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I shift my weight from one side to the other, not quite sure what he’s expecting from me right now.
All the confidence I felt earlier has flown out the window, giving way to the need to be whatever I’m supposed to be in this moment.
“You look nervous,” he says, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Do I make you nervous?”
“Wouldn’t you be nervous?”
Christian shrugs and tucks his hands in his pockets. “I think you’d be stupid to let your guard down around me. I’m not a good man, and I’ve hurt a lot of people.”
“You said you wouldn’t hurt me.” My gaze connects with his and I hold it, some of the nerves fading away. “I have a hard time believing you are the kind of man who would go back on his word, even if you are a criminal.”
Christian chuckles and steps closer to me, his chest brushing against mine. “You don’t know the first thing about me.”
My heart threatens to pound out of my chest. “You’re right, I don’t. But we’re married now. Aren’t I supposed to be getting to know you?”
I want to run, but I know that I can’t. I have to stay with him to keep Dad alive, which means that I need to play the game.
If that means that I have to play along with this marriage, then that’s what I’m going to do.
Even if it’s terrifying to think of getting close to this man.
Christian smirks and shakes his head like I’ve made the biggest mistake of my life. “Well then, let’s get out of here, and we can get to know each other.”
The car feels too small as we drive along a winding road through the woods.
I can’t shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen, even though all we’ve done is listen to music.
When the car finally comes to a stop beside a lake, my heart stops in my chest.
“Did you bring me out here to kill me?” My voice wavers as I look over at him.
Christian laughs and turns the music down. “Why the hell would I kill you when you’re still useful to me?”
I feel like I’m going to be sick. “I don’t know what you actually want with me, but I think killing me in general would be a bad idea.”
“I’m not going to kill you.”
He sighs and hits a button, his chair moving all the way back and tilting a bit. “I like to come out to the lake when I need time to think. It’s quiet. There’s not a lot of quiet when you run a cartel. There’s always some sort of problem and someone wanting something.”
“Cartel.” I exhale, trying to process that piece of information.
I knew he was involved with something dangerous, but I didn’t think it was the cartel. “As in guns and drugs and sex trafficking?”
“Not the sex trafficking,” he says, his tone sharp. “Only sick bastards sell people like they’re fucking commodities. My cartel may be involved in all kinds of crimes, but human trafficking of any kind isn’t one of those crimes.”
I bite my bottom lip, watching as the wind outside creates waves on the lake. “Why are you telling me this?”
“You might not have chosen this life, but it is yours now. You should be prepared for the dangers that you’re going to have to face eventually.”
Great. More danger.
My pulse races as I kick off my heels and lean back against my seat.
“I don’t know what to think about this.”
Christian looks over at me, the dim lights from the dashboard illuminating his face. “Ask me whatever questions you want right now. I’ll answer what I can.”
There are several different places I could start.
