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“You said you got tickets for a certain exhibition, and I’m quite curious to know what it is.” Eset narrows her eyes on me as I take a couple of steps closer to her, taking this opportunity to wrap my arm around her waist.
“Discover Manet & Eva Gonzalès,” I answer her, and Eset’s lips form into a smile. “The National Gallery is advertising the exhibition as the first in a series of shows that look at a single painting from unexpected perspectives. They say with the new technological advancements that we can all get a fresh take on what Manet was trying to achieve with Eva since she was his only pupil.”
“Do you know their story?”
“I can’t say I do.” I press on Eset’s back, and we both begin walking toward the entrance to the museum. We head up the stairwell and walk in through the doors, and as we make our way into the museum, Eset gives me some history on Eva and Manet.
“Most of the time, people assume Eva and Manet were romantically involved, but that wasn’t the case. Manet saw Eva’s extreme dedication to painting and believed she could be an integral part of the art industry as a whole. He was right because she ended up becoming one of the four most prominent Impressionist female artists of the nineteenth century, alongside Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot, and Marie Bracquemond.”
“Why did people assume they were romantically involved?” I question as we approach a woman collecting tickets for the exhibit.
“Who doesn’t love to believe love is in all aspects of one’s life? Imagine the story it would’ve made if Eva and Manet were actually lovers. They weren’t, though it’s what people wanted to assume. Manet simply believed in Eva from the get-go, so she turned from his model to his pupil. Eva eventually went on to marry a man named Henri Guérard, who was also in the art industry. Henri was Manet’s engraver, and Henri was also a very successful painter, lithographer, and printmaker.” Eset continues going on, and we make our way into the exhibition. I can hear the passion in her voice through every passing word as she continues to give me information about Eva and Manet’s story.
“I imagine she made quite the impression through the years.”
“She did, but it didn’t last too long. She passed away at thirty-four after giving birth to her only son with Henri. Such a sad way to go. A child should be the reason for being so excited about what’s to come, but unfortunately for her, she never got the chance to see what her child would grow up into.”
“Do you know what he did?”
Eset shakes her head. “Sadly, no.”
I find myself enjoying learning more about this woman. “You’ve always enjoyed art, I take it?” I know she enjoys it, but I don’t know if she’s one of those people who finds something they love from when they’re a toddler or if this is something she began enjoying as a teenager. I want to learn more about her. If all goes well, this woman is going to be my wife.
“Ever since I was a little girl. I found it relaxing, this calming thing in the world around me. I remember times as a child when I would be staring off toward my father’s main living area, staring right at the paintings. I’d always wondered what was going through the artist’s mind.”
I can totally see Eset being like that. As much as I want to keep learning more about her, we do have very important matters to discuss.
“I think it’s a gift when we can find things we enjoy as a child. I don’t mean to change the subject so abruptly, but since we can speak privately, I think we should discuss some important matters.”
“Ah, so you’re itching to get some sort of feedback or response from me.” Eset giggles lightly, and I tighten my grip around her waist, pulling her closer to me.
“If you choose to look at it that way, then yes. I only wish to reiterate that my father’s ambitions aren’t my own. I know where your family’s loyalty lies, and I know what my father believes will happen with the two of us getting married.”
Eset turns her head and looks right at me. “He believes our union will calm waters in his impending war, doesn’t he?” See, this is what I mean. She has a good head on her shoulders.
“In a way, yes, he does. He believes the two of us getting married will cause the Ramirez family to offer him a peaceful transfer of power versus the alternative. However, he’s said things to me, such as him being prepared to do whatever he needs to do to get the power he so desperately seeks.” In telling Eset this, I know I’m putting my neck on the line, though I don’t see another option. She knows I need this marriage to gain my own freedom.
“Your father is a rabid dog, Santos. He only cares about getting the bloody flesh in his mouth, not about the path he must take to get the meat in the first place.”
“Yes, and I’m not like him in that way,” I confirm.
Eset’s taking in my information, not saying a word. The longer she’s quiet, the more nervous I end up becoming, but I quickly pull myself out of that. There’s absolutely no reason for me to be nervous. Eset knows why this marriage is a good option, and I’m sure she understands I will be by her side, supporting whatever she needs from me if she chooses to move forward with this union. For my sake, I hope she does… and for our families.
“You’re giving me an awful lot to think about, Santos Ramirez,” Eset quips, keeping her eyes locked on mine. Still, I wonder what’s running through her mind.
The two of us know if she agrees to this proposal, it won’t be about having my father as an ally. She doesn’t like him, and I doubt the rest of her family does since I know the Umarovas were behind a break-in at my father’s holding facility. There has to be another angle she’s looking at when it comes to us, though I don’t know what in the hell the angle is. After some time, I’m sure I’ll begin to understand what her motives are… but until then, all I can do is be patient and wait for Eset to tell me.
Regardless, I know the two of us can be a powerful couple.
I also know we’ll be the wrong people to fuck with, so our enemies will need to watch out. Between Eset and me, we’re two carnivorous beasts.
Chapter Six
Eset
It’s hard for me to believe that I’ve been sitting across from Santos for almost four hours, discovering more and more about him in the process. I had suspicions that Santos was only concerned about his own hide concerning what his father wanted him to do, and I was right. Santos doesn’t want his father to take over control of the Mexican cartel. If anything, he sees it as a massive risk like the rest of us do.
We both happen to be staying at the Dorchester in London and agreed to meet at the restaurant on the rooftop, which has received rave reviews. It’s a little over fifty degrees Fahrenheit, and it’s pouring, but the restaurant offers something I haven’t seen in very many places. They have these sorts of pods that are private and cover the dining table and your chairs completely. There’s a sliding glass door, so your waiter can get inside, making it a very intimate experience between you and the rest of your party.
