Chapter 12: ¿Me querrás?
Even though most of the "Beasts" are part of the cartel, Axel forbids his friends to call themselves Chan's people among themselves and insists that they are "Beasts." Chan, who got the information about the division within his cartel, is very unhappy with this and warned the guys several times.
"You are the people of the cartel; there are no beasts; there is only the A-Card cartel," Chan repeats continuously.
Aken, Leo, and Axel always listen to him patiently but don't obey. As soon as they leave the mansion, they become the leaders of A-Card's largest youth gang. These men give their friends various indulgences and help them get settled. The Beasts adore their leaders, feel protected, and can question Chan's words, but not theirs.
The guys came back from their next assignment last night and celebrated their victory in the pub, where the head of the cartel himself appeared. Chan sees future leaders in them, feels their ill-concealed ambitions, and that is why he keeps them under personal control.
"At the end of the week, my guys will go to the border for money," says Chan, sitting behind a table covered as a young boy pours him whiskey. "You three will stay with me; we will make a detour."
"But there is usually a massacre on the borders, and we have been bringing people there in recent months," Axel stiffens. "I'm sure you can make a detour without us."
"In any structure, the main thing is its head, my boy," Chan sips from a glass. "And here I am, and you should remember that. I don't forget the good, and I remember how you saved my daughter, but sometimes you go too far. Your assistants will go to the border, and you will be at the mansion from noon." Chan finishes his whiskey in one gulp and leaves it with a bang on the table.
Aken immediately reaches for his phone and announces an immediate meeting of the "beasts" at the "base." "The base" of the "beasts" is an abandoned apartment building, which was supposed to be five-story, but things did not go beyond the third floor. The owner was shot, and the building, which has been demolished for five years, is still standing. On the roof of the house, men hold their meetings, hide weapons, and rest.
The leaders of the "beasts" give instructions, share their experience and ask their own to be careful. Leo offers to send non-cartel guys after them as insurance. Still, Aken reminds him that if Chan sniffs out and usually sniffs out, everyone will get shot. They drink beer almost until morning and grill corn on coal.
After hanging out with the guys, Axel takes the car to the wash and goes to the shower. After picking up the car, he, without sleeping, drives to school for Rene. Rene, who is out of class, immediately sees her brother's black SUV at the gate and, waving her backpack, runs to him, leaning against the door. Axel catches Rene in his arms and lifts her to the hood.
"How was the little one's day?" Axel kisses her on the nose. Rene grips his leather jacket's collar with her fingers, pulls him towards her, and leaves a short kiss on his lips.
Rene now has platinum blond hair, which she asked her mum for her birthday. She blooms more and more every day, attracts attention, and, in addition to admiration, makes Axel terribly jealous. Axel, giving up everything, comes to pick her up and at the same time shows everyone that there is no access to Rene.
"Are we going home?" Rene asks with hope for a negative answer.
"I'm pretty busy, but I have time to drink coffee." Axel pulls the girl down by the hips as she slides over the iron, forcing her to hug Axel's torso with her legs and kiss him under the ear. Rene jumps down onto the tarmac, walks around the car, and sits in the passenger seat. Axel gets into the car too, lights up a cigarette, and starts the engine.
All the way to the coffee shop, Rene clings to him, sings along with the vocalist, and Axel holds her hand in his right and occasionally leaves kisses on her knuckles. He parks in front of the coffee shop but is in no hurry to leave. He bends forward and, opening the glove compartment, pulls out a black box.
"This is for you," hands the box to the girl. Rene loves gifts, mostly from him the most. Axel has fantastic taste, and most importantly, he knows her taste. The girl opens the box in a hurry and stares at a garnet-colored heart-shaped stone threaded into a leather strap.
"It's stunning!"
"It's just jewelry," Axel helps her put on the gift. "They say that some ancient ruler, by the way, he was also called a beast, gave his woman a ruby in the shape of a heart. When I achieve my goals, I will give you a gem, but for now, let this be a sign of my love for you."
"Can you buy me the one that that woman had?" Rene's eyes light up.
"No, I can't," Axel says seriously. "The woman is buried with him, and no one knows where her grave is, although even if they did, I would not take the symbol of love belonging to another. I'll order a new one for you."
"I like this one too," Rene smiles.
Ten minutes later, they sit by the window in the coffee shop. Rene drinks her favorite hot chocolate while Axel enjoys his Americano.
"I now know why you are so sweet," Axel smiles as he watches the younger sip on his hot drink. "Because your entire diet is sweets. When I get rich, I will buy you a gingerbread house in which you will live."
"When will you get rich?" Rene asks, putting down a spoon.
"Well, I'm not poor anymore," the elder grins, "but a couple more tasks, and I'll start."
"What will you start?"
"You don't need to know that."
"Will we have a large house with a swimming pool?" Rene looks at him closely.
"Since you came from Nebo, you have been dreaming of a house and a pool!" Axel joins his eyebrows on the bridge of his nose.
"But I really want a house like my grandfather's. You should have seen how beautiful it is!" the girl chatters. "I want a huge room and a large dressing room ..."
"We'll have one room for both of us," Axel leans against the back of his chair as the girl blushes.
"Well, before we get married, it'll be separate," Rene mutters.
"Okay," Axel sighs, "you will have a separate bedroom with me."
"And the pool?" Rene leans forward.
"And the pool," Axel twirls his lighter between his fingers. "Will you stop loving me without it?"
"Of course not! It's just that mum says you won't achieve anything and will die. I cry a lot on days like this," Rene pushes back her cup.
"Are you crying because I'm going to die or because I won't achieve anything?" The man looks at her, arching an eyebrow.
"You're not serious!" Rene takes offense.
"I just don't like that you think a lot about material things," Axel puts his hand over hers. "Imagine for a second that I cannot achieve anything. We will live in a small house in the same area. Will you stop loving me?"
"No," Rene says firmly.
"Then I will achieve everything, Just have patience and hang less on the social networks of your new friends," Axel asks for the bill. "Not everyone is lucky to be born in a family with prosperity and grow up in luxury, but what happens next depends on ourselves. It doesn't matter where we were born; it matters where we want to be. You will have everything and more; I will shower you with gold. You just be there, love me, smile at me and support me," says Axel. "Do you think I am satisfied with this life? Do you think this is what I want for my children? I will fight and achieve a future in which we will live in abundance, and our children will not be afraid to walk the streets. I promise you."
* The title of the chapter is "Will you love me?" (Spanish: ¿Me querrás?)