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Papa nods, and a smile spreads across his face. “Excellente. I appreciate a man who can set aside personal differences in the name of the almighty dollar.”
“I don’t trust them,” Emiliano adds. “Don’t you think it’s odd that they murdered the Iron Kings, and now they have our business?” He shakes his head. “It stinks to hell.”
“The Iron Kings were reckless and disrespectful. I appreciated Hector as a businessman, but his lack of leadership is why he and his MC are no more,” Papa counters.
I nod my agreement because no one is paying attention to me. Hector and his crew were little more than small-time criminals. They didn’t worry about getting caught. And they started trouble with everyone without regard to the repercussions. My only surprise is that it took so long for them to be wiped out. They brought their demise on themselves.
“Bullshit, Papa,” Emiliano says, slapping the table to make his point. “The Reckless Souls are up to something. I just know it. Let’s just kill that little bitch who shot Alejandro and go back home.”
Papa’s nostrils flare, but he finishes the food on his plate before turning to Emiliano. “First, you will watch how you speak to me.”
Emiliano’s head falls forward. “I am sorry, Papa.”
“Second, we are not here to make friends with the bikers. This is business, or have you forgotten that? If so, maybe Valentina is right, and you need to return to Colombia to refresh your memory.”
“No, Papa. I understand.”
“Are you sure? Because you seem more concerned with revenge for Alejandro’s death and not with enriching this family and Los Tres Colombianos.”
“I’m sure,” he growls and stabs at a piece of steak with his fork, angry and defeated, which, of course, means he’s going to do something stupid or reckless soon.
I let out a near-silent sigh and stare at my untouched food. Is this what I want to be a part of? Always fighting against Papa to do what I think is right? To try to reverse his old ways of doing business? I’m not sure.
So much of my adult life has been about trying to please my father, trying to prove my worth as more than the instrument to make a good marriage. Now that I’m so close, I’m not sure it’s what I want.
No, that’s not true. It is what I want, but I also want the one thing denied to me when I was forced to marry Alejandro. Love. I want a man who can love and protect me, and it would be incredible if that man wasn’t afraid of Papa.
And if that man is Dix, then I have to stay here and see what we can become.
“You will leave the Reckless Souls alone, Emiliano. Do you understand?”
My brother nods but I can see the determination on his face before he speaks. “Papa, this cannot stand. If we don’t show these bikers what it means to kill one of us, it will be open season on our men everywhere.”
Papa raises his voice. “Dammit, I said leave them alone. If I find out even one hair on that girl’s head has been touched, being my son will not save you. Do you understand?”
He gets our attention, and Emiliano nods but remains silent.
Papa slams his fist on the table, his face red with anger and outrage. “I said do you understand me?”
“Yes, Papa. I understand,” Emiliano grovels.
“Good. I don’t want to have to repeat myself.” His gaze settles on me, giving me a look that makes his men quiver in their boots. “We will talk more later, Valentina.”
I push away from the table and glance down at my half-eaten dinner.
“Okay, Papa,” I reply, hugging him and kissing his cheek.
As I leave the dining room, I feel more confused than ever. I want to be part of the family business, but not at the cost of my own happiness. I need to figure out what I want and fight for it, but it's easier said than done.
My heart aches for Dix, and I can’t shake the feeling that he might be the one for me. But the reasons we shouldn't be together are clear, and I can't ignore them.
As I make my way back to my room, I wonder if I’m making the right choice. Should I have stayed with Dix and fought for our love, or is it better to focus on the family business and my own goals?
I sit on the edge of my bed and take a deep breath, trying to clear my mind. Maybe I can have both, but I must be smart about it. I do have a business degree and speak better English than anyone else in the family. Maybe I can use those skills to make a name for myself and prove my worth to Papa.
But first, I need to deal with my feelings for Dix. I can’t just ignore them or push them aside. I need to confront them head-on and figure out what I really want.
