Stepping back inside the apartments felt surreal, knowing the stipulations on her for doing so. So far, Ashe’s parents were avoiding the subject and everything that came with it. She had a feeling that as long as Inferno stayed out of the news, she would be more or less as free to act as she wished. If she had to guess, they never had any intention of actually turning her in for what she did. She could poke and prod, push those limits, but there was no reason to do so.
Destroying the relationship they had wasn’t her intention, though she knew it was already strained to the breaking point. Whether it recovered or crumbled to dust remained to be seen. For now, her injuries and upcoming surgery meant that the current state of affairs was actually welcomed. That also meant that the coming conversation with her people was not only necessary, but would be all the more difficult.
The receptionist looked up, almost bored, before returning to whatever had her attention. Three seconds later her head snapped back up, eyes wide and a grin on her lips.
“Inferno, you’re back!”
Down the hall, three heads popped out of various rooms almost synchronously, including Brie’s.
“Ashe!” the girl called out, practically running over. “Can you hear me, I don’t really get this sign language shit, but… damn you look like shit.”
A giggle snort of a laugh escaped her lips as she caught her friend in a gentle hug. Despite that, it still hurt, but Ashe didn’t mind. “Feel like it too. Yeah, I got my hearing aid now, so all’s good. How has everyone been?”
“We’re holding down the fort,” Brie said, pulling back. “Mercedes came by yesterday, gave us some updates. Yessina should see a full recovery, she wanted to express thanks to Linda for her assistance.”
That was one of the few good things to come from that night of hell, any misgivings the Viuda had with her people were largely cleared up between ensuring Yessina’s survival and their repulsion of Alejandro from the city. Between her own people and the Viuda, they had claimed almost all of his abandoned territory. A few small gangs claimed the fringes, but they were of minimal concern when the entire city was a powder keg waiting to go off like one of those overpriced electric dumpsters.
“Speaking of,” Ashe said. “Everyone else here? Given everything, we need to go over how things are going to work given the restrictions I have on me at the moment.”
“Ah, right, that bullshit,” Brie said. “Just a warning, Keiko started a betting pool on how bad it would be. Robbie might be in the hospital, but he put some money down too.”
“She would,” Crystal said with a fond shake of her head. “Wonder which one we’re about to disappoint?”
“Keiko,” Ashe said at the same time as Brie. The pair looked at one another, then bumped fists, both of them grinning at one another.
Crystal rolled her eyes, then pressed on, letting one of her hands brush over Ashe’s bare arm, gently, tenderly. It sent shivers up her arm and down her spine. She really did love this woman, and intended to remind her of that each day for as long as she allowed her to do so.
Putting thought to action, Ashe caught her wrist before it could retreat, and pulled Crystal into a tender kiss. She would have loved to be a bit rougher, but Ashe was still little more than a walking bruise. Until she healed, there wouldn’t be much she could do physically to show her girlfriend how much she loved and appreciated her.
So she showed it in softer ways. Ways that weren’t appropriate for their current setting, not that anyone would complain given what the primary work her girls tended to get up to was. Regardless, they were there for a reason, and Brie followed them into the elevator, rolling her eyes as Crystal kissed Ashe on the cheek just as the doors opened and let them out onto what was essentially the administration floor.
The renovation crews would be back in force while Ashe was in recovery, and by the time she returned from her surgery, the apartments would be some of the best in the city across the board. Even with the changes in plans from being outed, she intended to proceed with the revitalization of the areas she had claimed.
She would just be doing it as a private citizen instead.
Truth be told, almost nothing was changing in that regard. Crystal’s name was the one going on all the documents, because the Ellington surname carried weight. Doorways that would be closed to Ashe were suddenly open, people practically clamoring to gain the favor of an Ellington. Ashe knew it would only get easier as his campaign gained steam, fools thinking that they would gain her father’s favor by striking these deals.
They were going to be so disappointed in a few years’ time when they tried to cash in those favors. Ashe just hoped she got to see the looks on some of their faces when they did. Walking inside the apartment reserved for the inner circle, Ashe was glad to see that everyone was already there.
Jason and Todd were seated on a loveseat, a bowl of popcorn on the table before them and several kernels scattered about. Keiko was against the aged island, looking rather stricken. There was one other addition, Mercedes of the Viuda was sitting in Ashe’s favorite love seat. Great, that meant there was about to be some bad news delivered.
She tried to not be upset about her seat, but it still felt like a slight against her.
