nineteen ◌ lila alejandra

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I wanted to sleep in.

Incredibly tired to the point of insanity would be an understatement to describe how I felt. I craved to drown beneath the sheets, surround myself with a pillow fortress, and sleep all day. Unfortunately for me, there was a plane I had to be on in just a few hours. It was time to say goodbye to New Orleans and the magical, historic French Quarter district. Despite the circumstances that lead me to the wonderful city, I later grew an appreciation for the short trip.

Repacking my duffle bag, I kept to myself, as did the boys. Niall placed his high-tech gear in cushioned cases while Harry sat on the couch, his eyes fixated on the laptop screen before him. His fingers typed rapidly across the keyboard, his brows knitted with an inelastic focus. Harry's mind was often like that— magnetic. Whenever it latched onto something, it was near impossible for him to disconnect. It was an admiring attribute honestly, but I never knew what captivated his attention like a lock and key.

"Enjoying the view, princess?" Harry spoke for the first time that morning, and his voice was raspy as hell.

"Don't call me princess, it's worse than Tash," I responded as stoically as the question was asked. Harry's eyes never diverted from the computer screen.

"Well then Tash," Harry spoke again, a demeaning emphasis in his tone as he said my name. "I haven't found anything that tells me NOLA detectives have pin pointed you to last night's illegal activities."

I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding in. "So that means they haven't tested the blood on Liam's dagger then?"

"Not yet, anyway," Harry guessed. "Like I said last night, by the time the DNA results come in and the warrant is signed off by a judge, we'll already be out of the country."

"Don't worry Tasha," Niall jumped in, his facial muscles tugging his lips to form a boyish half smile. "We won't let you get arrested or hurt or anything."

I shot him back a small, appreciative grin. My lips parted to speak, but before I could let out a sound, something else did instead.

My phone suddenly sprang to life somewhere beneath the covers of the bed. The normally loud shrill of the annoying ringtone was muffled against the sheets, and with urgency, I searched for the device. The hasty movements of my flailing arms garnered the attention of Niall who gazed at me with curiosity. When I finally found the phone, an unknown number flashing across the screen, I swiped my finger to answer the call.

"Good morning, Zayn," I greeted. It was like welcoming a call from an old friend, and I shivered from the thought. This was exactly why Zayn wanted to me to know his name, so I'd grow accustomed to it; to assimilate flawlessly into this messed up transaction we had.

"Tasha you never cease to impress me," he complimented. "Last night's task was accomplished without a hitch."

"I just want my sister back," I told him honestly. "I want my mother's body back so she can finally rest in peace. And I know he's supposed to die, but I'm still going to do what it takes to protect my dad."

There was a pause in the conversation, and that's when I noticed the lack of ambient noise. I scanned the hotel room, finding both Harry and Niall each sharing a pair of earbuds. They both sat on the couch with the computer resting atop the coffee table.

"Zayn," I said, attempting to continue to the discussion. It did, a few moments later, but I didn't hear Zayn's voice. Instead, it was a spine-chilling cry for help.

"Ate! Help me, please," Kat whimpered from the other end of the line, and I felt my entire world shift.

(translation: older sister, said with respect)

"Kat? Oh my God! Where the hell are you? Are you hurt? Are they torturing you? Where did they take you? I'm gonna come get—"

"Please be safe, Ate," Kat interjected, advising me with a sob.

"Where are you?" I practically screamed into the phone, as if the decibels of my voice could miraculously transport me to wherever my sister was.

"Hindi ko alam," Kat let out a cry. "I'm okay, Ate."

(translation: I don't know)

"Are they hurting you?" My voice cracked. It pained me to hear the hurt in my sister's voice, and I just wanted to make it stop.

"I'm o-okay, I p-promise," she stammered, the cries subsiding. Kat was putting on her brave face because she was a fighter. And fucking shit, I was too. We had to be strong, not just for ourselves, but for each other.

"Stay strong, okay?"

"Come get me soon."

"Mahal kita, Kat," I turned around to face the wall as oppose to the boys across the room. I took a deep breath in, and a deep breath out, swiping the solitary tear that dripped down my cheek. "Nandito ako, okay? Your big sister is here and I will come get you, I promise."

(translation: I love you; I'm here)

"You have one-hundred-twenty hours to infiltrate another one of your father's vaults," Zayn returned to the phone with his deep, commanding voice. "And don't be so messy next time. Leaving a one of a kind blood-stained dagger isn't the smartest move."

