AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He pinches the ass in question while I scan the room wildly for Braulio. I don’t see him—yet.
He’ll arrive sooner or later. It’s only a matter of seconds.Run, Pita.
My captor, however, doesn’t seem inclined to let me go.
“We should dance,” Jaguar murmurs, his glee apparent. “I wonder how well you can make that body move off my cock.”
His tone triggers an irritation I can’t bite back.
“You’ve offered me up as bait, Jaguar,” I say, fighting to keep my voice under control. I don’t look at him, instead keeping my focus on the crowd and any passerby who could potentially be Braulio.
“Ah, don’t sound so angry, chica.” Jaguar strokes my cheek with his thumb. “You are beautiful, tempting bait. After all, if you left that bastard of your own accord, you don’t need to fear him when you’re around me. Unless you’ve beenlying, Tiena. In that case, Braulio is the least of your worries.”
I don’t shiver in face of the threat. Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise.
“I have been lying,” I admit, my voice breaking. It’s risky to come clean now, but it’s better to do so before anyone else can ruin the surprise for me. With my gaze still darting from partygoer to partygoer, I decide it’s well worth the risk. “Braulio will be very surprised to see me, because I’m not—”
“It seems you spoke too soon,” Jaguar growls, inclining his head in the opposite direction. “And he seems very, very surprised to see you, chica.”
“W-What?”
Heart heavy with dread, I turn in the direction Jaguar indicates and tremble. Braulio himself stands paces away, his eyes on my face. He’s dressed in his typical gaudy attire—a white tank top adorned with countless gold chains, and his shaved head on display. His expression, however, catches me off guard, and I fight to school mine into a blank mask. He doesn’t look angry to see me, or even shocked. His eyes go wide instead, and his usual shit-eating grin is absent. Much like Niles, he looks as though he’s seeing a ghost.
For a second, concern for my sister worms to the forefront of my mind. Tiena…What the hell have you gotten yourself into?If she were afraid that Braulio could put his own son in the hospital with little provocation, what in the world was he capable of doing to her?
“Talk to him,” Jaguar commands, shoving me forward. “Make sure you brag about how good of a girl you’ve been for me.”
I stagger on my borrowed heels and try to think.Focus, Pita!
Braulio makes no move to approach me first, and I consider running. It would be better to do so than be unmasked here in the open. Before I can wrestle my body into submission, I sense movement behind me.
“Braulio, come,” Jaguar calls, robbing me of the chance to flee. “Say hello to my friend. I’ve been told you two were acquainted.”
“Jaguar.” Braulio finally advances, but his expression doesn’t switch to smug confidence. As he draws even with me, he rams his shoulder against mine. “You little cunt,” he murmurs too softly for Jaguar to hear. “You lying bitch—”
“Come.” A familiar grip seizes my hand and pulls me back against a broad shoulder and a body carved from solid muscle. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she? What did you say your name was, baby? Lupita?” Jaguar asks. He speaks loudly enough for Braulio to hear, and at the sound of my name, his eyes widen. He can’t help himself.
With fresh curiosity, he flicks his gaze toward me again, but triumphant isn’t what I’d call his expression. It’s utter fear, and I can guess the source.Tiena.Whatever she’s gotten herself into, he thinks I’m in on it.
“It’s good to see you, Jaguar,” he says, having gotten himself under control. His gruff voice makes my skin crawl, and I bite my lip to avoid demanding answers about Franco. “You know I am always open to meeting with you, but I have prior engagements. If you’ll excuse me.” He gestures to the two men who lurk in his shadow—a drastic difference from his usual crew of hangers-on. It’s not the number that alarms me, but the fact that they both carry themselves with unmistakable alertness—these men are bodyguards, not Braulio’s usual sycophants. He’s come prepared tonight.
For what?
Teeth bared in a feral smile, Jaguar doesn’t offer up any hint as to what he might be planning. “Ah, and Braulio?” he adds before the man can fade into the crowd. “If you see Niles, send him my way. I wanted to discuss an issue with his route.”
Braulio inclines his head, seemingly unaware of the grisly fate of his trusted ally. “Sí.”
As he leaves, Jaguar retreats from me, releasing my arm. I stiffen, picking up on a sudden change—his entire mood has shifted. Something’s wrong. No longer is he smug or confident or even angry. Whatever he expected from this little stunt, he didn’t seem to get.
But why?
And Braulio… He didn’t rush to expose me as an imposter of Tiena. Instead, he seemed… Afraid. I’ve seen the same man order my sister around like a tyrant and threaten grown men without batting an eyelash. Never have I seen him cower before—and never has he looked at me like that. Like he thought I was playing some horrific role in a game against him. One he was only now starting to grasp.
Ice runs down my spine, triggering a wave of nausea. What the hell has Tiena done?
Something bad. Perhaps Braulio isn’t alone in his sudden need for a bodyguard. I feel exposed out in the open under my assumed identity—and it seems Jaguar has changed his mind about extending his protection. He’s left me gaping on the threshold of the party, and I spy him halfway across the rooftop with his harem of minions. When I attempt to follow him, I’m jostled by those nearby who seem eager to get my attention.
“Tiena,” someone murmurs, grabbing for my arm. “Where in the hell have you been, girl?”
