My surprise must show on my face because she releases a humorless laugh. “It doesn’t make sense, does it?”
I shake my head. Because no, it doesn’t. Leticia is Ruben’s only heir. His wife bore him two daughters, and he’s already cast one of them out. Why would he seek to cast out the other?
“If I do, there is an expiration date on his control. I’m twenty-three now. He has twelve years before he’ll be forced to step down. But he won’t want to relinquish power in twelve years. Which means his best option is to get rid of me.”
My nostrils flare. I see the writing on the wall, and no part of me likes where this is going.
“You think he’d eliminate you?” Fear ricochets through me at the thought of Leticia’s life being taken by her father.
Her smile is sad. “He’d rather disinherit me,” she says. “It’s cleaner that way. And—“ she hesitates before swallowing hard.
Whatever she’s about to say, I won’t like it.
“And he cares enough about legacy that he’ll want a child. One who is of Castro blood. He’ll try with another woman on his own. But if that fails, he’ll ensure that either I or Lucia become pregnant by one of his men. He’ll use us as incubators for the son he never had.”
I pause, waiting for the punchline. It never comes. Shock followed quickly by horror trickles down my spine.
“I’m the convenient option. Lucia is somewhere in Mexico. He’ll retrieve her if he needs to. Or leave her there until she comes to term. But I’m already here, under his thumb. If he can disinherit me, he can cling to power a while longer. Until he decides to step down or has the heir he desires. Either option buys him the time he’s after.”
“If that’s what he wants, why hasn’t he demanded Maxim take your innocence already?” The thought of another man touching her sends fire raging through my veins. Leticia Castro is mine. No one else can touch her.
“Maxim knows about the contract.”
Her words take me by surprise. “How?”
“I told him.”
She what?!
“You know how he is. And I needed him to be on my side. Maxim hates being in his brother’s shadow. A marriage to me would bring him position and power. Two things he could never achieve on his own.”
I nod. I don’t like it. But I understand her reasoning. At least this way, he kept his hands to himself. Even if it was for the wrong reasons.
“Maxim won’t steal my virginity. Not if it costs him what he wants.”
That’s good except…
“So, what? You’ve just been waiting to die?”
“No!” she exclaims. “Of course not.”
Really? A soft growl rumbles through my chest. Because that’s what it looks like she’s doing.
“He won’t rush to kill me. If he can’t disinherit me, he’ll bide his time. I’m not a threat to him until I turn thirty-five. He’ll use the time between then and now to ensure Maxim knocks me up and to see if Maxim is malleable. If my father can manipulate him, there’s a chance he’ll change his mind.”
She shrugs, her expression resigned. “He won’t wait twelve years with you.”
It takes a beat for the implications of her words to sink in. When they do, fury stabs vicious claws into my skin.
“You think he’d try to kill you now?”
She nods.
No!
Jerking away from her, I stride to the other end of the room. Running my hands through my hair, my mind races through scenarios.Fuck!I don’t see a solution. But she’s right. Why didn’t I realize this sooner?
“Do you get it now?” She asks, her voice soft and broken. “It doesn’t matter if Maxim is good to me. Or if you’d respect me as an equal. I can’t be with you. Not if I want to live.”
