Chapter Nineteen

Brenda sat nervously at her table, fidgeting with her napkin as she stole glances at Edwin Ramirez. The man was two tables away, and he was surrounded by burly men, who stood around him with their arms crossed and their eyes constantly scanning the room. Brenda couldn’t help but wonder why anyone would need that level of protection in a restaurant. She couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling that crept up on her as she sat at the corner table of the restaurant.

As she glanced around the room, Brenda couldn’t help but notice the way everyone seemed to avoid the corner where Ramirez and his bodyguards were seated. It was as if they were afraid of him, or at least aware enough not to interfere with his business. Brenda couldn’t help but notice the way he carried himself also. He seemed confident and in control, as if he owned the restaurant itself.

Brenda had been apprehensive about coming to see him, but her father had insisted, and now she was stuck in this situation. Summoning her co