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I’m not the kind of man who goes on dates. I have no clue how I’m going to pull this off for her.
18
ZOE
Ava’s thumbs fly over her screen, typing out a massive message while I toss the potential outfit options for the night onto my bed.
She looks lost in thought as she continues to type away.
“Talking to someone special?” I ask, my tone teasing as I tie the belt of my silk robe a little tighter around my waist.
Ava shrugs one shoulder. “Nothing too important. I just have a lot going on right now at the prison. There was a fight last night and we have a few people staying the night. Just making sure everyone is behaving and healing.”
“I’m really scared of your work sometimes.” I sit at the vanity by the windows and rummage through my makeup. “You’re an attractive woman all alone in the middle of all those criminals.”
“Says the woman married to a criminal,” Ava teases. “Speaking of Christian, do you know where he’s taking you tonight?”
I don’t miss the way she changes the topic away from the prison. Even though I want to, I’m not going to press her.
Ava is free to live her own life just like I’m free to live mine.
I just wish that I knew more of what was going on in hers.
“He asked me what I wanted to do a couple of nights ago after we got back from that awful dinner with Mom and Dad.”
Ava chuckles. “I don’t know if you can call it dinner when half the people there leave before food shows up.”
“I know. I thought that dinner was going to be bad, I just didn’t think it would be that bad. Either way, he asked me where I wanted to go and when I told him that I wanted to go to the amusement park, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.”
Although, I don’t know if it was because he doesn’t want to go to such a crowded public place right now, or if it’s because I want to ride roller coasters until I feel sick.
Ava looks at the pile of clothing on the foot of the bed. “You really think that he’s going to get on a roller coaster with you?”
I shrug and put on my eyeliner. “He agreed to go with me, so I’m sure that he’s fine with it.”
“There’s something about Christian that doesn’t exactly scream the amusement park type.” Ava sighs and adjusts her position on the bed, crossing her legs beneath her. “When are you going to tell me the truth about what’s going on here?”
A lump in my throat threatens to choke me. “How much do you already know?”
“I know he’s the leader of the Herrera cartel.” Ava leans forward. “He’s killed people, though none of those murders have ever been proven.”
I put down the eyeliner.
There’s no way to avoid telling her the truth anymore. It’s clear that she’s been talking to some of the men in the prison about Christian. Though I don’t know where to start, I have to tell her everything.
Losing my sister because I keep lying to her isn’t an option.
“He kidnapped me. Dad owed him a debt, and he decided that was the way he was going to collect. I got married because he threatened to kill Dad. I’ve seen things I never thought that I would ever have to see. Bad things.”
“What things?” Her voice trembles.
I shake my head. “Ava, I can’t tell you more than that. There are things that I’m never going to be able to tell you.”
“You would give your loyalty to a man who kidnapped you? Just like that?”
I run a hand through my hair, the guilt gnawing at me. “I wish that I could tell you more, but it isn’t safe, Ava. You have to understand that.”
“And how the hell am I supposed to just let you go out with this man, knowing these things? How the hell am I supposed to walk out of here tonight and just leave you with him?”
