Page 51 of No Greater Oblivion

My eyes flutter shut.

There it is. That. Weight.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Ordering a drink.” The bartender approaches and leaves a bourbon on the rocks on the counter in front of him. Alejandro sits beside me and leans back until the stool is balanced on its hind legs. “What are you doing here?”

“Why wouldn’t I be here?” I look up. “Why were you talking to Sasha?”

A flicker of surprise dances across Alejandro’s features before his mouth settles into a deep scowl. I can’t remember the last time he smiled at me. “Of course…let me guess, was he another one of your conquests?”

Resentment burns through me. “Jealous?”

“No.” He answers with such confidence it grates my nerves. “You’ll get over it eventually.”

“I will not.”

“You can only give yourself over to so many men, so many times, before your body collapses from the sheer exhaustion of trying to forget me.” He takes a leisurely sip of his drink. “Though the effort is admirable.”

“You’re a deplorable creature.”

“Do you love him?” His question is blunt and matter of fact. He doesn’t need to elaborate for me to know he’s asking about Rian.

“Madly. Deeply. Obsessively,” I reply with equal quickness. “And I’m dying for you to leave so I can get on with my life.”

When he laughs, the sound is laced with irony. He lifts the rim of his glass to his lips and finishes the rest of his bourbon in a single go. “Whatever you say, Dee.”

“What were you guys talking about up there?”

“Nothing that concerns you.”

“How do you know Damiano?”

The bartender passes by, and Alejandro lifts a finger. In seconds, the bartender replenishes his drink and something clicks. Alejandro never actually asked for what he wanted…

“You’ve been here before.”

He quirks a brow. “Someone’s clever.”

Fuck my life.

Of course, the one place I went to get away from him is also the one place in the entire city he has a connection to.

“Alex, I’m not fucking around with you. Why were all of you upstairs together? What were you talking about?”

He turns and rocks back and forth on his seat, balancing himself with a single hand on the bar. “You came here trying to escape me and have no idea just how deeply you’ve entangled yourself.” He studies me a moment, likely deciding how much he should tell me. “Damiano’s great-grandfather gave Abuelo his start in the shipping business. His cousin, Vincenzo, is the one who helped me take care of Ibanez and Montenegro.”

He goes on. “Rian, as I’m sure you’ve already figured out, is the one who gave me the call when we were at Moises and Bertha’s. Sasha is a business acquaintance, and Li is a necessary evil.”

I open my mouth to ask why he dislikes Li so much but decide against it.

Instead, I say, “Don’t retaliate against him.”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Am I supposed to believe it’s a coincidence you and Sasha are such friendly acquaintances?” I reply. “Whatever you’re planning, don’t. They’re brothers, Alex, just like you and Diego. They’re trying to get along for their mother’s sake, and if you get between them⁠—”

“I don’t have to do anything. They’ll tear each other apart without my having to lift a finger.”