since Felipe sat down with him, Angel and EZ and told them the truth about the half- siblings. He had been a recluse since that meeting and ignored all of my calls and messages. I would still go and visit Cristobal a few times a week but Miguel would make himself scarce. I don't really understand why he was giving me the silent treatment. It wasn't my secret to tell and Dita was the one to blame really.
"Ready to do this?" I asked as I saw everyone was seated below. Angel turned around and looked up but I blocked his view of Luisa and yelled over pointing to the floral archway. "Eyes front and centre Reyes!"
I sped past the bride and sat at the grand piano I had Cole's men load onto the plane from Russia. I started to play Canon in D before Mini lead the way for Luisa, the young girl tossing petals as she walked. When Luisa came out I looked at Angel and saw a few tears run down his face. Goddamn these two are just good human beings. I sniffed a bit when they finally got to their vows and Nestor's took my hand slipping a tissue into my hand.
After the ceremony we all moved into the gym that had just been built. All the equipment had been removed and the walls were draped with fabric and fairy lights except the front where it was all floor to ceiling glass. The view was breathtaking, the sun setting in brilliant red hues over the rolling hillside. I felt arms wrap around me as the noise level rose after the bar had started serving.
I leant back into my love and whispered, "I am going to get changed, care to escort me?"
He held his elbow out and I looped my arm in his with a giggle. We made small talk with guests as we made our way along the softly lit pathway to our home. Nestor detoured to the cellar to get a bottle of wine and two glasses while I went upstairs. As soon I stepped into our room I froze at the sight of the man sitting on the love seat in our room.
"To what do I owe the pleasure Mr Potter?" I asked him as I began taking the uncomfortable pins out of my hair.
"I had a very interesting chat with your son at school. It was...enlightening." He said as he tapped his fingers on the manila folder on his lap.
I didn't react, Alex had already told me of the visits he received from the 'weird man.' I knew he had nothing incriminating on me, I didn't exist. My records were wiped, DNA tests would come back as whatever poor soul Francis used to declare me deceased.
"Do you know what your problem is Lincoln?" I asked rhetorically. "You always assume you are the smartest person in the room."
I crossed the room and picked up the folder to find it exactly as I predicted, full off blank pages. I threw them in the air and watched his face as they fell around him.
"Did you think my son would go anywhere without my people watching him?" I laughed as his face ticked. "You were outsmarted by a 6 year old. Now get out of my house before my kindness runs out."
"Enjoy the party Ms Galindo."
I eyed him as he left the room to skirt his way around Nestor who filled the doorway. The tension was palpable but thankfully he didn't just shoot the attorney where he stood. I had just had the carpets cleaned.
"Could you please show our guest out? It would be a shame if he lost his way."
He kissed me quickly and whispered in my ear, "want me to dispose of him?"
I shook my head and tapped my ear. They disappeared and Nestor came back a minute later with a scanner in his hand. He walked the room and found two bugs hidden. He pulled them out of the hiding spots and called his guys in.
"Scan the house. Make sure every one of them are found and destroyed." He said as he tossed the scanner to Marius. "I know that look. What are you planning?"
"I was just thinking of how to deal with that pain in the arse. I need to make a trip south, some community outreach near his
child and amor."
+++
"Smile for the camera sweetie." I told the young boy before jabbing his vaccine in his arm.
He sat on his mother's lap, her basket at her feet. The photographer gave us the thumbs up and I put a small plaster on the area.
"See all done, I think my assistant has a lollipop for being such a brave young man." I told him with a smile as the photographer took another photo of Nestor handing the boy the treat.
The rest of the day was spent vaccinating most of the children in the small village. The vaccines were real and very much needed in the community but Potter's sons vaccine had an additive which would make him temporarily sick.
The following day the photos were front page across the newspapers both sides of the border. Humanitarian Lilith Galindo potentially saves hundreds of children's lives. We had just arrived home and found Potter sitting on his motorbike at the front gates.
"Hello Lincoln." I smiled and held out my hand but he didn't shake it.
"Ms Galindo. I didn't pick you out of your siblings to have such agnostic behaviour." He held out a newspaper with the photo of his son and I.
"Well I don't appreciate rodents encroaching on my home. It would be in your best interest to leave my family and friends alone and I will return the favour."
"Is that a threat? What did you do to my son?"
"It's a promise." I stated and held out my hand for the satellite phone. "Call him and find out." I handed him the phone and hopped back in the car and put the window down. "I'll see you in a minute. How do you take your tea?"
