Twin Souls (The Guardians: Book 2)

by D. M. Mortier

  For the rest of the night Cherone refused to come near him. Rico was slightly amused by her uncharacteristic behavior. Cherone was always courteous and respectful to adults.

  You’re being incredibly rude, niña.

  Cherone ignored his mental reprimand and went on the dance floor. She seemed content to watch her friends show off the latest dance moves at first, and then she joined in. Rico smiled with pride at her fluid, expert movements until she started dancing with an African American boy who was even more proficient in the latest hip hop techniques. When the boy encouraged her with a vulgar bump and grinding motion, Rico pushed off the wall to intervene, but he need not have bothered. Cherone ignored the fool and started dancing with some of her other classmates.

  He breathed a sigh of relief, giving himself a mental pat on the back for having helped raise such a level-headed kid.

  Another basketball player, who had been trailing behind Cherone throughout the night, asked her to dance a slow number with him. It was obvious she liked the guy a lot.

  “Rico, you’ve barely said more than two words to me,” Anna complained.

  Her damn grin is too wide. Rico narrowed his eyes as Cherone’s partner pulled her flush against him.

  “Rico?” Anna persisted. “Are you listening to me?”

  “I heard you, Anna. Why don’t you tell me about your day?” Rico knew Anna loved to talk about herself, and would spend the next hour telling him about every minute of her day.

  “Well, I woke up around…”

  Rico tuned her out and focused on Cherone. Too close, kid. Back the hell up.

  Aren’t you on a date, Papa? Cherone asked.

  Rico stiffened at her first use of that title. Not even when she had been as young as thirteen had she called any of them papa. She had always treated Rico differently, making it clear she felt closer to him than any of the guys. He thought it had to do with their ability to communicate at a different level.

  As Rico watched, the basketball player gripped Cherone low around the waist on the swell of her bottom and pulled her closer.

  Tell that little fucker to watch his hands.

  Yes, Daddy dearest.

  You’re pushing your luck, pequeña. From what he could see, the prick moved his hand lower, almost palming her ass. Don’t make me come over there and dismember the little dickwad.

  Thinking better of challenging him with this, Cherone stopped dancing and glowered across the room at him. Shouldn’t you be paying attention to your date? She looks pissed.

  Unfortunately Anna noticed that particular glare. “That child needs discipline, Rico. You have her too spoilt. I swear she’s a complete brat every time I see her.”

  “And when would that be? Isn’t this the first time you’re seeing Cherone?”

  “Ah… well, I mean I saw her before.”

  “When?” Well, this is fucking interesting. When did Anna start snooping into my private life?

  “I was just curious, Rico,” Anna said. “You wouldn’t let me meet her, and I wanted to know why. I only saw her getting in and out of the car with your driver.”

  “And you could tell so much about her from her climbing in and out of a car?” Rico continued watching Cherone as she conversed with her friends. Anna had crossed a line, and he didn’t bother looking at her. His temper was starting to boil. When I told the guys to hire protection for our girl, they thought I was overreacting.

  “Well, yes. It’s obvious you spoil her. She’s chauffeured to school for Christ’s sake. Now this party, you rented Club LIV for the night for a kid!”

  Anna’s unsolicited opinion pissed him off! While he would agree that Cherone was behaving badly now, he knew what a great kid she usually was. He never had to ask her to do her homework, study for tests, or clean up after herself. Enrolled in honors and Advance Placement classes, Cherone maintained A’s in all of her classes. She had been a model child up to that point and had never been this rude to any adult, but he didn’t bother telling Anna any this because it wasn’t as if her opinion mattered one way or the other. Cherone is none of her damn business.

  “She’s a good kid,” was all he said and thought the subject was closed.

  “She’s an ungrateful brat, and you should not put up with this type of behavior from her,” Anna said. “I mean, look at her! Just because she’s kinda cute, you let her get away with too much!”

  “You should leave,” Rico said. “I’ll call you later.” I’m not going to put up with any more drama tonight, and I’m not going to allow anyone to talk smack about Cherone.

