Siempre Mío

t h i r t e e n

Lorenzo POV

"Antonio, welcome to Mexico. How was the flight?"

"Fue tan bueno como los vuelos pueden conseguir," he laughed, "but yeah, I'm glad to be here. I'm finally ready to see him again."
[translation: as good as flights can get.]

"Well- if I've timed this right, he should be here right about..." I started.

Three knocks sounded on the door and I smiled to myself.

Now.

I went to open the door and gave Oscar a nod before I held the door for him to come inside.

He shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked in all nervous. He looked up and saw his younger brother standing before him after so long.

Their appearances were quite different; Antonio was dressed in a basic white tee and casual grey sweats whereas Oscar wore an A-shirt and beige cargo shorts, showing off his gang tattoos and silver cross necklace.

"Mano..." Oscar said.

With that, Antonio pulled him into a crushing hug and I stepped back slowly to let the reunion be more private with all the things they had to discuss from over the few years they missed together.

As I walked out the room, a crowd of people swarmed in the hallway and I was caught between many passers.

I felt a tug on my top but ignored it as I moved towards the exit of the hotel.

As I went toward my car, I looked for the keys in my pocket when I felt a note inside it.

I don't remember putting anything in my pockets.

"En el mundo, tu tienes el mayor coraje."
[translation: in the world, you have the most courage.]

I read the note in my head, and wondered who would've dropped this in my pocket and why.

Pushing the thought to the back of my mind, I got in the car and drove off to where I needed.

The drive wasn't silent like usual. Instead, my speakers blasted Bad Bunny and other Spanish rap music for me.

Stepping out the car after parking it, I was greeted immediately by Nicky.

"We just began restocking the bar, you care for a drink?" He said, leading me inside the club.

This was one of the responsibilities I had left with him when merging my mafia with the Italians'.

Yo Perreo Sola was playing loudly in the background, and scattered inside the club were men who had the enjoyment of lying to their wives and women who were just there for a good time, depending on what they wished for.

"This is our bartender, Nico. He makes drinks for people without asking what they want. He has a talent for knowing people's signature drink."

The tall guy behind the bar gave me a nod and shook my hand, before beginning to make me a drink.

"I uh-"

"Non alcoholic drink, for a sober man." Nico said, placing a drink in front of me and sliding it towards me lightly. "It's a ice tea, infused with peach and lemon."

Without asking any questions, I took a sip of the drink and was pleasantly surprised as to how much I liked it.

"So, how long you been working as a bartender?" I asked him in Spanish.

"Dos años. Not long." He replied before moving away to serve a man who had come to the bar.

"He's good," I said, turning to Nicky, "I like him."

"You like everyone I hire." Nicky shot back.

"Not true; do you remember that bartender you tried to make me hire in New York?"

"I didn't know he'd drop the glasses every single time."

"And he never poured the drinks right- he always put way less alcohol." I reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever man."

We laughed and said cheers before drinking together as we conversed.
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Unknown POV

"Once Lorenzo comes back from Mexico, we will send out the invitations for the masquerade." came the voice of Romeo Cortez.

I turned off my listening device and got dressed in my uniform for work.

The restaurant was a bit busier than usual and I knew the owner had some ties to mafia's and gangs in the area, but when Lorenzo Martinez walked through the door with his associate, Nicky Sanchez, I was shocked.

I felt frozen at my spot until a coworker of mine called my name and told me to seat them at their reserved table.

"Hi and welcome to Pujol; Do you have a reservation?" I asked, trying not to fidget in front of them.

"Si, yo tengo una reserva para dos personas en una habitación privada." Nicky said to me, Lorenzo standing beside him.
[translation: Yes, i have a reservation for two people in a private room]

Swiftly, I looked through the list and found his name.

"Claro que sí, follow me please."

I led them both to the room, handing them their menus as they took their seats and decided on their drinks and meals already.

They muttered in Spanish about the food, then a different subject that I didn't hear about as they spoke much quieter with hushed voices.
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Lorenzo POV

"What's the matter?" Nicky asked me as the girl left us alone, our order in her hand.

"Nothing, she just seems familiar but so can't place where from. It's her voice."

"Maybe she just has those regular accents?" He suggested to me as he leaned back in his seat.

"No, it's more recognisable than that. She's from here, but at the same time she isn't."

I just can't tell where she's from.

"So, you brought Antonio here to see his brother. Has he given you any updates from Italy?"

I shook my head no.

"I told him to spend the day with his brother, let them catch up and smooth things over and then tomorrow would be our day to start."

Before Nicky could get his word in, a short knock at the door and the entrance of the waitress interrupted us.

"Sorry to interrupt but here's your order. Let me know if you need anything." She said with a small smile.

"Certo, va bene." I said, in Italian this time.
[translation: Of course, that's fine.]

The waitress showed no emotion and nodded before leaving.

"Why did you talk to her in Italian?"

"Thought I could catch her out. She's trilingual, and knew what I said to her."

"How do you know that?"

"Because somehow, I don't know how, but somehow I know her."
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