Brie skipped past them and claimed the big couch, popping the recliner out as she did, and grinned back at them cheekily. Ashe was glad to see her back to her usual antics. She had been worried that the night’s chaos might have dampened her spirits, even if she knew all of this was an act she put on for others. She enjoyed playing the chaos gremlin, and Ashe would never tell her to stop.
Ashe nodded towards Keiko, then moved to claim one of the other singles that she knew to be almost sinfully comfortable. She let out a sigh of relief to be off her feet, several muscles still deeply bruised from her encounter. Crystal patted her shoulder, then walked over to the kitchen, bringing with her two bottled sodas, because Ashe was banned from alcohol due to the pain meds she was currently on.
She understood why, but it still sucked.
Taking a swig of the Mexican import cola, she set the bottle aside and leaned forward.
“Alright, first order of business,” Ashe said. “Caralina.”
“Fuck Ashe, you’re going right for the meat of it,” Keiko said with a wince.
Calling it a sore subject would be an understatement, Keiko had been seeing the woman for months, even if it was just as fuck buddies. Worse, Caralina was around six months pregnant, which meant she couldn’t just have the woman executed. Ashe still had a line she wouldn’t cross. Those were getting more and more difficult to find by the day.
“Look,” Ashe said wearily. “I just want this shit out of the way before we get into the rest, alright? It’s going to be unpleasant, and I’d rather we deal with it now.”
“No point leaving her sitting nervously in the other room I suppose,” Keiko agreed, already moving in that direction. She knocked twice on the door. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
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The door creaked open, and the traitor stepped out, proud, yet resigned. Jessica and Rachel led her out, the cuffs on her wrists and legs rattling as she walked. Both girls had orders to drop her if she tried to run, but Caralina hadn’t once resisted. She knew what was coming, and seemed resigned to her fate.
Her lip had been split, but otherwise she didn’t look too bad. Ashe knew that didn’t mean much, the long sleeves and sweatpants could conceal more injuries. Somewhere under all that was a few bruises, but nothing that might have endangered the child.
For a distraction technique, it wasn’t half bad. Ashe made it no secret that she cared for her people, and Caralina had been a member of the inner circle. Even if she had been acting under duress, that was no excuse for what she had done, the betrayal she had brought about.
Keiko followed behind the group, resigned as Caralina took a seat, Ashe’s former bullies moving to flank the woman that had betrayed them all. Ashe had chosen them for a reason, but it would be up to Caralina how that played out.
While Robbie had worked for Alejandro, it was in a completely different capacity. He was Yessina’s man on the inside, and he had gone out of his way to ensure that neither Ashe, nor her crew, had died in the chaos Alejandro had sown. His gift of body armor had saved her life more than once, and nothing he had done led to any of her people getting hurt.
There was nothing there to judge.
Caralina on the other hand…
“Did you do it?” Keiko asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Ashe blinked, not having expected that, though maybe she should have. She offered no protest to the deviation from the script, because Keiko needed proper closure. She might have been paying Caralina for her services, but the two were seemingly close despite that. Keiko might pretend that she wasn’t attached, but it was clear to everyone that knew her that she was.
“I offer no excuse,’’ Caralina said, still looking blankly ahead, no fight left in her.
Simple, to the point. Devastating.
Keiko wilted, grief washing over her face for a moment only to be replaced by raw fury. Her fingers twitched at her side, itching to reach for something, but Keiko restrained herself. Even with Inferno being retired, everyone still acknowledged Ashe as their leader, which meant she had to act the part, at least for one more meeting.
“You betrayed us,” Ashe said simply. “Just how much did you tell that man? Three of my people died in the chaos you helped set into motion, women you were responsible for, women who trusted you. I could forgive the ambush you lured me out on, but those three lives demand retribution.”
“Forgive her?” Crystal said incredulously.
Ashe chuckled, sitting forward. “I said could, which does not translate to would. Only I can forgive crimes against myself, but those girls have no advocate, for they are dead.”
“We consulted all the others,” Brie said, drawing all eyes to hers. “Asked what they would want done if one of their friends were to cause the pain, suffering, and death, of their friends, their family. Know how they answered?”
There was an anger there, barely restrained, the mask she wore having fallen aside for the moment. Ashe didn’t enjoy seeing this side of her friend, but it was absolutely deserved in this situation. Brie glared daggers at Caralina, raw fury bubbling up from somewhere deep that she usually kept buried.
“Death, I would imagine,” Caralina said. The woman then rubbed her stomach. “It’s his, he made sure of it. Called my child insurance, because he seemed to expect the betrayal.”
