Enjoy! ✨

~ Maddie's POV ~

"Mama."

I let out a sigh when Cameron lifted his head to look at me again, letting out a small whimper.

"Cameron baby you need to go to sleep." I stroked his hair as he let out a soft sigh and closed his eyes again.

It was already past midnight and he hadn't fallen asleep yet.

After he spoke to Kenzie, he was okay for about an hour before he started missing her all over again.

By the time it came to the evening when it was time for bed he just wouldn't stop crying until he threw up, twice.

That just meant I had to clean him up, give him a bath and clean the floor.

I think the only reason he'd stopped crying now was because he was so exhausted and he was out of tears. It didn't mean he was falling asleep though.

"I want Kenzie." I nodded my head, running a hand through his hair as I held his head against my chest. "I know baby, but she'll be here with daddy in the morning. Just close your eyes, go to sleep, and as soon as you open them again it will be morning."

A few seconds passed as we lay there in bed before he spoke again.

"You lied mama, it's still nighttime."

Although I was absolutely exhausted and on the inside I was completely heartbroken that my baby girl was in hospital, I still couldn't help but laugh at his response.

"I told you to go to sleep."

He let out another sigh before nodding his head, curling up against me as he finally gave into the exhaustion that he was feeling.

I ended up lying there for ages as I thought about everything that had happened over the last week after Santiago and I started trying for a baby.

Those pills were sent to me, then Cameron had his nightmare, Santiago and Arturo fought, Santiago stopped speaking to me and now Kenzie was in hospital.

I knew in my heart that Santiago was just struggling to cope with everything. I couldn't even bring myself to be angry with him for the way he was treating everyone.

How could someone who tried to commit suicide and afterwards battled with depression, ever become angry with someone because of their own mental health and their emotions?

He was feeling guilty, stressed, upset, angry and whatever else was going on in his head.

I just wanted to be there for him.

After an hour of lying there with Cameron now fast asleep, I found myself tapping on Santi's contact on my phone, waiting for him to answer the phone.

"Maddie? Is something wrong?" Of course, the fact I was calling at 1am concerned him straight away.

"No, I just wanted to hear your voice." I spoke in a hushed tone so that I didn't wake Cameron, and when Santiago replied he was speaking quietly also.

"I can't wait to see you tomorrow baby, I miss you."

"I miss you too Santiago." I heard Santiago let out a soft sigh on the otherside of the line before he spoke.

"I didn't expect you to call, I was saving this for tomorrow, but I guess I'll say it now. I'm so sorry Maddie, I-"

"Babe you don't need to apologise."

"No I do. I keep screwing up with you, I know that. I have no clue how you're still putting up with me, but I am sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you like that and I shouldn't have ignored you I just...I guess I don't know how to deal with my feelings very well."

I couldn't help but smile at his last words and if he was with me, I probably would have teased him for that.

"I know Santi, that's why I'm not angry. I just want you to talk to me instead of bottling everything up all the time."

"I don't know how to do that Maddie."

"You're doing pretty well now. Maybe we should start having phone calls instead of talking face to face."

Santiago let out a laugh at this.

"Maybe. How's Cameron doing?" When he mentioned our son, I looked down at my sleeping four year old, stroking his his softly.

"Not good. This is the first time ever that they've been apart. He was crying so much that he threw up earlier."

I could just imagine the frown on Santiago's face when I said this. I knew just how much he loved our children.

"Kenzie was the same. She was alright at times when Arturo was here and after she spoke to Cameron but before bed she wouldn't stop crying. I had to lie in that tiny freaking bed with her until she fell asleep. My back is killing me."

"I'll give you a massage tomorrow baby."

"Where?" I couldn't help but roll my eyes when I heard the smirk in his voice.

"Your back and only your back."

In response to my words he let out a laugh.

"Good because now I'm going to be sitting in a chair all night."

"I'm sorry about that, thank you for staying with her Santi-"

"Don't. You don't need to thank me, she's my daughter I'd do anything for her." I nodded my head just as a yawn escaped my lips, catching his attention.

"Go to sleep baby." As much as I wanted to argue with him, I could feel my body getting tired, finally.

