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I want to say I have, but I won’t let this man think he has any hold on me. “It hasn’t been bad. Once you meet with your great-uncle, you can give me a ring. It’ll need to be flashy, given you’re a Ramirez marrying an Umarova. Our wedding will no doubt be one of the largest mafia weddings of the century.”
“I can’t imagine it being anything else.” Santos smirks, and a tall figure coming from the elevators causes me to divert my attention. It’s Goran, and he approaches my vehicle. I roll down my window in preparation because there’s obviously something he wants to say to me.
“Miss Eset, Ruslan just called me. There’s a problem with obtaining a flight for tomorrow morning. The best he can do is have something here in two hours.”
What in the world? “Did he say why?”
“He only said he needs you home as soon as possible, not tomorrow.” Goran’s words have me thinking something has gone terribly wrong in Grozny, but surely one of my brothers would’ve reached out to me by now.
“Okay, I’ll head back to the hotel and get everything ready. Tell him I’ll be on the jet.”
Goran nods. “Yes, Miss.” And then he walks away.
I roll my window back up, and Santos is staring at my right-hand man, who’s already yards away.
“You could take a picture. It lasts longer,” I quip, and Santos pulls his eyes to mine.
“I don’t understand him. He gives me a feeling like he’s infatuated with you.” Ah, so Santos is the jealous type?
“He’s a security guard on my team. I assure you, there’s nothing more than that going on. Even if he did have a small, harmless crush, it wouldn’t mean anything. I’m a woman with immense power, and the man I marry needs to be of a mafia bloodline or have some sort of power.” The last bit of what I’m saying might cut Santos a bit deep, but he needs to see that he does have power. He just doesn’t know how to use it yet.
In fact, I think Santos mistakenly thinks that his father is the source of his power, but that isn’t accurate. His great-uncle is where he’ll get his power and respect, and it will start happening as soon as Santos tells Alejandro he’s loyal to him. “When you meet with your great-uncle, it would be best to tell him you’re engaged to me. I believe it will take away some tension between the two of you, and I believe he’ll trust you a bit more.”
“I’m sure he’s going to reach out to your family for confirmation,” Santos states.
“That’s fine. We’ll make sure to clarify anything he might have questions about. I’ll speak to him myself if I have to.” Santos doing this will only help everyone, minus his father. I’m trying not to get my hopes up that Santos will do what I need him to, but I do believe he wouldn’t betray me. I think he has his own motives that prove he needs his freedom as badly as I need this marriage. When it comes to other prospective suitors, Santos is the best match, and I think he’s the type of man I could keep on a tight leash if I needed to.
Other men from mafia families wouldn’t tolerate a woman like me. They’d hit me, rape me, and strip away my dignity and spirit bit by bit. Santos doesn’t strike me as the type of man who would ever do any of those things. If I’m being honest with myself, I think he appreciates my spirit and dignity.
“I appreciate that, thank you,” Santos tells me, and I start the SUV.
“There’s no reason to thank me. We’re both doing this for a reason, and we need it to happen.” I pull out of the parking space and exit the parking garage within a couple of minutes.
“What do you say about heading to get some dessert before we head back to the hotel?” Santos suggests, and I could really go for something sweet right now.
“Fine, but I can’t be too long.”
He raises his hands in defeat. “I know, I know. You have a flight to catch.”
Chapter Nine
Santos
Eset left late last night to head back home to Grozny, and the more I think about how the night went, the more I don’t like her right-hand man, Goran. I believe there is something up with him, but I’m not certain what it is. I can’t tell if it’s just that he doesn’t like me or if he has some sort of infatuation with my fiancée. He seems overprotective of her, and she said they were leaving the following morning to head back to Grozny, but then he changed it up… saying there was an issue and they’d be leaving in two hours. Sure, Ruslan could’ve needed her back home, but Eset seemed like she didn’t understand what was going on either.
Still, even though she was leaving in two hours, the two of us went to a restaurant across the street from the hotel we were both staying at and had some dessert. We had a drink as well, and the two of us chatted a bit more. The more time I spend with Eset, the more I enjoy her company. She shows me time and time again how intelligent she is, but I discovered a humorous side to her last night.
I’ve just landed in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, because my father has an estate here, and I know he’s currently in the city. So I called him to let him know I had landed and would stop by within the hour. When I spoke to him, he seemed a bit flustered, and I’ll put my money on the fact it’s because he hasn’t heard from his precious Lu. Little does he know he won’t hear anything from her ever again.
At first, I was surprised by what Eset was doing, but when I found out about everything Lu did to Amelia, too, it made sense why Eset was so driven. Lu had hurt two people who were extremely close to her, and I feel as though Eset has an immense hatred for child trafficking. When she spoke to Lu, I saw a fire in her that I’d never seen before. She was clenching her hands at her sides, her nostrils were flaring, and her skin was flushed. I’m sure in time, I’ll begin to understand what makes Eset tick, and she’ll learn the same about me.
I’m behind the wheel of my cherry red Giulia Quadrifoglio Alfa Romeo. I just purchased the car a couple of months ago, and I love it. With five hundred and five horsepower and the ability to reach sixty miles per hour in less than four seconds, I knew it was the car for me. Add in the fact there’s a race mode on the vehicle, which disables traction control and stability control, and it’s the icing on the cake. It has the top of the line of everything, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Leaving this car behind here in Mexico isn’t an option, and I have no problems getting it shipped to me. There’s only one problem, I don’t know where I’d get it shipped. Eset and I haven’t spoken about where we’re going to be living as of yet, though I’ll bet she’ll talk to me about it after I meet with my great-uncle.
I pull into my father’s private driveway and drive up to the code box. I roll down my window, input the code to gain access to his estate, and once the gates open, I pull in. I continue driving until I’m in front of his garage, roll my window up, and then get out of the vehicle.
He went all out when it came to his home here in Playa del Carmen. He purchased it before it was completed by the developer, so he was able to pick out a lot of finishing touches.
I know him so well that I’m confident he’s going to be outside somewhere. Half of his home is completely open concept since he’s right on the ocean. I go between the parts where his home meets since it’s a modern design with different sections and use the walkway until I’m back near the in-ground pool overlooking the ocean. My father has a private beach on his property and is away from the hustle and bustle the tourists bring.
