AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sonia,” my father calls as I pass his study on the way to see Luna the following morning. “Come here.”
I grimace, wishing I’d gone a different way. As I step closer, my sister scurries out, looking as if she’s been put through the ringer.
“I’m so sorry,” Amelia mouths before she hurries down the hall.
Frowning, I go into the office. “Pa.” I immediately stiffen when I spot my brother sitting in one of the chairs across from the desk.
“Shut the door,” my father instructs. “I need to have a chat with you.”
Hesitantly, I sit beside Ezequiel. “What are you in for?” I joke.
My older brother snickers. “This isn’t about me, Soni.”
I tilt my chin up, though deep inside, I’m trembling. “What’s going on?” I ask my father, terrified he knows about Santos. Praying this isn’t about him.
“Diego and his family are going to Spain next week,” he states.
“Really?” I breathe a sigh of relief. “He hasn’t mentioned anything about it.”
“When would he? You’ve barely seen him in months.”
“I’ve been enjoying time with Luna.”
Ezequiel snickers and I glare at him. My father clears his throat and begins to tap his fingers against his desk in a rhythm that sounds an awful lot like war drums.
“I want you to go with them,” he says flatly. His gaze hardens on me and narrows.
He knows.Jesucristo, he knows!
“I’d rather stay. Spain is so dull,” I protest weakly, hoping he doesn’t sense the fear threatening to choke me.
“I didn’t ask,” he replies.
“Pa, I don’t want to go!”
“Of course you don’t!” He pounds both fists in front of him, sending papers flying and making me jump. “You’d rather stay here and roll around in the stables with that degenerate!”
“You’ve been seen, Soni,” my brother throws in. “Don’t deny it.”
I turn on him, partly because he’s closer and partly because I’m less afraid of him. “You shut the fuck up!”
He laughs in my face. “You’re so stupid. I bet he told you he loves you. That you’re the only one. He’s got the pretty rich girl sneaking out every night while he fucks every other girl in town during the day.”
“How the fuck would he do that when he’s being worked into the ground by our Pa just so he can get back what belonged to him?” I demand.
“What belonged to him? You mean the land his deadbeat dad pawned to cover his gambling debts? Yeah, he’s trying to get it back. But how much easier would it be if he just snags you? And like every other dumb woman, you eat up any attention he gives you.” He looks at me with so much disgust, I hardly recognize him. Never have I seen Ezequiel this angry, this disappointed in me. “You were raised better than to spread your legs for the help.”
I reach over and slap him so hard, my palm hurts. “He may be the help, but he’s more man than you’ll ever be.”
“Enough!” my father booms. “This is not up for debate. You will go to Spain with Diego. You will make your relationship public. And you will marry him when you return.”
“No! I don’t want to marry him. I’m going to marry Santos. I love him and there’s nothing you can do about it!”
“The hell there isn’t!” He stands to his full height, his chest puffing out and making him seem even larger than usual. “You will not see that boy again, or so help me God, I will have him incarcerated.”
“For what?” I cry.
He smiles in a way that frightens me more than if he were screaming at me. “Try me and you’ll find out.”