"Can you stay on the phone with me until I fall asleep? You used to do that when we were younger, remember?"

I sounded like a teenager again.

"I remember." He fell silent for a moment as if he was thinking about something. "I miss those days, we had no problems."

"Me too Santi." I felt my eyes begin to close when it fell quiet, my mind going back to the days we would stay on the phone all night during highschool.

"Go to sleep baby."

And that was the last thing I heard before I fell asleep.

<<<<<<< >>>>>>> <<<<<<<

I promised myself I wouldn't cry.

I even promised Cameron I wouldn't cry, he didn't believe me though.

But guess what? I cried like a baby, for a long time actually until I finally asked her where she got it from. "Who gave you the cookie Kenzie?"

"I don't remember mama."

How convenient.

"Well, try to remember. Who gave it to you?"

"I don't know." Once again she shook her head. "Kenzie."

"I don't know mama."

"Well you never ever eat anything that I don't give you, ever again. Do you understand me? No cookies, nothing."

For the fifth time, or maybe the sixth time when I said this since she came home, Kenzie nodded her head, mumbling that she understood what I was saying.

"You promise you understand? Never eat anything that hasn't come from me or daddy, okay? Actually no, I've decided, you never eat again. I can give you salad and water everyday and you'll be fine and safe and healthy."

I heard Santiago let out a laugh at my words as I held Kenzie in my arms by the front door, kneeling down to her height.

"Mama I don't like salad." When I pulled away from her, she gave me a small smile causing more tears to pour down my cheeks.

"Then I'll make you pancakes everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Nothing else, okay?" She nodded her head before hugging me again.

"I promise. I love you mama." I ran my hand over her hair as I held her in my arms. "I love you too my princess."

"Kenzie!" At the sound of Cameron's voice, she instantly pulled away from me and turned around just as her twin brother crashed into her.

If it wasn't for Santiago who steadied them, they definitely would have fallen over from the speed that he was running at.

"I missed you Kenzie. Please never get sick again, or take me with you. I'll be sick with you."

"I'm sorry, next time we eat the cookie together."

"No!"
"What the hell?"

When they heard Santiago and I shout, both the twins turned to look at us with wide eyes.

For once I wasn't even mad that Santiago used the word 'hell' around them because I was thinking the exact same thing.

"I just told you Mackenzie that you don't eat anymore cookies."

"Uh.." She looked at me with wide eyes before stepping closer to Santiago as if he was going to protect her.

Unfortunately for her, he just knelt down next to her, turning her to face him and look him in the eye.

"You never ever eat another cookie, do you understand me? If there is food out, you don't touch it if me or mama haven't given you permission."

"Daddy..."

"Answer me Mackenzie, do you understand me?" She eventually nodded her head causing him to let out a sigh before looking over at Cameron.

"The same goes for you. You don't eat anything that you haven't been allowed to eat. If you eat anything with nuts in it's extremely dangerous."

"I'm sorry daddy, I promise not to eat the cookie with Kenzie." If it wasn't such a serious situation, his response would definitely have been amusing.

However after what Santiago and I had just gone through, it wasn't funny for either of us.

"I'm not eating the cookie! You're trying to get me tolded off!"

And they're back to arguing.

"No I'm not, I was just-"

"Shut up the pair of you. This isn't a joke, don't you dare eat anything without asking us first."

Finally they just nodded their heads and Santiago stood up, letting out a sigh.

"Go and play upstairs for a bit. Mackenzie I'll give you a bath soon and then we'll have-"

"No!" I let out a sigh when she ran off upstairs as soon as soon as I mentioned a bath, without Cameron following behind her.

Once they were both out of earshot I turned to look at Santiago.

"Are you sure you want another one of those?" I gestured to the stairs where they'd just ran off to causing him to let out a sigh before he came over to me.

"For some screwed up reason, I am."

He gave me a small smile as he pulled me into a hug, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

"I love you Maddie." Turning around in his arms, I looked up at him since he was so much taller than me, giving him a smile.

"I love you too, but, I'll love you even more if you give Kenzie a bath for me."

"Hell no, I'm not dealing with her craziness, I hate doing it. You can keep your love Madison."

I rose an eyebrow at him as he stepped away from me, shaking his head.

