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Dear God.I suck in a breath as a chilling sense of relief washes over me. I came so close to a fate worse than being fed to a panther. No wonder Jaguar seems so amused by my actions.
From where he’s sitting, they don’t make any fucking sense.
“So, what changed your mind?” I manage to croak out, still rattled by his revelation.
“If you were truly guilty of trying to deceive me, you would have pleaded,” he says, suddenly cold. “No one is that good of a liar, Lupe. You had the calm of a woman at peace with her truth. I can respect that.”
“Enough to let me go to California as I planned?” I ask halfheartedly.
A lethal grin plays on his lips. “Enough to take you out for a night on the town and go from there,” he says. “It’s progress. Though, while I attend to some business around the house, I’d like for you to wait for me here. Can you do that? I assure you that you won’t find a lack of entertainment.”
I recognize another test, though I can’t blame him. He’ll have his men watch my every move, no doubt. He wants to see if I’ll rush to tell Braulio about his supposedly missing friend. Should I refuse or try to leave, he’ll jump to the worst-case scenario, and I’ll have another up close and personal visit with Gatita.
Damn him. Damn him.
“What do you say, Tiena?” he asks.
“I’ve been dying to try out your pool,” I say, my tone neutral.
He smiles. “I’m sure one of my girls can lend you a swimsuit, though you should take care with those wounds. Perhaps sunbathing would be safer.”
“I’ll swim, and I don’t need a suit.” I stand and head toward a pair of glass doors that lead to the terrace.
“Oh, and one more thing,” Jaguar calls the exact second I think I’m safe from his scrutiny. “Maybe I was a bit hasty to introduce you to my kitty so soon, but you’ve recovered surprisingly well. Most women would be in shambles right now, begging for a sedative to take the bad memories away. You pretend to be rattled, I’ll give you that, but you aren’t in shock. That wasn’t the first time you’ve seen men killed in front of you. Not shot or stabbed, but torn apart.”
My steps falter. It takes me a second to recover from the shock, but I don’t try to hide it. He’s right.
But I won’t let him drag out that secret anytime soon.
“Your pool looks divine,” I simper, hurrying through the doors. Beyond them, I find a set of marble steps leading down to the pool, which thankfully is devoid of any other women.
Standing on the edge, I blind myself to everything but a need to separate myself from the rest of the world by any means possible. In the old days, that would mean inhaling, snorting, or smoking whatever scraps of his supply Diego sent my way to keep me compliant.
These days, pain is a better way to numb myself. I strip my altered dress, leaving on only my panties, and I dive in headfirst. Underwater, I let myself wince at the pain. It hurts so bad my mouth opens for a scream that’s instantly smothered. When I resurface, however, I do so with a blank expression, and I push everything from my mind but a need to exist where nothing can touch me. Not Jaguar, not Diego or his memory.
Nothing.
The blissful peace doesn’t last very long. A low, guttural laugh warns that my show has been viewed by someone who seems to have enjoyed it very much. His voice comes from nearby, perhaps at the doorway to the dining room.
“Enjoy it, chica,” he calls out. “Make yourself at home. You’ve earned a reprieve. For now.”
He’s talking about more than answering his last question, though he never bothers to say so outright.
Only a foolish woman could ignore his meaning.
CHAPTERELEVEN
Istay in the pool all damn day, and I don’t leave it once. Not even to use the bathroom. I hold it instead, ignoring my straining bladder.
At some point, I roll onto my back and float, staring at the cloudless sky. On my millionth trip drifting around the pool, I notice a window above that must provide the view glimpsed from Jaguar’s suite.
I stare directly into it and wonder if that’s where he’s chosen to conduct his business. He can see me, and I hope he takes comfort in the fact that I won’t betray him.
And that most of his men lurk on the edges of the pool, watching me as well. I don’t attempt to hide a damn thing, either. I let them stare, and I stretch my limbs leisurely, long after my fingers and toes have become wrinkled.
As the sun lowers on the horizon, I finally note a figure, clad in black, standing at the side of the pool, his arms crossed, smirk visible from here.
“I hate to interrupt your fun, Lupe,” Jaguar says. He’s fully dressed in a black silk shirt and jeans, his hair slicked back and glistening in the waning sunlight. “The night awaits. My friend here will help you get changed.” He gestures to a beautiful, voluptuous blond who appears behind him.