  “Are you ending our date because of her?”

  Rico stilled as Anna’s voice rose above the loud music in the club and caused several people to look in their direction. Even Cherone heard and looked toward them with a raised eyebrow.

  “No.” He walked away from Anna, knowing that he would never call her again.

  Following a rocked-out concert by One Direction and after the birthday cake was cut, Cherone unexpectedly gave Rico the first piece.

  Standing in front of her friends and classmates, Cherone thanked him. “You’re the best friend and guardian a girl could ever ask for. Thank you for doing this for me.”

  “Am I the flavor of the month again?”

  “I don’t need a stepmother,” Cherone replied.

  “Wasn’t offering you one.” Rico took a bite of his cake and started to turn away from her.

  “Ah, Rico, you proved my point,” Cherone said cheerfully. “We don’t need her.”

  “Pequeña, you have no idea what I need,” he said softly.

  Cherone grinned at him. “Don’t I?”

  Rico grunted and disappeared into a throng of teenagers waiting for their serving of cake.

  As Rico and Cherone stood at the entrance of the club to ensure that each teenager left safely, a few giggling girls stopped in front of Cherone.

  “What’s up, Heather, Amber? Did you guys have a good time?” Cherone asked.

  Heather giggled again, looking at Rico through her eyelashes. “This party was off the chain! When can we expect invitations for a sleepover?”

  Cherone rolled her eyes. “Neverary the thirty-second.”

  “Oh cool!” Heather cooed. “We can’t wait for the invite.”

  Cherone glanced at Rico and shook her head. Obviously home girl ain’t too bright.

  Rico maintained an expressionless stare, ignoring the girls’ flirtatious looks and gestures. These little girls are too much.

  Cherone smiled as another classmate approached her. “Hi, Amanda, I hope you had a great time.”

  “It was the best! Thanks for inviting me.” Amanda grabbed Cherone’s hand in farewell.

  Cherone’s smile faded and her skin turned ashen.

  Chapter Five

  WHAT? RICO DEMANDED. What’s wrong?

  You have to help her, Rico! She and her siblings are being abused by their dad!

  What? Who?

  Amanda!

  How do you know?

  You know how! Please help her.

  Roni, are you certain?

  Yes! She stared at him, fear in her eyes. It will happen again tonight if you don’t stop it. Are you going to do something or will I?

  Rico held her gaze coolly. I’ll get Ray to take you home. What’s her full name?

  After Cherone had given him the details, he called his friend at the Miami Police Department, who was also a former SEAL. Lieutenant Lopez was only too happy to help.

  “Hey, Lopez, what can you tell me about Amanda’s parents?”

  “Ghost, I don’t know how our people missed the obvious pattern of this asshole. His name is Steven Haden, a prominent local businessman. As you said, Amanda isn’t the only minor in the house. The bastard has three other children under the age of sixteen and all have visited the local hospital at least once in the last twelve months. But his wife Monique has been to the hospital even more. Monique has suffered more broken bones than professional athletes have. Unf
ortunately, I can’t do anything tonight, at least not without a formal complaint.”

  “What the hell? I can’t let this guy hurt this girl again.” Rico pulled up a few blocks down from the Haden house in Palmetto Bay.

  “I can’t enter Haden’s house without probable cause, Ghost. But if you do your thing a little less efficiently, I can get my guys there on the pretext of protecting the family.”

  “I want these kids out of here tonight, Lopez. Get your ass over here as fast as you can. You know I don’t have the patience for this shit”

  Rico moved swiftly, easily gained access to the house, and stood in the shadows, his hair hanging wild about his shoulders obscuring his face as he stationed himself in family’s den. It was an enormous house, at least three floors. It would have taken some time to locate Haden in such a large house, but the bastard made it easy. Holding a baseball bat in his hand, Haden had his entire family quivering in front of him in fear in the kitchen.

  “Didn’t I tell you not to leave this house?” Haden shouted at Amanda.

  “I’m sorry, Dad,” Amanda cried. “I didn’t do anything at the party, I promise!”

