Out of Control ✔

ELEVENTH CHAPTER

The plan didn't leave Juanita's mind. She believed that it could work – there were however, a few issues that she still needed to work through.

"Where should I live?" she mused out loud. A few hours had passed since she had shared her idea with Adelita, and while the women separated to go about their days they now found themselves discussing the idea again. "I won't go back to my father, and I can't come back to the camp once all of this starts... the cartel is cautious. Even if I manage to catch his interest again, he has not gotten to where he is by being gullible. I am sure he will send someone to tail me for a while, which means that I also can't be found sitting in a hotel room all day long, that will raise questions."

"We could involve the MC. Pretend you're with that Mayan, use his house. The cartel considers them as allies anyway."

Juanita started to laugh. "Right... and while I'm at it maybe I should ask him to get down on one knee and have him propose too!"

The rebel leader looked at her with a stern face.

Ah, she was serious.

"It will look less suspicious if you accidentally run into him; you can just catch up while you're pretending that you're in a relationship. It will undoubtedly stroke his ego if you choose him in the end."

Juanita snorted. This was the stupidest idea she had ever heard. "I'm not gonna force myself on Cruz for who knows how long."

"As if he would mind," Adelita answered coldly. "A woman keeping his house clean and his bed warm. He will be away most of the time anyway. We all have to make sacrifices Juanita. There are things out there that are much worse than tolerating your presence in his home for a couple of days."

Juanita thought about her words for a while. She had a point... rationally speaking. She knew she would feel trapped though, and Cruz probably wouldn't be happy about her invading his privacy – but it was worth a shot. At the moment she couldn't come up with a better alternative.

There was however one problem. "If I stay at his place, Angel will find out."

Sighing, the woman looked at her. "Maybe it's time to get over it, Juanita. Taking down the cartel is much more important than not wanting to see your brother. Nobody is asking you to return home – you don't even have to tell your brother anything about your father if you don't want to. You're not a kid anymore; he can't force you to say anything. But I will also remind you of where you are, many of these children do not have a brother or father to go back to anymore. Do not discard that which others would do anything to get back."

Juanita dropped her eyes. Eight years had passed. Maybe it was time to square her shoulders, to move on. It felt like her life had been on stand by ever since she had left. She was no longer that reclusive girl – she could deal with her brothers. There was no need to share her discovery with them and in the end they would get over the shock of seeing her again.

"Fine," she sighed eventually. "That's what I'm gonna do. I'll inform Cruz about my plan and if he agrees, I will tell him who I am."

Adelita lifted the corner of her mouth. "Let's hope there's something left of him after your brother finds out that his friend slept with his missing little sister."

Juanita shrugged her shoulder. Not my problem. Cruz could survive a beating.

"I am seeing them tonight. In town. If you come with me and stay in the shadows, I'll send Coco to you," Adelita suggested.

She nodded slowly, even though it was hard to imagine how that conversation would go. He'd probably claim that she'd drank a little too much and was actin' crazy. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea; it would work as some kind of excuse if she couldn't convince him.

"Or do you want to talk to Angel first?"

"No," Juanita said quickly.

If Cruz would't do it, then there was no reason to confront her brother.

"And you're sure there's nothing serious about this relationship?" Adelita asked after a while. "You're going to be sleeping with the enemy... You are sure he won't mind?"

She shrugged. "We fucked one time. I think he likes it causal, keeps him from getting attached to someone. No fuss, and shit like that. He won't make a big deal of it."

Adelita watched her for a while. "We'll see... He won't be the first Mayan who takes one nights stands a little too seriously."

Juanita stared her in the eye, her eyebrows in a questioning frown. Then it dawned on her. "You slept with my brother?"

A mysterious smile crossed her lips, then the rebel leader turned around and walked away.

Juanita watched her leave while a grin appeared on her face. "Oh Angel..." she sighed, shaking her head. "Still wanting the girls you can't have..."