Page 34 of Vendetta

“You stay out here. No boys allowed,” she pointed to the ground next to the door.

Cruz’s dark brows rose in surprise, but he shrugged and took up his position. I let out a chuckled snort of amusement. Cruz seemed content to wait. I doubted he had any interest in the workings of the spa, but I certainly did.

When the door closed behind us, Claudia leaned in and whispered, “You just have to survive the night, that’s all.” She said it as if it were easy. “We will save you.”

The wedding wasn’t until sunset, so we had the entire day for pampering. It probably still wasn’t enough, but I fucking needed it.

Cruz

After fucking Rosa to sleep last night, I was surprised to hear her half-muttered request to take her away from this. All things considered, with Lorenzo’s pack waiting for her, I could understand it, but she didn’t know anything about me. Not really, even if she thought she did. I hated keeping things from her. I wanted nothing more than to let her in, so she could see the real me and how my feelings for her were growing, despite my better judgment.

She should’ve been more careful about what she wished for because it was looking more and more like she was going to get it. There was still no sign of Valentina, and no indication Rafael had even tried to contact her. If she didn’t show, I knew what had to be done.

As much as I didn’t want this, it was my job. I owed Nico and his father everything. They’d saved me from the fighting pits and a slow but inevitable death. I couldn’t let her distract me from my loyalty.

This morning, after we caught him up on the situation, Francisco gave the order to snatch Rosalina. I still clung to the hope that her mother would show up to replace her. The Vascos were bad, but they might not be a death sentence. Whoever I took with me today was not long for this world.

I’d give the girls their spa day and watch how this played out. While they were getting their massages and makeup done, I’d be tapping into the cameras and getting the pieces in place for tonight.

Now that I knew Rosa better, there was a part of me that was hoping her mother wouldn’t show up. I’d rather have Rosa alone, tied up in our safe house, anyway. I just prayed there’d be some other option to settle this dispute, because if Francisco got his way, I might have to put a bullet between her pretty blue eyes.

Chapter 24

Rosalina

The spa was incredible. Claudia and I spent the day getting all the most luxurious, relaxing treatments done, but under it all, in the deepest part of my belly, all was in turmoil. I couldn’t stop thinking about the reality of the situation. My father wanted to ensure his organization had a future, which I understood to some extent, but there was plenty of time for that. He could hand leadership off to someone else. It didn’t have to be a blood relative. He was worried about my safety, but I was fine. I could handle myself. There was no reason this wedding had to happen.

As the nail technician poked at my fingers, Claudia peeled a cucumber slice from her eyes. “Rosie, she asked you a question.”

I shook my wandering thoughts away. “I’m sorry, what?” I tried to soften my tone, but it came out more harshly than I’d intended.

The woman smiled and patted my hand. “That’s all right. Wedding day jitters and all that, I understand. I asked what color you wanted your nails, hun?”

“Oh, I’m not… I mean… I don’t care.” I’d never considered it.

I wasn’t one of those girls who had her wedding planned out since childhood, although right now I wish I had, because then, at least I’d have an answer.

Claudia leaned over to look at the selection. “What does your ring look like? That could help. Or your dress.”

I shrugged, starting to feel awkward about this whole thing. How could they expect me to choose a nail polish color when I didn’t even want any part of this farce to begin with? They weren’t going to let it go, so after a second of thought, I replied. “Red, so when I gouge out Lorenzo’s eyes, the blood will match.”

The nail tech’s brows shot up, and her eyes darted around nervously.

Claudia choked and forced a laugh, shooting me a withering look. “Rosa, you’re so funny. Don’t joke like that, though. You’re scaring people.”

The technicians working on Claudia’s toes and nails shifted uneasily in their seats.

I was a fucking menace, apparently.

“Yeah, sorry. I was just kidding. Red’s my favorite color,” I hedged, trying to smooth things over with the staff. They deserved an extra big tip for dealing with the crazy I was bringing today.

“Red looks nice on you,” Claudia agreed, carrying on with pleasant small talk. “I could never pull off a deep red like that. It clashes with my skin tone, but it looks so nice on you.”

The nail tech started on Claudia’s pale, French-tipped gels. They suited her. I had other things on my mind, though, so I sat back and let the women finish in peace. I was awful to be around today, everyone would be better off if I kept silent. Once our nails were set, another team arrived to do our hair and makeup. Deep blood-red lips to match my nails and a classic warm brown smoky eye to complement the loose tendrils framing my face and the red and white flowers they’d pinned into my dark hair. Claudia’s pale blond tresses were set in a soft updo too, but her makeup was lighter to match her lighter complexion.

From the spa, we were shown to the bridal suite to finish getting ready for the claiming ceremony. In other circumstances, this would have been the perfect day. A beautiful beach resort with fantastic staff. Mimosas with Claudia and an entire day of relaxation and pampering, but as the sun slipped across the sky, my heart sank with it. Sunset was fast approaching, and anxiety burned in the back of my throat.

It was time to get dressed, but I wasn’t ready. I paced along the balcony as Claudia watched from the long vanity with worry creasing her brow.