  “You shouldn’t have been out there! I blame your slut of a mother!” He kicked his wife, who was already disabled on the floor. “You’re just like her!” Haden screamed, frothing at the mouth. “It seems that my word means nothing in this family anymore.” Haden started taking off his belt. “Amanda, come here!”

  The other children starting crying in earnest while their mother Monique whimpered.

  “Shut the fuck up!” Haden drove the edge of the bat into his wife’s stomach, and she screamed and passed out. “Come here, Amanda,” Haden said in a reasonable, calm voice. “I’m sure you had fun with all those teenage boys.”

  “But I didn’t,” Amanda insisted. “I only danced with my friends.”

  “You will not embarrass this family.”

  “I didn’t do anything, Daddy, I promise,” Amanda pleaded.

  Rico sent Lopez a text:

  This sick bastard is assaulting them NOW. I can’t let this shit happen!

  “I’ll not tell you again, Amanda. Come here!”

  “I don’t think so, Haden.” Rico moved out of the shadows.

  “Who the fuck are you?” Haden demanded.

  Rico stood with his legs braced apart and stared at Harden with chilling cool. “They call me Ghost.”

  “Get out of my house before I call the police!”

  “No,” Rico said.

  Harden tightened his grip on the bat and waved it toward Rico. “Get out or I’ll smash your fucking brains in!”

  “Please sir, do as he says,” Amanda whispered.

  “What did you say?” Haden turned to Amanda. “Do you know this man?”

  Amanda tried to shrink into the carpet as tears ran down her cheeks.

  “I know you know him! You are a slut!” Haden launched at Amanda with the bat.

  Rico flew through the air and grabbed Haden by the neck. “I don’t think so.”

  Harden swung the bat at Rico’s head.

  Rico grabbed Haden’s arm and twisted it behind his back until it snapped, the bat clattering to the floor.

  Haden screamed in outrage and pain.

  Monique looked on in horror, but there was a slight gleam of satisfaction in her eyes.

  “Amanda, take your brother and sisters out of here,” Rico instructed. “I need to have a conversation with your dad.”

  As soon as the children were out of the room, Rico nudged Monique, and she opened her eyes. “Mrs. Haden, are you going to press charges this time?”

  “She won’t fucking dare!” Haden shouted.

  Monique sniffled, tears running down her face as she closed her eyes in defeat.

  Haden laughed. “See?”

  Rico grabbed Haden’s good arm and twisted it. “This one will break just as easily.”

  Haden’s arms dangled at his sides at awkward angles. “Fuck you! You broke both of my arms!”

  Rico looked at Monique. “Are you going to wait until he kills you or your children?”

  “I can’t,” Monique whispered.

  “What if he had hit Amanda with that bat tonight?” Rico asked.

  “No, Steve wouldn’t hurt her,” Monique protested.

  “That’s right, sweetheart,” Haden coaxed. “You know I love Amanda.”

  “Haden, do you want to keep your legs intact?” Rico asked.

  “You bastard,” Haden muttered under his breath, breathing rapidly.

  “Mrs. Haden, are you going to protect your children from this asshole?” Rico asked.

  “How can I?” Monique asked. “Steve…” She looked at her husband uncertainly. “Steve takes care of us. I don’t work. I can’t afford to leave.”

  “Mom, we’ll be okay,” Amanda said from the doorway.

  “Get the fuck out of here, before I—”

  Rico grabbed Haden’s right wrist and snapped it.

  Haden sagged in Rico’s arms. “Motherf—”

  “Shut the fuck up!”

  Haden’s body became limp, his lips quivering.

  “Keep it up and you’ll never swing a bat again,” Rico said. “It’s okay, Amanda. Speak.”

  “Mom, he’s going to kill you, kill us,” Amanda pleaded. “You have to press charges.”

  “Baby, you don’t understand,” Monique cried. “How will your school fees be paid if your father is in prison?”

  “Can’t we sell the house?” Amanda cried. “Sell some of this stuff? I don’t care, Mom. We can’t take any more of this. Michael, Lizzy, and Melissa are terrified of him. You have to do this, Mom.”

