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Valentina’s green gaze flies to mine. “Dix?”
I don’t know what to say. I feel like an asshole, more when she stares at me like I’m a goddamn traitor.
“Arturo will be here soon.”
She throws up her hands in frustration. “You’re his boss, not mine, and it’s clear none of you give a fuck about me. I’m out of here.” She stomps off toward our room.
I turn to Ace as anger burns deep in my gut. “I don’t fucking believe this. What the fuck does this have to do with Rojas?”
Ace’s jaw clenches tight but he doesn’t give away much in the way of emotions. Never does. “She’s his daughter. We need to keep a good relationship with Arturo and LTC. We can’t afford to fuck this up, not when we’re so close to getting what we want.”
My heart is goddamn seizing in my chest. “I never thought the day would come,” I growl. “You’re sacrificing her to punish me, right?” I shake my head. “Enjoy your deal with Rojas and his psychopathic shit of a son.” I turn and leave, hoping to catch Valentina before she does something stupid.
“Yo, Dix! Wait up.” Banger catches up to me with a crooked smile. “Look, brother. This is just how it has to be. For now. No one is saying she can’t make her own decisions.”
“Bullshit,” I cut him off. “That’s exactly what you’re saying. It’s like y’all want to return her like she’s some goddamn lost purse. It’s fucked up, man, and you know it.”
“Maybe, yeah,” he agrees. “But just for now.”
“You mean just long enough for him to ship her back to Colombia or force her to marry some other fucking cartel dude?” I shake my head in disgust. “Whatever you need to tell yourself, Banger. Doubt you’d be saying that if we decided to hand over Willow just to keep the fucking peace.”
I walk to my room just as the door flies open and Valentina storms out.
“Dix,” she growls and shoulder checks me on her way out of the clubhouse.
“Valentina, wait up babe. Please.”
“No. I need to get…away from here. Muy pronto.” Her heels smack against the tile floors, and I chase after her, feeling like I’m in the middle of a never ending nightmare.
I’m right on her heels, and we both come to an abrupt stop at the sight of her father, Arturo, alone. This is the first time I’ve seen him without one of his sons or his bodyguards in tow.
“Valentina, mi hija.” His arms extend outward, and when I see the mistrust in her eyes, I feel terrible that I’m the man who put that look on her face. “Don’t keep your father waiting. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
With reluctance, she drops her bag and walks toward her father, who seems a bit haggard since the last time I saw him. “Papa.”
“You are good?” His dark brows furrow, and he puts an arm’s length of space between them, eyeing her up and down.
“Good?” Her tone is harsh and bitter. “No Papa, I am not good,” she snaps and inhales deep breath that, when she lets it out, speaks in rapid-fire and angry as fuck Spanish.
I don’t catch much of what she’s saying, but I understand some of it. Eighth-grade Spanish stuck a little bit in my brain.
She tells him she was drugged and locked in a mansion somewhere outside Bogota. Then there’s something about sicarios and a harrowing escape.
“You didn’t come for me,” she says in crystal clear English that makes her sound like a sad little girl.
Arturo seems unlike himself, almost out of sorts and uncertain. “I have been searching for your brother. He needs to pay for what he’s done.”
She tosses her head back and scoffs. “You mean he needs to pay for disobeying you.”
She holds up one hand and picks up her bag with the other. “It’s all right, Papa. I understand. LTC and my brothers will always come first. Always.”
The older man’s shoulders fall in disappointment or frustration or maybe it’s just sadness. He realizes he isn’t among friends.
Allies, perhaps, but not friends, and he stands a little taller, darkens his expression before he looks straight at me.
“She ran away from Colombia and ran to you instead of her family?”
Whatever point he’s trying to make, he doesn’t wait for a word from me.
“She must love you.”
“I do, Papa.” She shakes her head. “Does that matter to you all of a sudden?”
“That’s all that matters to me, Valentina. I’m not a monster.” He turns back to me. “She loves you, that much is obvious. The question is do you love her?”
“This is all touching and shit,” Ace growls as he steps between Arturo and me, “but it’s not relevant. Not right now.”
Arturo grins. “That’s where you’re wrong, Mr. Ace. Valentina is my only daughter. She is my life, and her happiness, her safety, are my top priority.”