He said that, and yet twenty minutes later he was the one drenched in water at the side of the bath trying to put shampoo in our little girl's hair as Cameron and I watched from the bench in the bathroom.

"Stop splashing me you little rascal and sit still."

Scrunching her nose up at him, she shook her head, moving away from Santiago in the bathtub.

I bet now he was wishing he wasn't so rich and couldn't afford such a huge bath tub in the twins' bathroom.

"Mackenzie Carmen Hernández, tienes tres segundos para volver aquí." (You have three seconds to get back over here.)

Although I didn't understand what he said, from the way he said her full name, I knew he was being serious, and so she did she.

Santiago had been speaking Spanish with the twins from a very early age so they knew a lot more than I did although they hardly ever spoke it.

"I don't wana." As she moved back over to him, tears filled her eyes as he put some more shampoo into the palm of his hand now that the previous stuff had washed away.

"Close your eyes baby. If you close them until I tell you to open them, it will be over before you know it."

He told her exactly what I told her to do every time and she closed her eyes as he began lathering the shampoo in her hair.

That was until she did what she always does and opened her eyes, eventually letting out a cry a few moments later.

"Why would you open your eyes?"

She completely ignored his incredulous tone, letting out a sob.

"It hurts daddy." Santiago just shook his head in annoyance before quickly washing the shampoo out of her hair as she continued to cry.

After a few moments he got all the shampoo out of her hair and then leaned over the edge of the bath to give her a hug.

The cutest part was that he didn't even care he was now even more soaking wet.

I watched with a small smile on my face as he stroked her hair, mumbling something to her before he pulled away and wiped her tears away.

He had so much patience for her. Just from that I could tell he really was ready for a third one.

Finally he got her out of the bath wrapping a towel around her as she smiled, her little nose glowing red from her crying.

"Come here baby." Shifting Cameron who was sitting on my lap playing with one of his favourite bath toys, I gestured for her come over to me before I gave her a hug.

"You would enjoy bath time much more if you just stopped opening your eyes. Why do you always do that when I tell you not to?"

When I asked her this, she let out a small sigh before giving me another hug.

"I don't like the dark mama."

These children really make it hard for us to be annoyed at them.

Instead of saying anything, I just pressed a kiss to her forehead before Santiago took her to go and get her dressed.

Having a third one of these, whenever we do, will be a hell of a crazy journey.

And to think Santiago wanted five...

<<<<<<< >>>>>>> <<<<<<<<

"Shut the hell up both of you and just let me think."

"You don't need to think, pick the phone up, call Hugo and demand some answers."

"Arturo, you know Santiago can't do that, you need to be reasonable about this."

"Reasonable? I am being freaking reasonable! Lucia trust me you don't want to see what I'm like when I'm unreasonable."

"You're being unreasonable right now."

"I just told you both to shut up. I'm trying to think and your bickering isn't helping me-"

Letting out a sigh I finally stormed into Santiago's office, giving the three of them a deadly glare.

"How about I say it then? Shut the hell up. I just got my children down to sleep and I could hear you arguing from upstairs."

Of course Santiago was the only one to reply to me.

"Damn."

Rolling my eyes at his response, I closed the office door behind me before leaning against it.

"Why are you arguing so much?"

"Because-"

Just as Arturo was about to answer my question, Santiago quickly cut him off, giving him a glare.

"Don't."

"You haven't told her?" This time Arturo rose an eyebrow him causing Santi to sigh, knowing what was coming next.

"Told me what?" When no one responded, I turned my attention to Santiago who didn't look very happy at all.

"Santiago, what haven't you told me?"

Finally he let out a sigh before he spoke. "I was going to tell you tomorrow, Kenzie only came home today and I wanted to give you time to enjoy it."

"What is it? Just say it."

He held eye contact with me and when he could tell I clearly wasn't going to back down, he let out a defeated sigh.

"We got the fourth ball last night at the hospital."

"Did it come with a message? All of the balls come with some kind of threat don't they?"

It fell quiet around us for a moment after Santiago nodded his head. Clearly, whatever it was, he didn't want me to know about it.

"Nothing has happened yet, has it? Did you get delivered something else?"

