Page 6 of A Wife’s Duty

T he following day, Lucia frowned as she rolled over in bed. There was no sign of Boone, although she had heard him come to bed the previous night. She had been awake, waiting for him, wondering what time he got home. He didn’t come back until after two in the morning.

She didn’t know if he even knew she was awake and waiting for him to return. He didn’t say anything, nor did he attempt to wake her. She didn’t know if she was disappointed or not. It didn’t matter.

She inhaled again and that was when she smelled it. First, it smelled like coffee, but that had to be bacon, or was that sausage cooking? Her stomach growled, and she threw the covers off and was going to head straight to the kitchen. Only, she needed to use the bathroom.

She veered toward the bathroom, used the toilet, flushed, washed her hands, and then looked at herself in the mirror. There was not a lot of time to get herself presentable. She quickly pulled her hair back into a messy bun, brushed her teeth, and splashed water onto her face.

She wore a pair of shorts and t-shirt. It was the most comfortable wear for bed in the summer. Did she have time to throw on a dress?

She didn’t want to waste any more time. Boone had talked to her yesterday.

They had spent time together, and it was probably one of the best days she ever had in her whole life.

There had been no pain. Even when he got that phone call last night, she hadn’t been sad or angry.

Sure, she was a little gutted that their time had come to a close, but that was life in general.

There was nothing she could do about that.

Stepping out of the bedroom, she made her way to the kitchen.

When Boone was home with her, the guard waited outside.

Boone was wearing an apron, frying bacon. He was already dressed in a pair of suit pants, a crisp white shirt, and a jacket. He looked so smart and put together.

“You’re awake.”

“Good morning,” she said.

He chuckled. “You want some coffee?”

“I’d love some.”

This was not the man she imagined was so terrifying to her family. He was so ... happy. She loved it when he smiled, it lifted his whole face.

She watched as he moved to the coffeepot and poured her some coffee. He added some milk, no sugar, just the way she liked it. How did he know what she liked? He put the mug in front of her, and she lifted it, taking a sip. It was good coffee.

She watched him, and he looked so different. Lucia hadn’t seen him cook before.

“Are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, I did.” She took another sip of her coffee. “Did you finish your business?”

“Yes, I did.”

She didn’t want to know what it was.

He was happy and that meant she was happy. If it also meant he had pissed off her father as well, then she was even more happy.

She watched as he added some food to the plates, bacon, sausage, eggs, and even freshly grilled slices of tomato, and there was also bread.

“Go sit down,” he said.

Lucia didn’t argue with him.

The table was already set. Boone took the head of the table, while she took the seat right beside him. They sat, together.

He put the plate of food in front of her, and she thanked him. It smelled really good.

Back home, at her parents’ house, she wasn’t allowed to have a cooked breakfast. Everything had to be cereal, low fat, low flavor, the lot. Her mouth watered and she picked up her knife and fork, but habits were hard to lose. She was never allowed to start eating, until she was given permission.

“Eat, enjoy. Don’t let it go cold,” Boone said.

Her father had once made her wait until her food was completely cold. Everyone had been allowed to eat their food, but she had been made to wait. She’d been starving and it had been so humiliating. Her brothers found it funny, as did her sister.

Now, she cut into a piece of bacon and it was salty and so good. The sausage was one of the best she had ever eaten. She enjoyed every single speck, every crumb.

“Lucia, do you know anything about your father’s operations?” Boone asked.

This made her pause and she turned to look at him. Her first instinct was to say no, only that would be a lie.

She had no idea what to do in this situation. So many times over the years, she had been angry at what he had done or said to her. She tried to stay out of his way, but that didn’t mean she didn’t get curious, just in case she might need it someday.

Her father’s office was soundproof, or at least he thought it was.

She found out, by accident, that the library and her father’s office was connected in some way. Either way, there was a grate that allowed her to hear every conversation that had taken place. There were some she remembered, others she didn’t.

“I ... uh, yes and no,” she said.

“Tell me.”

She let him know what she would do and she didn’t meet his eyes. It was embarrassing to know she had acted out. Been a child.