He didn't respond so I put my sunglasses back on and drove along the driveway and parked in the garage.
"He wanted you to threaten him." Nestor said as he unloaded our overnight bag.
"I know. He thinks he's even got it recorded." I said with a laugh.
After his last attempt to bug us most of us began carrying signal jammers around. I had just boiled the kettle when his bike roared up the driveway and he entered through the open door.
"What did you do to him?" He pleaded and I almost felt sorry for him.
"Just gave you both a taste of what will happen if you bug me again." I sipped my tea and shook my head at the statement. "Sorry, to be clear, I mean that in the sense of annoy me as well as the recording devices we destroyed. He's not going to die, this time. He will be fine in 48 hours and be resistant to MMR so that's a positive. Yay for science."
Nestor smirked and shook his head at me.
"Now, is there anything else we need to discuss or do you finally understand that this pursuit is not worth it." He looked like a torn man at my words. I knew he loved his son but I saw in his eyes he couldn't let it go. "What's really stopping you from dropping this?"
"We lost the rebels and then Adelita and your brother had his deal, now he's running everything above board. My career is over if I can't make a case against someone soon."
"You risk your son's life for your career. That's pathetic man."
I walk into my office down the hall and grab my tablet before going back to the kitchen. I swiped across the files until I came to one I didn't really care for. It was a file on the IRA but not the True IRA. They were less violent and didn't run the gun distribution that the Mayan's dealt with but would still be a career making bust.
"Phone Potter." I said and held out my hand until he warily gave it to me.
I sent the file to him over Bluetooth and handed it back.
"I hope you like Boston this time of year." I said as he flicked through the information and stared in wonder. "Now get the fuck out of here and don't come back."
He composed himself and tucked his phone back in his leather jacket before holding his hand out to shake. I shook his hand and gripped it until he flinched. Thank you parkour finger strength.
"Always a pleasure Lilith. An uncommon name, a female demon I believe and the first wife of Adam."
"I don't really wish to have your presence in my home any longer. Perhaps if our paths cross again we can discuss Judaism folklore." I turned to walk away but spun back. "Just remember that she defied god and all the angels he sent after her. No one can control Lilith." I left as Marius showed Lincoln to the door and locked it behind him.
"Do you think he leave?" Nestor asked as we unpacked our bags in our room.
"He has a new scent to chase as I gave him everything he needed to bust the Boston IRA. I think his ego will get over this blow when he gets that promotion he's salivating over." I flopped on the bed exhausted from the last two days. "I want a holiday. No actually, I need a holiday."
"We can go anywhere you want...after you and Miguel sort your shit out." I groaned at his blackmail. "I'll take Alex instead and you can grovel here by yourself."
I pouted then actually smiled because Nestor and Alex had bonded so well that the two would probably have fun together.
"You can take him on a lads weekend when he's 21. Show him how to get the ladies." I teased then deepened my voice, "you're my prize." I snorted. "I don't know how you weren't a virgin when we met."
I laughed when he pinned me down on the bed but he was laughing too.
"It worked didn't it. See, I know one woman who loves my sexual prowess."
"Who?" I asked shocked before laughing when he tickled my ribs.
"Come to think of it I never did get my prize." He stood up off me and I sat up confused.
"Yes you did, you got all this." I waved my hands over my body and winked.
"There's one more thing to make you truly mine though." He said as he went back to unpacking his bag.
"What's that?" I asked with a frown.
"This." He pulled a small box from the back and knelt in front of me opening it. "Well?"
"Well what?" I asked acting stupid. "You haven't asked me anything."
"Fucking hell Lily. Will you marry me?"
I couldn't help but smile widely as I left him hanging. The ring was beautiful, white gold with a single teardrop diamond setting.
"Yes!" I said and he put it up to my finger. "Of course I'll marry you Nessus-Boo."
He froze and kept the ring on the top of my finger, "You're lucky I love you so much." He said as he slipped it on all the way. "Alex helped choose the ring."
"Alex knew?" I don't know the little rugrat kept that a secret.
"Of course he knew, I had to check it was alright with him first."
And just like that I loved him even more than I thought was possible. I captured his lips, my fiancé's lips and wrapped my legs around his waist. I couldn't get my body close enough to him and he realised this. He sat me on the bed and we quickly stripped our clothes off.
"I love you Nestor."
"I love you too, always."