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“But Stefano…” Her voice hitched on my boss’ name, and I drew her closer to my chest. “He’ll want retribution. I don’t know what my brother had planned, but I had nothing to do with it. If Daniel and Arturo were working against Stefano, I didn’t know anything about it. I swear. You have to believe me.”
I blinked and focused on her face. Other than her striking eyes and raven’s wing hair, Isabel’s features were nothing like the woman I’d failed all those years ago. The girl in my arms was slender and fragile rather than sensually curvy. Her face was drawn in sharp but delicate lines, the harsh edges softened by lush lips and long, dark lashes that swept her bronze cheeks.
Isabel, I reminded myself. I was holding Isabel Vera, the young woman I’d carefully avoided for at least half a decade. Ever since the day I’d been invited to one of her father’s parties, and an alluring, willowy woman stood where a gangly girl used to be. A woman with hypnotic eyes and hair as black as a starless sky.
“You believe me, don’t you?” she implored when I remained silent for a second too long.
“Yes,” I admitted, grounding myself in the present. “I believe you.”
The little I’d seen of Isabel at her family’s parties had hinted at a sheltered life. She never spoke more than polite greetings to men, her father keeping a watchful eye on every man she interacted with. Even though she had to be in her mid-twenties by now, he’d never married her off because he hadn’t deemed anyone worthy of becoming his son-in-law. Daniel seemed less interested in his sister’s affairs since their father had died six months ago, and the siblings had never appeared close. When Isabel claimed that she was completely ignorant to the planned coup, I believed her.
She trembled in my arms, and I heard myself saying, “I’ll stay with you when you meet with Stefano. He should be back from dealing with your brother soon.”
My boots crunched on broken glass, signs of the violence that’d exploded through these vast halls only minutes ago. The firefight was over, the coup ended before it could begin.
“Dealing with him?” she pressed breathlessly. “Is Daniel… Is he still alive?”
I forced my strange emotions down and formed ice around my heart. It wasn’t difficult when I thought of Daniel. The little shit had tried to take control of the cartel. My cartel. I might not be the boss, but the organization was my life. I bled for them. I would die defending them. Stefano Duarte was my king. He’d proven himself worthy. If Stefano didn’t kill Daniel, I’d gladly do the job myself.
“Your brother is a dead man.” The words dropped from my lips as shards of ice, but Isabel didn’t flinch. Instead, she closed her lovely eyes and released a long exhale. I’d expected her to tense up, possibly to struggle and rail at me. But she seemed to relax slightly into my arms, some of the tension uncoiling from her slender frame.
Something burned in the pit of my stomach. “Did he hurt you?” The question was little more than a savage growl. My instincts were completely fucked up when it came to Isabel and her mesmerizing eyes. I owed this girl nothing; I barely knew her. And yet, I recognized the burn in my gut: protective rage.
I hated men who beat weaker, innocent people. Men like Arturo, the fucker. I hoped Raúl took his time with the traitor. He’d hit this fragile creature in my arms, who posed no threat to him at all. And if I was reading her body language correctly, Arturo wasn’t the only man who’d beaten her; Daniel had made her suffer.
Her lashes lowered to her pale cheeks, hiding those eyes from me. “I’ll be better off without Daniel in my life.” She peeked up at me. “You must think I’m terrible for saying that.”
I jerked my gaze from hers, focusing on navigating my way through the enormous mansion. “If Daniel hurt you, then you’re just speaking the truth. And from what I knew of him, he was a cruel, entitled little bastard. You probably are better off without him in your life.”
“What will happen to me?” The words were so soft that they were barely audible.
“Nothing,” I swore. “I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
“But I mean…after. After I meet with Stefano. What happens then?” Her gaze trailed along the floor, marking the broken glass and shell casings. Her home was a wreck.
“You’ll come back home,” I said firmly. “You’ll be okay.”
She pressed her full lips to a thin line and turned her face away, putting distance between us despite remaining cradled in my arms. I pulled her closer on impulse. “I’ll keep you safe,” I promised.
I wasn’t sure if I was speaking to the ghost from my past or the young woman who’d captured my full attention. All I knew was that I’d honor my vow. He might be my boss, but I wouldn’t allow Stefano Duarte to harm one hair on Isabel’s raven head.