Holy fuck.

The phone call ended before I could even take my next breath. I lowered the phone from my ear, letting everything sink in. I replayed my sister's voice over and over again. Through the cries, I could tell that Kat was genuinely okay. She sounded more terrified than physically tormented and weak. Even though she was held captive against her will, I honestly didn't believe her to be the target for cruel torture games.

"Hey."

The warm touch of skin to skin permeated through me and I looked down at the source. A large hand rested on my arm and I trailed the appendage up, meeting Harry's deep, green eyes.

"You're little sister is a fighter," Harry's hands moved tenderly to cup my face. The gesture was laced with care, and I didn't know what to make of it. He nodded his head with assurance as he  concluded, "don't worry, we'll get her."

Feeling so overwhelmed, mixed with the unknowing of how to react to Harry's sudden kindness, I stepped away and ignored his noble attempt to make me feel better. Yes, I should've thanked him, but I was so accustomed to his normal dickhead moves that I couldn't find it in me to trust Harry, nor acknowledge his sincere compassion.

"Where the fuck is Liam?" I questioned out loud. "He went to get coffee over thirty minutes ago. We should leave for the airport soon."

I pushed past Harry, not daring to look him in the eye as I returned to my personal belongings.

"Uh, yea. I'll give him a—" Niall's words were cut off by a simple jingle emitting from his own device. "Oh, he texted me."

"Where's he at?" Harry asked. From my peripheral, I noticed his jean-clad legs walking by me.

"He's around the block," Niall informed. "At Café du Monde. He wants us to meet him there."

After a final walkthrough of the hotel room, double checking drawers, bathroom sinks, and the crevice behind the bed, Niall, Harry, and I vacated the room. The renowned coffee shop was a short walk beneath the morning sun, and as we approached the open-air cafe, the mouthwatering aroma filled my nostrils. My stomach growled, reminding me of the nonexistent food in my system.

"There's Liam," Niall pointed out, head nodding towards the smiling boy sitting at a circular table on the outdoor patio.

"Who's he with?" Harry asked.

My eyes shifted from Liam, to the girl sitting across from him. Long, black hair flowed down her back, as she tore apart a pastry and handed it to a little girl sitting in between the two adults.

"I think that's Liam's little sister," I deduced, the cute girl's presence peaking my interest. I thought back to the collection of photographs displayed in Liam's apartment, and was certain I've seen the little girl before.

"Hey guys," Liam grinned as we approached him.

"Hi," I smiled, darting my eyes to the stunning girl at the table. I knew Liam said he was gay, but the more I stared at the woman with the most gorgeous tanned skin I've ever seen, I was beginning to question my own sexuality.

"As always, Liam sucks at introductions," the woman teased with a giggle. She held out her hand, "hi, I'm Aliana."

I took her hand and shook it, "nice to meet you Aliana. I'm Tasha."

As the introductions continued between Niall, Harry, and Aliana, I gazed at Liam who was wiping the mouth of the little girl. She let out a toothy grin before delving back into her dessert.

"And who is this precious girl?" Harry leaned over to beam at the tiny tot. Suddenly, the girl grew nervous and hid her face into Liam's arm.

"Look what you did," I punched Harry in the arm. "You scared her. It's that man bun of yours. It's higher than hers."

"Ha, ha," Harry scoffed with an eye roll.

"Aw, mi dulce niña, don't be shy," Aliana reached over to rub the girl's back.

(translation: my sweet girl)

"Guys," Liam grabbed our attention. "I haven't been fully honest with you. This sweet princess here," Liam kissed the top of her head, "is Lila Alejandra, and she is my daughter."

"Hold up," I squinted my eyes with curiosity. "Aren't you..."

Liam laughed, understanding the unspoken insinuation. "Yes, I'm gay. But I wasn't always accepting of it. Countless times, I tried to 'fix' myself."

Liam cringed from his words.

"That's when I came in," Aliana chimed with a smile. She glanced at Liam with pride. "I was studying abroad in London when I met Liam. I saw him in a bookstore and thought, holy moly! '¡Ese chico es muy guapo!.'"

(translation: that boy is extremely handsome)

"I don't blame her. I mean, look at me," Liam shrugged with confidence and I chuckled in expense. "Long story short, we started to date, things moved quickly because she was about to leave London, and then bam."

Liam gestured for Lila, who was no longer huddled against her dad. Instead, she continued to eat her pastry.

