by Bex Dane
"Okay. We'll find someone on the island to help you. If it's alright with you, I'd like to call Zook and talk to Cecelia to see what she remembers."
"Yes. I want to speak with her too."
"Sleep now. We'll call when you wake up."
"Okay."
I tucked her into my arms, kissed the top of her head. Her hand came up and caressed my abs and chest. She may have been absent-mindedly exploring, but she was driving me insane and my dick got hard.
"Torrez?"
"Yeah?"
"I can't sleep."
"I see that."
"It's technically our wedding night."
"You saying you want me to make love to you after all you've been through today?"
"Yes. To connect with you. Feel reality. Know I'm here with you."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
So I kissed her. Then I made it very clear her reality was here with me now. No way you could miss it.
***
Soraya called Cecelia when we woke up. She cried as she retold the story of the cove and the manta rays and all the memories crashing down on her. She listened for a long time, sniffling. I left the room to give her some privacy.
Soraya was abducted and sold as a slave. I couldn't even imagine the shock she must be experiencing after thinking she was adopted all these years.
She sighed as she disconnected.
"Talking to her help?" I sat next to her on the bed.
"Yes."
"You wanna share with me? I get it if it's between you two, but I'm here to listen if you need an ear."
"It was good. The truth is out between us now. She'd kept her history from me all these years, and I'd forgotten my past." She blew her nose into a tissue. She still looked gorgeous, red nose and all.
"Hey, there's no shame here. You're both victims. You did nothing to deserve this."
"Logically I know that. Inside I feel shame. I forgot everything?"
"You probably blocked it out. Too painful. Maybe your subconscious knew you were safe with me and let the memories surface."
"Yes. Your love opened the floodgates."
I kissed her. "Pleased as fuck I got to be part of this."
She smiled. "I'm also ashamed I didn't escape sooner. I was in the States for college. I could've left if I'd just been brave, but Cage..."
"The one who hit you?"
"Yes."
"If I ever see that dude, he's gonna be limping home holding his teeth in his hands."
She stared at me without blinking.
"Okay. What about Cage?"
"When he hit me, he squashed all my dreams. I left and went home believing no one would ever save me. Cecelia did too. We both fled like cowards."
"Hey, when life hits us with a painful blow, our instinct is to run. Shoot, I ran when I first realized you meant something special to me. I ran from Greco. The important part is we both stopped running."
"Yeah."
"Whatever comes our way. No matter what memories assault you, I'm here. We'll face it together." I kissed her a long time, until her shoulders relaxed and the sadness left her eyes. Needed to fuck her again, but had one question first.
"Considering this is all new to you, I'm going to give you some time. But I think we should share this info with Rogan when you're ready."
"Why?"
"Couple reasons. One, to see if Rogan made any inroads bringing Ivan to justice. And two, Rogan's good at finding people."
"So?"
"Maybe he could find your parents."
Her eyes snapped wide. "I don't know. It's been so long. I feel terrible for not remembering. It would be so difficult for everyone." Tears welled in her eyes, and her lips pressed together. "Do you think they'd want me back?" The despair of an abandoned child returned to her beautiful face. Yegor died for placing that look there. His fucked up father was next on my list. No more waiting for indictments or hits. I'd handle the king the same way I handled the son. Deadly stealth.
"Million bucks they're waiting for the day you come back to them. Parents never give up hope. They'll welcome you with open arms. Do anything they can to try to make up for the lost time. But I gotta say it bothers me you'd ask that question. Cecelia's parents, another story, they sold her. Losers don't deserve to have her in their lives. But you were abducted. You didn't do anything wrong. They won't blame you for it. And you shouldn't blame yourself."
"But I forgot them."
"They'll understand."
"Okay then. Yes. If we could find them, I'd like to try."
"Let's let it sit for a while. Get you talking to a therapist to help you process all the memories. When you're ready, we'll hire Rogan to start looking for them."
"Alright. And I'd like to visit Cecelia before we go back to Texas."
"We can do that."
"Thank you."
"Anything for you, babe. I swear anything for you."
***
Ten months later, Torrez was in the kitchen cooking, and I was binge watching a show about a motorcycle gang.
A message came through on my phone.
Cecelia: Recognize anyone in this picture?
She sent a picture of several actors on a stage. Each of them dressed like Roman warriors. One of the men stood out as bigger, more casual, and oh my god, that was Falcon.
My lips sputtered.
Me: OMFG! Is that Falcon?
She had a date with Zook to see the opera in New York. What the heck was Falcon doing up on the stage?
Cecelia: I think it is!
She and Zook had met Falcon at Rogan's Christmas party. She didn't know him as well as I did, but Falcon made a big first impression.
Me: I cannot believe what I'm seeing.
I added a crying sideways laughing emoji.
Cecelia: I know!
I clicked on the picture and zoomed in on him. He was wearing nude tights and looked like he'd rather have pins shoved under his fingernails than stand on that stage.
Me: He's wearing tights!
Cecelia: I know. I can't stop laughing. #putaforkinme
Another sputter burst from my lips. He looked so awkward and out of place. What the heck?
Torrez walked out of the kitchen holding a dishtowel. "What's funny?"
"What does puta mean?" I asked him.
His eyebrows drew up. "It means fuck usually. Or bitch. Why?"
I scrunched my eyes to make sure I was reading the text correctly. That didn't sound like a word Cecelia would use. Plus she didn't even speak Spanish. "Puta for Kinme. Who is Kinme?"
"Let me see that." He took my phone, read the text, and rolled his eyes. "It's a hashtag. No spaces between the words." He threw his head back and laughed.
"I know that, but this one is in Spanish."
His laugh bellowed through the room. "It's put a fork in me."
