Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 48709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
I watch her, to see if the age gap bothers her.
But no, it doesn’t matter. She’s not thinking like that.
“It’s the first time we’ve met, isn’t it?”
“No,” she says quickly, her sassy shield faltering. “At my dad’s funeral. You were there.”
I almost snap at her, telling her she can’t possibly be the same girl I saw. They look similar in terms of hair color, but that’s it. Otherwise, nothing else seems to match.
Seven long years ago, and she’s turned into a woman I can’t take my eyes off.
“You know,” she goes on, her upper lip trembling. “When the Cartel killed my dad for doing the right thing, they put a tattoo on my arm. And you and the Bratva and everybody just stood there and let it happen. Not giving a damn.”
She gasps, her hand flying up to cover her mouth as though she thinks her words are going to make me angry.
It’s okay. I want to tell her. You don’t have to be scared of me. You can tell me anything, Liliana, always.
But then I realize she’s not looking at me.
She’s looking around me at somebody standing in the hallway, behind me.
I turn.
Fuck.
Gabriel Escarra stands there; his thumbs hooked through the loop of his pants, a big grin on his face. It’s a sadistic twist to his lips, the sort a person gets when they enjoy inflicting pain and have just discovered an opportunity to do just that.
“What did you say?” he snaps, stepping forward. “Silly girl, Liliana. Did you say your dad did the right thing? I heard that correctly, yes? That’s what you said?”
I feel Liliana tense up behind me.
Every instinct roars at me to protect her. But that would mean starting a war.
I don’t know what to do for the first time in seven years.
CHAPTER
FOUR
Liliana
Gabriel is as leery as always, seeming like he’s ready to inflict pain. It’s the way he stands, thumbs hooked through his pants, upper lip curled. Sparse black hair dots his otherwise bald scalp and gold glints at his thick neck and his thick wrists.
When he grins, gold teeth wink.
“I was looking for you,” Gabriel says.
I wonder how to respond for a second, but then I realize he’s talking to Damien.
This was all so surreal, Damien walking in here after me. I only came in here to get another look at the top-of-the-range kitchen.
“And here you are,” he goes on, walking slowly toward us. “Talking to the traitor’s daughter. Why, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Damien shifts from side to side.
With his back to me, I’m free to study his broad back, the way the fabric of his suit pulls from muscle to muscle. He’s so much taller than Gabriel, at least by almost a foot, and yet Gabriel is unfazed as he closes the distance.
“Did you hear me, Damien?”
“Watch your tone,” Damien says flatly.
“My tone?” Gabriel says,
“You’re speaking to me like I’m one of your men. I’m not. So watch your fucking tone.”
A monster flashes in Gabriel’s expression for a moment. I can only see because he’s peering around Damien’s body to get a better look at me. The whole arrangement is so bizarre. It almost feels like Damien is trying to protect me.
Gabriel steps back, laughing gruffly. “Enough fun. Move out of the way…excuse me, my manners. Please move out of the way. I’d like to talk with this lovely loyal Cartel niña. You don’t mind, do you, Liliana?”
“Why?” Damien asks.
Gabriel laughs coldly. “Because silly Liliana here just openly admitted she supports her traitor father. You heard her. He did the right thing, according to her. It turns out our little tattoo game wasn’t enough. She hasn’t learned her lesson.”
A nasty prickle moves over my body, warning me of imminent danger. I take a step back, swallowing, praying for the door to the kitchen to swing open, so we’re interrupted.
“What are your plans for her?” Damien asks.
Tears brim in my eyes. All my bravery from a few moments ago vanishes.
The worst part is the matter-of-factness of Damien’s tone, as though he’s already accepted Gabriel is going to hurt me. The only question is how.
“Did you hear her?” Gabriel snaps.
“I heard her. I asked what your plans were.”
“My plans?” Gabriel throws his hands up, making a nasty guffawing noise as though Damien should automatically know what he’s going to do. “What do you imagine, my friend? She just admitted she’s a traitor. The tattoo did nothing. She needs someone to deal with her properly.”
“Nobody heard,” Damien’s voice is becoming tense, like he’s struggling to hold something back, his fists clenching at his sides. “Just me and you. We can forget this ever happened and walk away now. This doesn’t have to become….”
“Become what?” Gabriel says, quieter now.
“What it’s going to be if you carry on and try to hurt her. You’ll lose control, and there will be no going back, no way to reverse it. Things will happen, Gabriel. People might die. You could start a war over this.”