Page 85 of No Darker Temptation

Diego and Alejandro meet gazes. “Should we re-route them?”

He lifts a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Do you trust Regina’s advice?”

The mention of Regina makes me stiffen but I remain silent.

“No. But the call is yours. She hasn’t led us astray thus far and if she says we should re-route all those shipments to avoid France then it wouldn’t be a bad call. We just have to be willing to take the risk.”

Lettie looks at her brother, eyes shining with sympathy. “What do you want to do?”

I answer for him. “He wants to go to sleep. Because he hasn’t slept in thirty-six hours and now he has to wait another two before taking his pain meds.” Gently, I take the drink from his hands and he doesn’t object. “Can’t this wait until tomorrow?”

He takes my hand and kisses it quickly. “No, it can’t. Go to bed, Dahlia. I’ll be there in a little while.”

I move around the chair and kneel beside him. He’s a disheveled mess with his waistcoat unbuttoned, sleeves rolled all the way up to his biceps, and a rare five o’clock shadow. “Will you eat something at least? What do you want, I’ll order it for you⁠—”

“Enough, Dahlia,” he snaps. “I could finish what I’m doing faster without any interruption.”

Lettie opens her mouth. Diego’s hand flies out and he squeezes his sister’s hand silencing her.

As for me, I reel backward, shocked as if he’s struck me. Twice in one day.

I think that’s more than I can take.

He rubs his eyes as if it’ll fend off the exhaustion but he looks as wrecked as he did seconds before he stuck a knife in my side. “Dahlia⁠—”

“Don’t talk to me like that!” I hate the way my voice cracks at the end and I hate it even more when everyone looks at me with pitiful eyes and softened expressions.

“I didn’t mean⁠—”

“I don’t give a shit. It doesn’t give you the right to speak to me that way when I’m only trying to help. And if I don’t fully understand what’s going on here, why you’re upset, and why everyone’s so tense, then that’s not my fault either.”

“We need to finish this. Tonight. Go back to bed and⁠—”

“I know you’re accustomed to everyone in your life kissing the ring and taking orders but don’t ever assume their unwavering obedience extends to me. I don’t take orders from you and I sure as Hell will not be mistreated by you, neither in public nor in private. If you were going to be such an insufferable son of a bitch, you should’ve left me at home. I could’ve saved myself the embarrassment of being treated like your personal punching bag!”

I don’t give anyone the chance to come after me. I storm out of the room before anyone can see me cry.

It’s before dawn when the mattress finally shifts.

Sleep was fitful and light, and my eyes burn with the effort to open them. Alejandro sits on the edge of the bed behind me and I can feel it when he runs his fingers through my hair. Last night, I forgot to braid it and I dread the moment I have to run a comb through the tangled mess. Unexpectedly, his fingers glide right through, the touch so soft I can barely feel it. He sits for a long time and I wonder what’s on his mind. Is it worth it to turn over and tell him I’m awake or would it be better to remain silent?

“I know you’re awake,” he whispers. “It’s all right if you don’t want to speak to me. I just need to sit here for a little while longer and then I’ll leave.”

I go rigid.

“Now I really know you’re awake,” he says and whatever humor might’ve been in his voice is drowned out by exhaustion.

“How did you know?”

“You breathe differently in your sleep.”

Debating between giving him the cold shoulder and facing this head on I decide it’s better not to let things linger. I turn over to face him and when I do, he runs the back of his hand across my cheek. “Sientes que te amo, ¿verdad?”

I frown. “Of course I know you love me.”

He shakes his head. “Sentir. That’s very different. I didn’t ask if you knew, I asked if you felt it.”

“Not this afternoon,” I confess.