"It wasn't a delivery Madison, it's already happened." When I just gave him a confused frown, he ran a hand over his face before speaking.

"They were responsible for the cookie that Mackenzie ate. I don't know how they did it, but they did."

I think I must have just stood there for a while staring at him in shock or something because Santiago eventually stood up, coming over to me. However before he could say anything, I did.

"They tried to kill our daughter?"

Lifting my eyes up, I met his gaze, watching the range of emotions flash through his eyes before he nodded his head, confirming it.

"I swear Madison, I'm going to find out who it is and they're going to pay for it. Their entire families are going to pay for it. I won't stop until I find them."

All I could manage to do was nod my head as tears silently rolled down my cheeks.

I don't think anyone could ever comprehend or imagine the pain in a mother's heart when they find out that someone intentionally tried to hurt their baby.

My little girl.

She was my baby girl. She's only a child. All she wants is to be with her brother and Pancake and play until her heart is content. She hates bath time like other children and she's so picky with her food. She gives the best hugs and her laugh is so contagious. She hates going to sleep or being told what to do and she's so stubborn even though she's only four.

She's just four.

She didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask for any of this.

She's only a child.

"Promise me something Santiago."

I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I looked into his, trying to convey just how serious I was over what I was about to say.

"Promise me you'll let me be the one to kill them."

I could tell he was surprised by my request and he seemed to waver for a second before he eventually nodded his head.

"I promise."

For the next few minutes it was silent in the room as I went and sat down on the couch with Santiago, still trying to process what he'd told me.

Surprisingly I wasn't screaming and shouting like I would have expected myself to. Maybe it was like my subconscious knew the twins were asleep so I couldn't make any noise.

Sometimes though, even the most silent tears could hold the most pain.

I read that in a fortune cookie once. Guess who didn't feel very fortunate after that?

"So what are you going to do about it?"

When I finally broke the silence, Arturo let out a sigh, glancing over at Lucia.

"I'm telling Santiago to call Hugo to get some answers. Remember in that letter we got, he told Santiago there was a threat he didn't know about? Clearly that bitch knows who it is."

"Arturo you can't do that. He won't listen to you. If you want answers from a man like Hugo you have to go to him with an offering."

Arturo just looked mildly annoyed and confused at her words prompting her to explain what she meant.

"Santiago can call him and tell him that he's willing to do something extra to trade for some answers."

"Extra?" When Santiago rose a questioning eyebrow at her she nodded her head.

"Yeah, it can't have anything to do with the deal you already have with him. He'll just tell you that he's got a deal with you and you don't have the right to change it. This one has to be on the side, despite the 700 million you already have to spend for him."

Arturo let out a scoff at this before getting up to get a medium size bottle of scotch out of a cupboard in Santiago's office.

"More work? Lucia we've worked our asses off trying to spend that money for over a month and we're not even half way through it."

"I know that. But I also know Hugo and I'm telling you, once he's made a deal with someone, he doesn't change it. If you want to demand answers you need to strike your own deal with him. God knows you should be good at that after the number of contracts you've written over the last month."

Although he was clearly agitated, Arturo still let out a small laugh, nodding his head in agreement before drinking some of the scotch from the bottle.

He took a few gulps before he handed the bottle to Santiago.

"Let me think of something then. It has to be good enough to get him to agree but not too much for us because we already have so much to do for him."

Both Arturo and Lucia seemed happy with Santiago's conclusion to the conversation.

After that, they sat there for a while passing the drink between them for a while before Lucia and Arturo left to go home while Santiago and I remained in his office.

"Baby?"

Santiago turned his head to look at me, resting the bottle of scotch on his leg.

"I know you're against doing too much for him, but if Hugo can get you the answers you need-"

"I'll do anything for them. I just didn't want to say it in front of Arturo. He shouldn't have to work for them too. When I make the deal with Hugo it'll be me and me alone. I won't drag anyone down with me, no matter what it is."

He took one last gulp of the alcohol, finishing off the bottle before he put it on the floor and turned towards me with a glint in his eye.

I let out a small squeak when he suddenly wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me across the couch towards him. Once I was next right next to him, now with my legs draped over his, his attention moved to my shirt as he started to lift the bottom of it.