"Put a fork in me?" I stared at the hashtag. What was he laughing at?
"Like I'm done. Put a fork in me."
I stared at it long enough and I finally got it. "Oh. I see it now."
He laughed for a good five minutes more as he worked in the kitchen.
"Shut up." I was learning about social media, but I didn't have any personal profiles up for safety reasons. I walked into the kitchen and set my phone on the counter. "I know what a hashtag is. I just thought it was in Spanish."
His hand held his stomach as he doubled forward.
"Good thing you're so damn gorgeous when you laugh or I'd be pissed at you."
A few more chuckles ran through him. "Love you, babe." He picked up my phone and did a double take. He tapped on the picture of Falcon. "What the hell? Oh shit. That is classic. Classic. Send me that picture. I'm using it as leverage."
As I was forwarding it to him, his phone rang.
He listened quietly for a long time. "Thanks," was all he said before he disconnected.
"Who was that?"
"Rogan."
"And all you said was thanks? What did he say?"
He turned off the stove and walked over to me. His arms circled me and his eyes grew serious. "He has a lead on a possible match for your family."
My heart lurched. "He does?"
"Atlanta. Macy and Edward Abernathy." He waited for my reaction.
Abernathy. Abernathy. Yes, I knew that name. I could taste it. I could smell it.
"Yes. I think. Yes. That sounds… right."
The corners of his mouth turned up. "Go pack. We're going to Atlanta."
"We are?" My heart fluttered. "Okay, but can we fly? No road trips?" A road trip would take far too long and now that I'd found them, possibly, I wanted to get there the fastest way.
He chuckled and kissed my nose. "We can fly."
Chapter 24
Five years later
The BRX came to Atlanta five years after we got hitched. Drew made his way into the shoot. My gut churned knowing it was not a matter of if you'd get hurt riding a bull, it was how bad.
The announcer called him out as the grandson of Adriano Durango Lavonte. Then they added a spotlight on me.
"Drew's father is with us tonight. Tauro Bravo Lavonte was a hell of a rider in his day. Take note, folks. You're looking at a family of warriors. From a founding father to a grandson, the bull runs in their blood. They live and die by the bull. The BRX legacies."
I waved, proud as shit of my boy, and finally accepting the acknowledgment I had a good run in my day. Also took in the applause for my dad's memory. Hard as nails, but still a brave man who did a good thing for the sport of rodeo and made me the man I am today. Not to mention the money from the BRX was incredible.
The lights went back to Drew alone on the bull, spotlighting him as he deserved. He shined so much more than me or my dad ever did. He had god-given talent, he had sprawl, and he worked his ass off to get here tonight.
Directly in front of Soraya and I, Peyton bit her nails and peered at the ring while on her tiptoes. She attended all his shows when she could make it work with her schedule at Hale. Man, I loved being a dad. The way she loved her brother and he loved her, that was priceless. Soraya said she didn't want any kids of our own besides Peyton and Drew, and I respected that.
Jackie and Duffy didn't usually come to Drew's shows, but they came to this one because he had the potential to win his fourth world championship. They sat directly in front of Peyton, but didn't turn around and talk to us, which was fine by me. We'd come to a resolution of tolerance around each other that involved minimal conversation, only what was necessary to discuss the kids. I did not give a shit about her personal life, and she'd grown wise enough to stay out of mine.
Soraya's biological parents stood next to her. Macy and Edward Abernathy had stayed in Atlanta, not wanting to leave in case Soraya ever came looking for them. And when she did, whoa boy, that was a heart-wrenching day for her. Memories flooded her brain. The tears flowed for hours. Lots of hugging and catching up on a lifetime of missed memories.
Her bio parents took Peyton and Drew in like their own grandchildren, and we'd become a big happy family. We took trips like this in the RV, following Drew on the BRX circuit. Just like I'd done as a kid with my parents. Only this time was different. This time I praised my kid after every ride. This time there was no pressure on me to be Tauro Bravo. The pressure was on Drew, but he loved the challenge and the attention. After eight rounds, he was tied for first and his last round was up next.
I wrapped my arm around Soraya's neck and kissed her temple.
Being Soraya's husband was better than I'd ever imagined. Love so deep, it was part of me. Great sex. Fun times whenever we were together and wanting to get back to her any time I had to leave her.
I lucked out. But most of all, it was her respect for me. She never looked at me like I was a criminal. The beauty of being loved unconditionally. She forgave all the shit from my past and loved me as the man I was now.
Drew gave the signal. The handlers pulled the gate open, and the bull burst out. He gave Drew a hell of a ride. Kicking all four off the ground at once, twisting left and right, throwing crazy steep back angles. As the eight seconds ticked by, the anticipation of the crowd exploded. Drew rode with his unique flare. My boy had fluid style. All the rodeo girls told him that too, but he never got a big head. He knew humility was important in bull riding. You respect the bull, you stay alive. Never be bigger than the bull.
The crowd gasped. I held my breath as he hit the ground and the bull bucked. The bull fighters swept him out of the way and distracted the bull. He bucked his way all the way back into the pen.
He made it. An awesome ride. No injuries. A few tense moments passed as we all waited for the score for him and his bull.
Holy shit. Ninety-five! "Ninety-five!" The announcer echoed the score on the screen. The crowd went nuts! To get a ninety was a huge feat. Ninety would have won him the competition, but ninety-five sent him into another galaxy.
Number one bull rider in the world four times in four years. He'd won this and two other grand championships this year, leaving both mine and my dad's records in the dust.
Soraya jumped into my arms and wrapped her legs around my waist. We spun around and kissed, sweet and deep. This was ours. Our family. Our destiny. Free and clear. We'd found it. We'd fought hard for it, and the victory was sweet.
###
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