“Where’s the ring?”
This son of a bitch laughs, earning him another punch, this time near his eye. “Where is it? And before you say some smart-ass shit, just know I so happen to be friends with the original attorney that drafted this will. He’d believe me over you anyway, so you lie to me, and I will have the process of you being disbarred and arrested expedited.”
That shut him up quick. Now it’s a change of tune. “My dad will kill me if I get disbarred.”
“Oh well. Tough shit. Where’s the ring?” I ask again.
“What ring are you talking about?”
“The one you’ve been holding over my wife’s head. You have ten seconds, get it to me now or I’m calling the attorney and you can kiss your freedom goodbye.”
That reminder is all he needs and before I know it, he’s handing me a small jewelry box. “It’s all in there.”
I open it to confirm myself before stashing it in my back pocket.
James stares at himself again in the mirror, moaning and groaning about how he can’t show up to the wedding looking like this, thanks to me.
“You’re not going.”
“Excuse me? I was invited.”
“You were uninvited. Consider your invite revoked.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I can do whatever the hell I want, thanks to you.” I take out my phone, revealing the recording I managed to sneak and take while he was defending his forged rendition of Sarina’s grandma’s signature. “I have all the confirmation I need to really ensure you lose all your freedom. I look forward to not seeing you later today, or ever again for that matter. Consider the bruises and cuts my gift to you, because if you so much as mutter a word, I’ll share the recording and evidence and you’re done for. Understood?”
Like a scared puppy he nods.
“Good.”
I’m halfway through the door when James’ call out. “What about Mr. Tesoro, he was the one who put me up to it.”
I turn to face him. “Don’t worry, I’ll deal with that soon enough.”
Very soon.
CHAPTER 33
SARINA
As beautiful as Harper and Chloe’s wedding is, and as happy as I am for the two of them, I can’t help but feel distracted. Between my dad checking his phone nonstop during the ceremony and the way Tomás’ leg hasn’t stopped tapping since he sat down, their unease has spread to me, and I can’t help but feel that something is bound to happen. What that means exactly, I’m not sure, but I can sense it. And not being able to figure out what’s going on while I stand at my sister’s side, fulfilling my role of maid of honor, has me wanting to crawl out of my skin from the suspense.
It’s not until Harper and Chloe are announced wife and wife and make their way down the aisle, and everyone disperses to the cocktail hour location, with the bridal party leading the way, that I feel like I can breathe. Now it’s time to figure out what the hell is going on.
I reach for my phone tucked in my bra to text Tomás, and in the corner of my eye I see my dad storm past me, with my mom trailing behind, calling after him —but in typical my dad fashion, he ignores her.
Meet me at the bar
Tomás
Can’t
Why the hell not?
“Because I’m right behind you,” Tomás says from behind me with both arms draped over my shoulders. I place my phone back in my bra when I see blood.
I snatch his hand into mine, unable to look away from the bruises marring his knuckles, or the cuts scattered on them.