"You know when you walked into the room shouting at everyone like that? The first thing I thought was that I needed you so bad."

<<<<<<< >>>>>>> <<<<<<<<

~ Lucia's POV ~

"You've been drinking, are you sure you're okay to drive?"

Although I was being deadly serious, Arturo just let out a laugh as he took his car keys out, pressing the button to unlock his fancy car which I could never identify.

"I didn't even drink that much, I'm fine."

We both knew that wasn't exactly true.

When I hesitated to get into the passenger seat, eyeing the keys in his hand instead, amusement shone in his eyes.

"You want to drive my car?"

"Would it be so bad? Arturo you had quite a bit, you might not be drunk but you're not exactly sober either."

He nodded his head in understanding before he eventually let out a sigh and took my hand, placing the keys in it.

"If there's even a teeny tiny little scratch on my car when we get back, you'll regret it Lucia. I'm not gentle when I'm angry."

I had to stop a moan from escaping my lips as he brought his lips closer to my ear, his hot breath blowing over my skin as he spoke. Soon he let out a laugh which was no doubt from the intense blush that formed on my cheeks as I stepped back from him.

Although I was putting some distance between us, it didn't miss me that this was the first time I didn't panic or worry when I man spoke to me like that.

Somehow deep inside me I knew Arturo would never ever do anything to make me feel uncomfortable or to hurt me in any way.

"Okay, now get in the car."

When he heard my response, his smirk faltered a little before he laughed, nodding as he got into the passenger seat. Once I'd closed the door I let out nervous breath, glancing down at his keys in my hand.

Maybe I should just risk my life and let him drive?

But then he would be risking his own life and your love sick ass could never handle that.

You're right.

Making my way around the car, I got into the driver seat, closing the door.

My eyes widened a little when I turned, expecting the wheel to be right in front of me but instead I was miles away from it and from the pedals too.

"You're so short." Arturo's words caused me to glare at him as I pulled the lever under the seat and moved the seat forward all the way until I could reach the pedals and the wheel comfortably.

Once I was comfortable, I clicked the seatbelt into place and then went to put the key in the ignition.

"Where do I put the key in? I can't find the hole."

Of course, being kind of buzzed off the alcohol he just let out a laugh at my words causing me to blush, again.

"Arturo."

"Sorry, sorry. You don't need to put the key in, there's no ignition. The car knows when the key is inside so just press the break pedal down and the engine button." He pointed towards a button which said 'start/stop' which I pressed causing the engine to come to life.

"How does it know?"

"Magic." I rolled my eyes at his response before reaching into my pocket to get my hand gel out. Ignoring the way he was glaring at me, I put some in my hand before I reached out, taking his hand to put some in too.

I always share my hand gel with my friends, it's a nice thing to do.

Just as I was about to squeeze some into his hand, he suddenly he snatched his hand away, giving me a glare.

"Don't touch me."

My eyes widened a little at his response and I quickly pulled away.

"S-sorry." Putting the bottle back into my pocket, I rubbed the gel into my hands quickly, trying to look anywhere else but him.

"Lucia-"

"I don't know the directions so can you tell me please." Still refusing to look at him, I put the car into first gear, moving toward the gates in Santiago's drive way.

After a moment, he finally spoke.

"Turn left at the gates."

For the entire drive, it was deadly silent as I drove and he just gave me occasional directions back to his house. I could feel his eyes on me the entire way and honestly it felt like I was taking my driving test all over again.

Finally, we pulled up to his house and I was quick to turn off the car and unbuckle my seatbelt. I was aware of him still watching me as I moved his seat roughly back into the position that it was in earlier.

Without another word I handed him the keys and got out of the car, making my way to the front door.

I guess I was upset about the way he reacted to me, usually people just accept the hand gel or politely decline. So, honestly I just had no clue what to say to him now.

I'd not really been around Arturo after he'd been drinking. Sure he drank the wine when we had that talk, but he was in his feelings then I guess, it was different.

He drank today because he was angry about the threats and Hugo. That means he's most likely going to be a little more...not pleasant to be around when drunk.

Maybe he was an angry drunk?

After spending two years working for El Dios Del Diablo these were the sorts of things I'd learned, particularly about men and their drinking habits.

