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“Always follow the money,” I say. It’s something Jax says often and he winks at me.
My father narrows his eyes at him. “Rolling over isn’t like you.”
“Yeah? Well I’ve never had someone threaten to post pictures of my wife having sex before, amigo. I’m not on my fucking A game here. I still don’t know what happened in Dallas. This could all be linked for all we know,” he snaps, rubbing his hands through his hair in frustration. “Besides, I’m not rolling over. This is the easiest way to find them. I’ll get you your money back.”
“I don’t give a shit about the money, Jax, but if we look like we’re weak. If we give in at the slightest hint of pressure.”
I fidget in my seat. This is all my fault. “I’m so sorry, Papi,” I whisper.
“You did nothing wrong,” Jax reminds me, but my father doesn’t reassure me. A few words to ease my guilt, but he refuses to say them. Jax turns back to him. “This isn’t pressure. This is your fucking daughter, amigo.”
“You think I don’t know that? But this is about more than my daughter. More than you. This is about my family’s legacy. I will not be the weak link in the fucking chain.”
I sigh because he’s right. He can’t afford for our family to appear vulnerable. He is the head of the entire organization and sometimes he has to make difficult decisions. I don’t envy him that.
“You’re really going to risk that video being leaked?” Jax snarls at him. “Because if you do, you’re not the man I thought you were and I’ll find the goddamn money myself.”
I smile at my husband. He doesn’t have that sort of cash just lying around. None of us do. But Montoya Inc. does.
My father sighs heavily as he sits back in his chair. “Of course I won’t. Arrange to have the money transferred and make sure you can follow it.”
“I’ll get it sorted,” Jax says.
“When we find these sick fucks…” my father snarls.
“Yeah, I know,” Jax agrees and it seems like they are finally on the same page.
I look down at my lap. The guilt and humiliation feels like an elephant sitting on my chest. I cling to Jax’s hand as I struggle to breathe.
Jax leans close to me, his lips brush my ear. “It will be okay, baby,” he whispers. “Just breathe.”
My father pushes his chair back and walks around the desk to me. Cupping my chin, he tilts my head. “Jax is right,mija, you did nothing wrong. Don’t you ever hang your head in shame again, you hear me? You are Lucia fucking Montoya!”
“Decker actually,” Jax reminds him and it makes me laugh a little. My father frowns at him but then he winks at me.
“He’s right,” my mom says as she walks up behind him. “You have nothing to be sorry for or ashamed about, sweetheart.” Then she places her hand on my father’s shoulder. “Let’s go get the boys out of the pool and leave Jax and Lucia alone for a few minutes,” she suggests and I offer her a smile of gratitude.
“She’ll always be a Montoya, amigo,” he says to Jax, only half joking, as he leans down and kisses my forehead.
Once my parents have left the room I feel like I can breathe again. Being here alone with Jax, I let out the tears I’ve been holding back for the past ten minutes. “Oh, my God, Jax,” I cry and he pulls me into his arms.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” he says as he smooths my hair. “I’ll fix this. I promise you.”
“I know, but what if you don’t fix it in time?”
“I will,” he insists. “Have I ever let you down?”
“No,” I sniff, wiping tears from my cheeks. “But no matter what you do, someone still saw us. My parents saw us, but even worse they saw what I did with Toni.”
“What we did with Toni,” he reminds me. “You’re not in this on your own, Luce.”
“I know, but it’s not you who’s half naked with someone’s head buried between your legs,” I snap, regretting my tone when I see the hurt on his face. He’s hurting just as much as I am.
“I know,” he says softly.
“Do you think Toni has anything to do with this?” I ask, searching his eyes for my answer.
“No,” he says firmly. “I told you, I trust her. I would never let her anywhere near you if I didn’t.”