“That’s low,” Crystal snarled. “Using the child as a shield.”
“I have nothing left,” Caralina screamed. “He took everything from me, made me his slave through and through, then left an anchor within me, a poisoned pill. I won’t terminate the child, but I have no intention of raising them. Once the child is born and has found a loving family, you can carry out my punishment, I’ll even welcome it!”
Silence reigned following her impassioned declaration, and Ashe wasn’t sure how to react to it. Ready and willing to die for what she did, but only as long as her child would survive and be loved. Really, how the hell did someone answer that? Ashe was at a complete loss, and glancing around, it seemed the others weren’t much better.
Only Mercedes seemed composed.
“If I might make a suggestion,” Mercedes said. Ashe considered her for a moment, once it was clear the others were drawing blanks, she gestured for the woman to continue. “Her suggestion has merit, and would provide a show of justice to your people, that is all true. The Viuda, however, tend to take a different approach.”
“I’m done being a sex slave,” Caralina spat.
A hiccup echoed across the room, Keiko sat there with tears streaming down her face. “Was that all you ever thought of me? Just someone using you for sex?”
“You paid,” Caralina said. “Says everything needed.”
Keiko curled in on herself, wrenching sobs tearing their way from her throat. Ashe and Crystal shared the briefest of looks before her girlfriend moved to console her grieving friend. Crystal wrapped Keiko into a hug, pulling her close. Ashe always expected some pang of jealousy to show itself when those two interacted, yet she felt none of it in that moment. Just sympathy for the woman whose heart was just shattered.
“You know,” Ashe said, ice dripping from her voice. “That might have been the cruelest thing I have ever seen.”
“Good,” Caralina said without a hint of remorse.
“Well, I tried to give you an out, a chance to prove you were worth giving another chance,” Ashe said. “You wanted punishment, then you’ll get it. Carry the child to term, the Viuda will act as midwives. You get no relief, a natural birth.” Even as Ashe said that, a hollow pain echoed through her, knowing she would never be able to have a child of her own. “After that, a suitable family will be found, then you will be taken somewhere far away, and dealt with in a manner fitting of your betrayal.”
Of all the reactions she had expected from the woman, her shoulders dropping from the tension leaving them was not what she expected to see. Clearly Caralina wanted to die, might have even attempted it at some point, but the child she carried kept her from following through. Well, if she was expecting death, she was going to be disappointed.
They were going to dump her ass in a mental health center as soon as the terms were met, preferably in a state with better mental health care than Florida. The child would be cared for, Ashe would make certain of it, even if her entire organization were the ones to do it as a communal effort.
“Alright,” Ashe said after a moment. “With that out of the way, I think we can all stand for a bit of a break. Mercedes, I trust you’ll make sure Caralina is well cared for until the child arrives?”
“I will,” she said. “I have a driver waiting that can take her to a holding place.”
Ashe smiled, though it was bitter. “Thanks. Once that’s taken care of, we can discuss the other matter.”
Mercedes nodded, shaking Ashe’s hand before leading Caralina out into the hall where two of Yessina’s girls were waiting. Jessica and Rachel left with them, to escort them from the building safely. Mercedes moved to leave with them only for Ashe to signal her to stay.
“What’s the other matter?” Brie asked, eyeing the Viuda lieutenant warily.
Sighing, Ashe sat back in her chair with a heavy thump. “Given my parents’ watchful eye, my ability to act as a deterrent for everyone here is now effectively null. So, I was hoping to see us folded into the Viuda for protection.”
“Oh,” Mercedes said. “Should have expected that, to be honest.”
“We’ll need to run it by the girls,” Brie said. “I don’t see many of them objecting, now that Alejandro’s manipulations are known.”
“Probably,” Ashe said. “Always better to be safe though.”
“What about us?” Todd asked, gesturing at himself and Jason. “Sort of the wrong gender for Viuda.”
“Have you met Robbie?” Ashe asked while rolling her eyes. “Just because the core of the gang is women doesn’t mean they turn guys away. There’s also Kyle and Erik, can’t forget them, and those are just the ones I’ve met personally.”
Todd looked away, his cheeks turning bright red as Jason just shook his head fondly and pulled his boyfriend closer.
Well, that was one hurdle cleared. Ashe stood and moved over to her grieving friend, Crystal looked up, nudged Keiko, and soon arms were extended and Ashe embraced them both, joining the hug pile. Things were shit, but they were at least getting to where everyone could heal. That would have to do for now.