  The front door shattered, and Lieutenant Lopez walked into the kitchen. While everyone was looking at the lieutenant and his men, Rico quietly slipped out of the room.

  Cherone was waiting for him when he got home. She hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Thank you so much for helping her.”

  “How do you know I helped anyone?”

  “Because you have never let me down,” Cherone said.

  “I am no hero, pequeña,” Rico said.

  “I wish I could tell my friends how amazing you are. They already think you, Uncle Neo, and Uncle Sean are the coolest. I swear I’ve gotten so many requests for sleepovers. I’m going to ignore those little hussies.” She laughed as Rico frowned at her.

  “I didn’t do anything. The local police did all the work. Those kids shouldn’t have been subjected to that. I wanted to kill that bastard!”

  “I half expected you to. After what you did to that guy who beat up Tamara, I’m surprised her dad is still breathing.”

  Rico laughed without humor. “I’m proud of you, pequeña. You cared enough about your classmate to intervene.” He pulled her close to his chest and kissed her cheek. “Go to bed, sweetheart,” Rico whispered into her soft hair.

  “Thanks again, Rico. You’re the best!” Cherone jumped up to reach his six-foot-three height and kissed him briefly on the lips. She grinned in triumph. “Finally, my first kiss!”

  “And if you do that shit again, it may be your last,” Rico growled. “Go to bed!”

  Later that night, the dreams started.

  Rico didn’t realize until months later that he was witnessing Cherone’s dreams every night. Their connection seemed to be getting stronger. He should have known from the innocence of the dream—the repetition of the simple kiss over and over again. Cherone didn’t realize he had invaded her dreams, and he never told her.

  He found that his missions abroad severed that particular connection between them. But once he was back in his bed with only a wall between them, he was back in her dreams whenever she dreamed of him.

  The little minx dreamt of him a lot.

  After that episode with Amanda, Cherone brought a number of her distress calls on behalf of someone to him. She told him that she tried as best as she could not to touch anyone’s palm to avoid reading his or her thoughts, but she was often n
ot successful. She immediately brought any dangerous issue needing resolution to his attention.

  Rico found himself playing hero on numerous occasions.

  There are just too many people out there who need rescuing.

  Amanda also became one of Cherone’s closest friends, not that she had many of them. But after Rico’s intervention, Amanda had become convinced Cherone had a hand in her rescue and was eager to become her friend.

  Rico did everything he could to be there for her without being there physically. They communicated regularly, whether by phone, FaceTime, or What’s App. Whenever she needed him, he made sure he was accessible. He was determined to dissuade her from her fascination in him as a man, because if the guys found out, they would not be amused.

  ***

  Rico started dating as if he were a professional athlete. To discourage his infatuated ward, he ensured that Cherone was aware his interests were in women of considerable experience—not in innocent girls. Although he never brought any woman to his bed at the house, he thought it a brilliant idea to bring a date to the house for dinner.

  “Roni, please meet Danielle. She’s having dinner with us tonight.”

  “Hi, Danielle,” Cherone said. “How long have you known my papa?”

  Rico glared at her. Drop the act! And stop calling me papa!

  But you are my sweet papa! Cherone gave him a cheeky smile.

  “Danielle, I hope you like spaghetti and meatballs.” Cherone grinned, turned, and walked into their dining room.

  “But I can’t eat that much carbs and fatty meat.” Danielle seemed horrified.

  “Don’t worry, Danielle,” Cherone said. “It’s only one night. My papa never sleeps with the same woman more than once. No need to worry about your waistline.”

  “Cherone!”Rico roared.

  “What? You don’t want to lie to the girl do you?”Cherone smiled at him, the picture of innocence.

  “You’re grounded,” he muttered, and he cringed when she started laughing at him.

  “What exactly will this grounding entail? I don’t go anywhere, do anything remotely exciting, or have any friends to speak of. You’ll have to be very creative, Papa.”

  “I’ll think of something.” he growled. “Now behave.”