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“I will get to the bottom of this,” my father assures us both. “My private investigators will find the truth soon enough.”
Esteban smiles at me. It makes my skin crawl. “Oh, I’m sure it’ll all work out. Yes,mi amor?”
I turn in my seat and face the window. I’d rather stare at the bars than at his ugly mug. While my father’s nostrils flare, Esteban only chuckles. He plucks his toothpick from his teeth and points at me with a smile.
“I like you,mi amor. You’ve got spunk. Remind me to sleep with one eye open.”
My father frowns, but there’s no denying the hopefulness in his voice. “Does this mean you still want to marry her?”
Esteban leans casually against my bedroom wall. “Well, we both knew going into this that the marriage was for strategic purposes. I’d forgive your debts, and in return you’d give me control of the Allegra racket.”
“And I’m the chess piece being used to seal the deal,” I mutter bitterly to myself. Both men ignore me.
“I don’t mind that she ran off and had a little fun,” Esteban continues. “I see it as a good thing. Let her get it out of her system before we marry. She won’t be allowed such a vacation once I’ve put a baby in her.”
I shoot him a glare over my shoulder. “Excuse me?”
“I need an heir,” Esteban says simply, looking at me as if I’m not the brightest. “Princesa, don’t tell me your sweet virgin ass doesn’t know where babies come from. You think I’m marrying you for your snark?”
I want to vomit. The thought of Esteban coming anywhere near me makes my skin crawl. “Touch me and I’ll cut your dick off,” I hiss.
He laughs, but this time there’s no humor in it. His eyes, cold and dark, don’t leave mine. “I need a son to raise, one who will eventually take my place. Don’t make this more complicated than it needs to be, sweetheart. It’s just business.”
I stare at him, barely able to hear over the rush of blood past my ears.
I’ve contemplated trying to escape again, but I’m starting to feel like a beaten animal. There’s no hope for me. If I run, my father or Esteban will have me dragged back or killed. I’m tired of fighting. At least if I’m stuck inside my cage, I’ll get three square meals a day and maybe live to a ripe old age where nobody pays me any attention anymore.
But what happens if I do get pregnant? The thought of Esteban raising my child to follow in his footsteps makes me nauseous. I’ve always loved the idea of having children of my own, but condemning them to a life in the cartel? What if my child grows up to be just like my father, or worse, Esteban—cruel, unfeeling, dangerous?
My options are limited.
Right now, I need to deal with one problem at a time. I need to keep myself safe and worry about the rest later.
“Get out of my room,” I murmur. “I want to take a nap.”
Esteban chuckles, sticking his toothpick back in place. “You’re forgetting who I am. I own this house, the same way I own you.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
Esteban pulls a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and lights up on the spot. The smoke makes my nose burn and my throat terribly dry. “Enough business for today,” he says. “Come downstairs,mi amor.”
“Why?” I grumble.
“Because I want to spend time with my lovely fiancé.”
“I’d rather eat nails.”
“Are you going to be this difficult when we’re married?”
“Yes.”
Esteban smirks. “Good. I like a challenge. Now, come.” He holds out his hand, beckoning with a curl of his finger. When I don’t move immediately, his snaps twice. “I don’t have all day. I’d rather not throw you over my shoulder.”
My lip curls into a sneer. “Put the damn cigarette out. I don’t want to breathe in your secondhand smoke.”
Esteban watches me like a bird of prey, sizing me up from his side of the room. “My mother smoked three packs a day while she was carrying me.”
“Is that why your face looks like that?” I ask flatly.
