Page 20 of Redemption

“Yes,” I whisper.

“I love you both. Romina you were the first person who taught me I could love. That I didn’t have to be like Constantine. Chloe, loving you was unexpected. In these past short months, you’ve given me a glimpse of what life with a family could be like…

“Roque—what are you saying?” I start sobbing. Romina places an arm around my shoulders.

“Romina. Blue, my Lady of Red… take care of her. Get her clear of this, make sure she gets back to Switzerland where no one can touch her. Dare is her guardian now.”

“No!” I scream. Romina puts a hand over my mouth.

“They’ll hear you,” she hisses. “What are you doing Roque?”

“Look out the window toward the street, love.”

We race to the bank of windows. Roque walks out from an alley into the light rain coming down. He raises his hands, kneels on the center of the street as agents and police swarm him with their guns drawn.

He looks up, knowing his building so well, to the exact bank of windows where we peer down on him on his knees in the rain.

“I’m on my knees for you, my queen. Just like you always wanted.” His cell is on the pavement still on speaker.

I turn to Romina, her beautiful eyes weep. Tears glisten like diamonds as they fall down her face.

“I love you, dad. I’ll never stop.”

He throws back his head, the anguish on his face obvious as the officers pull his arms down, to cuff him.

“Come on. We need to move. They’ll bring heat seekers and canines in if they haven’t already.” She rummages through the apartment finding a coat and her shoes. “Where did you come from?”

“Johnny’s apartment.”

“Take me there. If it’s still clear, we’ll find what we need there. I lead her back through the tunnel. She was right. Johnny’s place was full of cash, weapons, and car keys. Romina took a twenty second shower and put on his clothes. She was even able to pull the bed back in place from inside her perch in the tunnel before closing and bolting the door from the inside. “I bet you hate me right about now.”

“No. He’s innocent… at least of this… he was freeing those girls. For me. For you. He betrayed the underworld to do it. The Feds had it all wrong. The pictures they took were slanted to fit their own narrative. But they have his diaries and yours and now they will use that to lock him up.”

“How did I get it so wrong? I-I’m so sorry, Chloe.”

“That’s okay. You can make it up to me.”

“How?”

“By being my bad-ass super-villain, mom?”

She shakes her head. “How can you be funny at a time like this?”

“Oh, I’m dead serious. You can’t testify against your spouse. I saw it on a Lifetime movie.”

“I can’t marry a jailed man.”

“Can’t or won’t? You’ve pulled of much crazier stunts, Blue. I have faith.”

“You are a little shit. I see why he kept you.”

“Gee thanks. We need to come back for your ring when they leave.”

“My what?”

“It’s amaze, trust me. Six or eight carats of flawless ruby in a cushion cut. He threw it into the fire but I’m sure it’s still good. I mean he said it was platinum.”

“How can he love me after this?”

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