"Yea, bam," Niall laughed. "That's how you make kids."

"The moment Lila was born, was the same moment I decided to be true to who I was, because I would want her to do the same; to embrace everything about who she is and walk the streets without shame," Liam finished with a satisfied smile. He looked down at the little girl with pride, and gave her a tickle in the stomach.

Lila let out a stream of innocent giggles, as she reprimanded her father. "Daddy, be careful. My booboo is there."

She suddenly lifted her shirt upwards to point at an incredibly large scar that decorated the majority of her chest. I frowned before flickering my eyes over to Liam.

"She has a heart condition," Aliana stepped in, urgency underlining her tone as if she needed to explain before questions were asked. She took the small cup off the table and placed the straw near Lila's lips. "She just went through her second surgery."

"I-I'm sorry to hear that," Niall apologized with sincerity.

Aliana smiled up at him, "thank you. But Lila's a strong girl, right baby? ¿Quien es mi Supergirl?"

(translation: who's my Supergirl?)

"Me!" Lila planted her hands at her waist, imitating the iconic super hero. "And my daddy is Superman, and mommy is Super Mommy!"

Lila's infectious smile warmed us all better than the shining sun above. The last several days have been tough as hell, but one sparkling grin from that cute little girl, and suddenly the world didn't seem so intimidating anymore.

"Liam," Harry spoke, shooting Liam an apologetic frown as he pointed at his watch.

"Oh yea, well we have a plane to catch," Liam announced. "I'm so glad you had the time to come see me. I really missed our baby girl."

"Of course. Also, I'm sorry I freaked out at the bar the other night," Aliana apologized with a smile. It occurred to me then, that she was the woman Liam was having an argument with.

"No, I'm sorry," Liam reached over to rub her shoulder. "I should've been more considerate. You just wanted a night out with friends. I mean, you do take care of Lila full time while maintaining a respectable job."

"I'm actually thankful that I'm off today," Aliana sounded relieved. "Last night, someone broke into the bank I work at so everyone has a paid leave of absence today."

My focus shot over to Liam who looked at me with wide eyes. We stared at each other for a moment, mentally gasping at the coincidence.

"Okay Lila baby," Liam leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Daddy has to go now."

"No, daddy! I miss you," Lila grabbed Liam's face with her tiny hands and frowned. "I wanna go to the park with you."

"I'm sorry baby, but daddy has to go to work," Liam explained, pulling Lila into a tight hug. "How else am I gonna pay for the bandaids for your booboos?"

My heart fell, because I suddenly figured out how Liam was coerced into working for my father. In exchange for his combative skills, my dad gave Liam the money to pay for Lila's medical bills. My father was a family man without a doubt, and he knew how to spot a loving father from a world's away. This made so much sense.

"When are you gonna come see me again?" Lila asked. The frown that plagued her face grew stronger, as her big brown eyes glassed over with tears.

"As soon as I finish work," Liam wiped Lucy's tears with a swipe of his thumb, before leaning in to kiss her button nose. "I promise, princess. I love you."

"Love you too, daddy," Lila flung her tiny arms around Liam burying her face into the crook of his neck. He didn't hesitate to lift her off of the ground and hold her with a tight embrace.

"Be good for mummy," Liam separated from his daughter, as painful it was for him to do so. He handed the sobbing girl over to her mother, and placed a delicate kiss on her temple.

"It was nice meeting all of you," Aliana smiled, giving us each a hug. "¡Buen viaje!"

(translation: good / safe travels)

With one last wave, we departed. The four of us piled into a cab, sitting in silence on our way to the airport. Sitting next to Liam in the backseat, I could sense his broken heart. He didn't have to say anything for me to figure out that he was experiencing serious separation anxiety. So without uttering a single word, I linked my arm with his and rested my head against his shoulder. Reciprocating the gesture, Liam held onto my hand and gave me a reassuring squeeze.

He was going to be okay.

The airport frenzy wasn't too much of a frenzy, and instead a smooth experience. We lounged around at our respective terminal, each of us sitting in separate chairs. Niall indulged himself in a nap, Liam listened to music, and Harry of course, was typing away on his laptop.

Feeling parched and in need for something sweet, I grabbed my backpack off of the floor and headed to the Coffee Bean cafe in the terminal. As I waited in line, vacillating between something blended or something iced, I caught glimpse of Harry. His presence didn't really faze me, not until I saw him pass by with a phone pressed against his ear and purpose in his step.

"...sneak away..."

