"Let's go to Spain," Ronin whispered.
"Ro."
"Let's do it. If you're comfortable with me meeting your mother." He shifted and sat up to turn and look at José fully. "She means a lot to you, José. I saw that clearly last night when we were talking about her. And if she means
that much to you I want to meet this woman."
José laughed softly and kissed Ronin's hand.
"You're gonna regret that."
"Regret what?"
"Wanting to meet her. She's a little… outspoken."
"You mean a little like you?"
José pouted beautifully and Ronin laughed and kissed him. "So are you good with this?"
José nodded. "Yes. We can go as soon as your brother's visit is over and we finish Laird's job."
"My part is finished." Ronin lifted his chin proudly.
"I'm just waiting on you, remember?"
José slapped him playfully and Ronin simply growled and leaned in. "Thank you, sir, may I have another?"
"You're incorrigible!" José accused.
Chapter Eleven
José lay silently beside Ronin, watching the doors to the airport. The sun was out but not enough so lying there would be overly hot. He felt he should say something but the peace around them was so welcome he stayed where he was, and though he knew he shouldn't, he closed his eyes. He knew now the calmness his mother spoke about a long time ago when she spoke of José's father.
"I need to tell you about my father," José said finally.
"Why?"
"Because you're trying to get to know me, right?"
"Yes."
"Then you have to know about my family."
Ronin didn't move but his shoulders rose and fell.
"All right. Tell me about your father."
"He was a good man," José began. "You would have liked him. I doubt he would have liked me."
"Why would you say that?"
"He was a cop. A very good, manly, football-watching cop. And his son being gay would be bad for business."
Ronin chuckled. "Being gay is never bad for business."
José shifted to move his head against Ronin's shoulder. Ronin took his hand and squeezed. "Anyways. He loved my mother so fiercely, I never heard him say one cross word to her. Sometimes, when I was a child, I'd sit on the steps leading up to our bedrooms and watch them sitting beside each other, clutching each other's hands without saying a word. A year after I met the Anatolis boys—I was fifteen at the time—we were at school and the principal called me into the office. I was terrified. When I got there, there was a cop and I knew what went wrong."
"What happened?" Ronin asked.
"My dad was killed in the line of duty. He made a traffic stop just outside of Eros and the guys in the car shot him in the chest when he walked up to the window."
José swallowed the lump in his throat as Ronin squeezed his hand tighter. He snuggled up closer and wrapped his free hand across Ronin's hip. "I was never so broken as I was that day. I kept asking how my mom was—
if anyone had told my mom what happened. They'd already told her and she was so distraught that my dad's partner came to tell me. For the longest while, I blamed him for what happened to my father. But it wasn't his fault. His wife was having their first child so he took the morning off to go to the hospital."
"I'm sorry."
"After that day I vowed I would make my mom's dream come true. She'd always wanted to move to Spain and open a little diner in Madrid. She wanted to go with my father and he was working really hard to make it happen for her. After he died, she spent a year just wandering around not knowing what she was going to do or what to do with herself."
"You're a good son, José."
"It wasn't hard. She's an amazing mother."
Ronin kissed José's head. "My father passed away too. He and my mother died a couple of years ago in a boating accident in Mexico."
"I'm sorry."
"It's all right. Mack took it harder than I did. He and dad were really close. I was more of my mother's son. But they were good parents. When I came out, my mom looked at me and said ' as long as I get grandkids'." He laughed softly. "They were supportive parents."
"And you."
Ronin laughed. "I don't know."
"Yes they would have been. You served your country and you've made a wonderful life for yourself.
They are your parents and they will always be proud of you."
"Now, I want you to take your own advice." Ronin
laughed.
José pouted and lifted his face to look at Ronin.
"Touché."
When Mack stepped out, Ronin didn't have to tell José. He was the spitting image of his brother. The only difference was Mack had no facial hair. Mack McCall had no hair at all, completely shaved, with a beefy neck. He wore a pair of blue jeans, a graphic T-shirt that peeked out each time he moved, and a suit jacket—to hide his gun no doubt. The thought of having a weapon anywhere near him scared the daylights out of José. Still, he nudged Ronin with his elbow.
"Are you and Mack twins?"
"Oh God, no. I'm the good-looking one." Ronin laughed. "Why?"
"He's here." José pointed.
Ronin sat up and José slipped off the side of the truck to his feet. He smoothed his hands over his hair as Ronin waved to get Mack's attention. José stood at the front of the truck while the two brothers hugged and Ronin took the suitcase.
"Mack, this is José DeLuz. José, this is my brother Mack."
José stepped forward and shook Mack's hand with a smile. "It's nice to meet you," he said, not sure if he should
say what he was