"Lucia! Can you hold on a minute?" Once I reached the front door I turned to see Arturo getting out of the car, locking it as he came towards me.

"Please open the front door Arturo."

As much as I wanted to ignore him, I had to remember I was staying in his house so I still had to be polite to him.

And I wasn't a rude person anyway.

"Not until you speak to me."

"What do you want me to say?" When I shrugged my shoulders, turning to face the front door again, Arturo let out an annoyed sigh.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Arturo, I really would just prefer to go inside right now." When I cut him off, I could tell his anger was starting to peak through, even if he was trying to control it.

Maybe he was an angry drunk...not that he was actually drunk.

"Fine." He stepped around me to open the door going inside first, heading straight for the kitchen. Once I closed the door, I was about to head upstairs when I heard the sound of a glass being put down on the counter and the unmistakable sound of liquid pouring.

Without even thinking of the consequences, I instantly went into the kitchen.

"You're really drinking more alcohol?" When he heard my voice, he lifted his head to look at me.

He didn't say a word as he held eye contact with me and then put the glass to his lips, downing the contents of it in one go.

All I could do was scoff at his actions.

"Arturo I understand that you're angry about what happened with Mackenzie and the threats, but alcohol isn't going to help you."

"No? Then what will help me, Lucia? Tell me."

He rose an eyebrow at me and when I went quiet, unsure of what to say to him he put the glass down.

"Why don't we brain storm some ideas?" I watched as he moved around to stand in front of the island, leaning against it. "I could drink some more, but you don't think that would help. I could go out and kill someone, maybe beat someone up until I feel better? That one sounds pretty good. Or maybe I could just sleep with a random slut until I'm not angry anymore."

As he said the last part, he stepped closer to me, a cold expression on his face as he did.

"How about that idea?"

"You're drunk..." That was all I could bring myself to say as I stood there, watching him walk towards me.

"Maybe I should call one of my whores that I usually call whenever I'm angry? I could take her to my room..."

As he stopped in front of me, I could easily smell the alcohol on his breath as he lowered his voice.

"...and have some fun, all night."

With almost every word he said, I could feel that pain in my heart that had been there so long slowly start to come back. Being with Arturo for just over a month had helped me to feel so peaceful and...wanted.

He made that pain go away.

"Why are you saying all this Arturo? We... I thought that we..." When my sentence trailed off, I realised just how pathetic I sounded and so did he.

"No baby, we weren't anything. I was just waiting to sleep with you but it's taking too freaking long. You're not my girlfriend Lucia and you never will be." Although his words clearly had the intention of hurting me, which they successfully did, something else flashed in his eyes besides anger as he reached out to stroke my cheek.

"Because you don't live here. You belong to El Dios Del Diablo, you're not mine and you never will be."

I stilled under his touch as he spoke, bringing his face even closer to mine.

"Stop trying to act like my girlfriend by giving me that damn hand gel and telling me to stop drinking like you care."

"I do care." Pathetically, my words came out in a pleading tone as I tried to step forward and take his hand which he instantly pulled away.

"I think I'll go with the third option."

Whatever emotions were in his eyes, including anger, were suddenly gone and he gave me a malicious grin as he stepped away from me, grabbing his car keys again.

"But don't worry, I'll go out so that you don't have to listen to it all night."

As soon as I saw him take a step towards the door, I reached out to grab him again.

"You can't drive! Arturo please just listen to me, you could get hurt or-"

"It's none of your concern." Once again he ripped his arm away from me as if my touch burned him.

Finally, once I realised just how little power I held in this situation, my eyes began to fill with tears as I stepped away from him.

"Don't go. I'll leave you alone from now on if that's what you want. I'll move to a hotel. Just don't...don't get yourself killed because of me."

When he saw the tears in my eyes, his glare faltered before he looked away from me, clenching his jaw. He stayed like that for a moment before he eventually threw his keys back down on the island and grabbed the bottle of alcohol, leaving the kitchen.

The truth was there clearly staring at me in the face - he's just like all the men in this life full of drugs, sex and violence.

He's no different to any of them.

So why did I feel like he'd just broken my heart?

The ending is so sad 😭

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