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He remains silent as he drags me by the arm to the golf cart and shoves me onto the passenger seat. When he settles into the driver’s seat, he turns his head toward me. “Mr. Montez is having you followed. You shouldn’t have come here.”
We drive to the house in silence as I don’t ask Marco to explain. His talking to me could have grave consequences. He escorts me into the familiar marble and glass foyer. Hushed voices filter through a door that leads to Torrente’s office. A moment later, the door opens and Eduardo enters the room.
His tailored suit emulates a businessman, but underneath, he still emits an air of the thug I watched begging for his life in this very room. He pours himself a drink and spins to face me. “Mr. Torrente is at the beach with his family,” he says, approaching me slowly. I’m not intimidated by him, although I don’t doubt he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me. “I assume you’re here because I have something you want.”
“Yes,” I answer with my chin high.
“You can’t have her?”
The protective edge to his tone is insight into the man he pretends to be, as if he genuinely cares for Maria. Only I know the truth about their past. Perhaps he doesn’t know she told me. “Oh, I didn’t come here for Maria. She was a lot of fun, but I don’t give a shit about her.”
He lets out a clipped laugh before draining the liquor in his glass. “Yet, you were going to marry her.”
“That was about appearances.” I shrug. “Helpful to my career. Once I was caught with a hooker, the only way to salvage my company was to play the love card and defend her. Certainly a man of your prestige understands.”
His taking a moment to size me up works in my favor. He’s struggling to respond in my world now. A world of calculated business transactions, not swift, rage filled gang wars where his reputation helps him. He wants something from me, or I would already be dead.
“Then why are you here?” he asks.
“My company made a large sum off of Mr. Torrente’s investments, as did Mr. Torrente.”
“Mr. Torrente didn’t make a dime off of his arrangement with you. I did.”
He can’t help but gloat. That’s why he’ll always be nothing more than a street thug. Real leaders, genuine gangsters, don’t have to brag. Everyone knows who they are and what they’re capable of.
“I take that to mean you’re now running the Torrente Cartel?”
“That is correct, and I’m sure you’re surprised to see me alive.”
Footsteps pound into the tile before I have the chance to answer.
“Daddy,” Javier sings as he runs toward me.
A smile overtakes my face as I instinctually bend over at the waist with my arms outstretched to catch my little boy who I’ve missed painfully. Javier breezes past me, jumping into the arms of a man he shares blood with—his rightful father.
I stand, closing my eyes to ease the sting of tears. If they come, they’ll ruin my plans to convince Eduardo I’m not here for my family.
“Hi, Mr. Hunter,” Javier says, holding Eduardo’s leg.
“Hey, buddy.” I manage to get the words out while maintaining my composure.
“Your son loves the beach.”
Her voice enters the room in singsong before she does, slicing through me like razor blades. Only the searing pain doesn’t come until I see her. The smile on her face confirms how happy she is without me in her life. She’s more beautiful than I remember. A pink sundress hugs every inch of her glowing olive-skin. Her eyes widen when we make contact. They move between me and Eduardo as she makes her way toward him.
“What is he doing here?” Maria asks with anger lacing each steady word.
“That is none of your concern,” Eduardo answers, grabbing her roughly by the arm. She stretches up on her toes and whispers in his ear. His features harden as he whispers an answer. I resist the urge to piss all over Eduardo’s leg and carry Maria out of here over my shoulder caveman style. The fear radiating from her as he rel
eases her makes me want to defend her, but she chose him and this life. Taking care of her is his responsibility and if she wants to be abused, that’s her business. “Where’s your father?”
“They’re staying the week,” she tells him with her head down.
“Take Javier to his room.”
She nods, placing her hands on Javier’s shoulders and guiding him out of the room.
Eduardo grins. “She thinks I’m going to kill you.”