Boone reached out and took her hand, locking their fingers together. She expected him to hit her, to scold her. Instead, he waited, and he didn’t look angry.

“Tell me,” he said again.

She took a deep breath.

“I know they were cooking something up in a lab. They kept saying it was going to wipe something out, and that they already had buyers and suppliers. They also kept implying it would be too late for anyone to do anything by the time this was out. I know that is not a lot to go on. I think it is drugs. Maybe. I don’t know. ”

“I know what they’re doing,” Boone said.

She licked her lips and chanced asking him the question. “What are they doing?”

Boone let go of her hand, sat back in his chair, and continued to look at her.

“Three girls were put into the hospital the other night after taking one of Bonaldi’s latest drugs. The guy was attempting to sell it in my club. I believe your father was trying to sabotage me. Make it look like I was selling the product. I don’t do drugs.”

“You don’t?”

Boone smiled. “Lucia, I don’t do anything illegal, apart from killing people that ... need to be killed, but they get a choice.”

This surprised her and she frowned. Aside from the killing people, she wondered how he didn’t deal with illegal business. “How?”

“Simple. I have no reason to.”

“No, no, I don’t mean how are you not into anything illegal. How are you doing business with Bonaldi and my father? How am I married to you? They’re so afraid of you.”

“Because I put men like your father and Bonaldi out of business. I also put them on the dead list.”

“Dead list?”

“I kill people, Lucia. One day, I might even tell you about my past to help you understand. I don’t like when people break the rules. I am against it.”

Okay, now this made her frown. “I ... huh. You kill people.”

“Bad people. I never hurt anyone who is good and follows the rules. Like Tyler and Nancy. Yourself.”

She had no idea who this man was. Her family were so afraid of him, as were the Bonaldis. Sitting back in her chair, she looked at him.

“You can’t be bought,” she said.

“No.”

“But, if that is the case, why did you agree to marry me? I’m part of their world, and based on that, I am not a good person.”

“You are,” Boone said.

“But I was a Valdez.”

“And?”

“Doesn’t that make me guilty by association?”

“Have you ever hurt anyone just because you could?” he asked.

This made her frown again. “No.” She would never dream of hurting anyone.

“Would you manipulate or humiliate someone to make yourself feel good?”

She shook her head. She knew what it was like to feel that way on a daily basis and it wasn’t good.

“You’re a good person, Lucia.”

“But I’ve never shown you that. I’ve never proven it.”

“I’m a good judge of people and I know what I’m looking for.”

She didn’t know if she should be happy with that or not.

“Tell me more of what you heard.”

“I can’t remember all of it.” She didn’t always go into the library when her father was in his office. She didn’t want to raise suspicion, and at times her brothers were so incredibly nosy. She didn’t like them.

She told him of the recent conversations she did overhear.

Before her father had told her of her upcoming marriage, she heard them in his office.

They were laughing about how pathetic it was that Boone was going to be married to the ugly daughter.

That was what they called her. Her father had laughed and said at least there was going to be some use for her, even if it was to one of their enemies. She was not worth anything.

Lucia hadn’t even cried. It wasn’t like she hadn’t heard it all before. All of his cruel insults had been thrown her way many times. They were easy for her to listen to.

After she finished, Boone sat back, and she looked at him.

“Are you angry at me?”

“Why would I be angry at you?”

“Because I knew this and I didn’t warn you.”

He continued to stare at her. “Lucia, I am only going to say this once, and you are going to believe me. I married the person I wanted. Your father didn’t manipulate me.

He didn’t give me a choice. I made sure he knew there was only one person I wanted, and he was the one who thought I was getting stitched up.

I knew what I was doing. I had to get you out of there, because I didn’t want you to be in the way of the fallout. ”

“Fallout?”

“Lucia, I am going to bring the Bonaldis down to their knees. I don’t like them. I don’t like what they stand for. They are all going to suffer and pay for their sins. If you were still there, you would be in the line of fire, and that is not something I can accept.”

He got to his feet.

“Go and get dressed. I want to leave in five minutes.”

“You want to leave?” she asked.