There was something off about the green-eyed boy as he trudged through the terminal, engaging in a conversation that didn't feel right to me. It only reminded me of the weird email I saw on Harry's computer the morning we left for New Orleans. I should've just let it go; I should've just minded my own damn business, but let's be real for a moment: the temptation to sleuth was too demanding.

"Wow, I haven't seen a non smart phone in a long time."

The employee at the airport's T-Mobile store examined my old cellphone with amazement. He turned on the device, and was pleased to see it working perfectly. I mentally high-fived myself for salvaging my old phone from the drawer of my desk, before dedicating my time to following orders from a rogue group of intelligence.

"Are you sure you just want sixty minutes on this?" He asked, opening up a packaged sim card.

I nodded my head, "yea, that's all I really need. Just need to be able to make a few emergency calls."

And this my friends, was what I called an emergency. I could make calls without ANTI or the boys tracking my moves. I finally had some privacy; something I could personally control.

"Alright, you're all set," the employee handed me back my phone. "You'll be contacted via a free text to inform you when you only have five minutes left on the device."

"Thanks," I smiled, swiping the receipt off of the glass countertop and walking away.

I hid myself in a brightly lit corridor somewhere in the terminal that lead to an employee break room. Using my old phone, I dialed the number from Harry's email. Taking a deep breath, I pressed the green button and held the device to my ear. Out of nervousness, my fingers absentmindedly played with my mother's ring as it dangled on its dainty chain. The line on the other end rang a couple of times before it stopped, and I felt my stomach shoot out of my butt.

"Hello, Henry Feliz's office."

The sweet voice of a woman filled my ear, and I stood frozen. I hadn't exactly come up with a plan of action. I merely dialed the number and now I was stuck stammering. Do I hang up? Do I ask to speak to this Henry Feliz person? Do I pretend to be a client? My mind was mush in attempt to cultivate a spotless strategy, however before I could answer the woman on the other end, the phone was ripped away from my hands.

"What the?" I snapped my attention with shock, searching for the culprit who stole the phone.

"Exactly what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Harry stood angrily, holding the cell in his hand. He looked down at the device and hung up the call.

"Harry give me the phone back," I demanded, holding my hand out.

"You thought you could be sly by using an old cellphone, thinking that you couldn't be tracked? You're so fucking careless," Harry scolded. "You could obliterate this entire mission and ruin the chances of us saving your family and Professor Dela Cruz."

"Alright, fine, I'm sorry," I apologized through gritted teeth. "Just give me back the phone."

Harry ignored my request, and instead looked through the device. After a few seconds, his eyes lifted from the screen and glared at me with a look so cold, I felt goosebumps on my arm. Harry's brows furrowed together, and deep ire exuded from every inch of his body.

"Why can't you just mind your own fucking business?" Harry's voice was intensely deep as each word slipped from his lips with great dislike. "I know you don't trust me, but you need to start putting your ego aside. Because if you don't, you'll kill us all."

With those final words, Harry dropped the phone onto the tiled floor. He stomped on the ancient piece of tech with a heavy foot, the sound of cracking plastic echoing in my ears. He crushed it beneath his boot, twisting it to ensure the phone was indeed destroyed. With one last look of disappointed fury, Harry marched away in a huff.

"Dammit," I cursed to myself, bending down to pick up the damaged phone. The front and back paneling detached from the body, hanging aimlessly onto the device's inner wiring. Feeling defeated, I tossed the broken phone back into my bag, letting it get lost in the abyss of random.

We boarded the plane at around 10:30AM. Again, we sat in separate seats and aisles. Niall was closest to me, only three rows ahead. As I gazed out the window, my head resting against the wall, I felt shuffling directly next to me. When I turned to look, I found Harry dropping his backpack onto the seat next to mine, before opening up the top luggage compartment. I sunk into my seat, scowling to myself in response to having Harry as a travel partner for the next twelve hours.

Fucking shit.

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BIG shoutout to band0bsessedfangirl for helping me with the Spanish-English translations!!

So the news is out, Liam has a baby girl named Lila Alejandra whose name is created using the 1st two letters from both Liam & Aliana.

Thank you so much for your constant support. For those who have been reading since I first published this book, to the ones who just picked it up yesterday, thank you! This is my first book I've written outside of my normal 5SOS fandom, and I'm so excited about it. I've already written up to Chapter 30 (out of 40-ish chapters) so far and I can't wait for you to see how everything unfolds!