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He crosses the room and crouches to help with one of the shoes. I try to pull away, but he grips my leg, his big hand rough. He doesn’t let go. “Stay.”
“Don’t touch me. I belong to your brother, not you.” Wow. Did I just really say that out loud?
He closes the strap, and I can see at this angle that he’s grinning. He mutters something under his breath, and I swear it sounds like he says for now.
“For now? What does that mean?” I ask once he stands. He towers over me, so I stand too, but even with the heels—just as with Santos—the top of my head barely comes to his chin.
“Nothing, sis. You misheard.” He threads my arm through his and tugs me close. Standing like this, I can smell his aftershave and feel the heat coming off him.
I try to pull free, but he tightens his grip.
“Relax. It’s all for show. Happy family and all.”
“Let me go. You don’t have to touch me.”
“Be good or I’ll let Mommy do what she’s itching to do anyway just because you’re who you are.”
“And what’s that?”
“Strap your ass.”
My mouth falls open.
He chuckles. “Relax. She won’t touch you. You have Santos’s protection. He’s made that clear.”
He has? “Santos isn’t here,” I point out.
“Don’t remind her,” he says, face serious. “I know you don’t like me or trust me, and I get it. But do as I say tonight. Understand, Madelena?”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you have more enemies than you know.” Silence falls heavy between us until he shifts his gaze to adjust the cape of the dress, draping the material over the tops of my arms. His fingertips graze my skin, and I look down to see he’s touching one of the scars there.
My mouth goes dry and when I look at him, he’s watching me.
“Your secret’s safe with me,” he says.
His words send a chill through me, making me shudder noticeably. Santos told him?
“We need to go.”
“Do you know where he is?” I ask, stopping Caius before we walk out of my bedroom.
His cocky expression gives way to one of worry, and he shakes his head. “He’ll turn up.”
Before I can ask anything else, we’re out in the living room. Ana is leaning against the door of her bedroom, arms folded across her chest and staring daggers at me.
“Don’t pout, Ana. It’s not becoming on you,” Evelyn says, dismissing her as she gives Caius and me a once-over, nods her approval, and leads the way out.
My head is spinning with information I’m trying to make sense of. I don’t speak during the ride, but the two of them keep up a quiet conversation. I barely listen.
Once we’re in the hall, Caius hands me a glass of champagne. I’m grateful for it. We stand at the entrance of the grand room, and I watch Evelyn Augustine take it all in. She scans faces, and I get the feeling she’s cataloging them. When she pauses and her expression shifts infinitesimally, I follow the line of her sight and almost gasp when I see she’s looking at Bea Avery. Bea is looking back at her, too. And I swear I see a crack in Evelyn’s ice-queen armor.
Evelyn clears her throat and turns to us. “Let’s mingle, shall we?” she says, and pastes a smile on her face. I glance at Bea as I’m led into the room and find her eyes locked on Evelyn’s back. There’s history here. I doubt it’s pretty.
Evelyn is charming as we work the room. She and Caius do most of the talking. I am an arm piece… and a key. Everyone here knows me—well, knows the De Léon name. I am welcome and in turn, so are they.
When they ask where my husband is, Evelyn tells them he wasn’t feeling well. She makes a point of mentioning how Caius stepped up to accompany his sister-in-law, whom he already is very close with. I barely get a few words in as Evelyn and Caius talk and laugh easily. I wonder what will happen to me once they’re accepted into the circles they want so badly to be a part of because I will have worn out my usefulness.
