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“I guess I get why your parents don’t have a love marriage. How come your dad didn’t divorce her?”
The question surprises him. “All she wanted was money. We have more money than she could spend in several lifetimes. Since she didn’t care what he did, he did exactly as he wanted with who he wanted. Why kill her when it wasn’t necessary?”
“Kill her?” I’m stunned. If he could not be so casual about killing, I would… Never mind.
A lift of an eyebrow that said everything. “She knew way too much about our business. Killing her would have been the only answer. My father didn’t love her, but she gave him two children. He didn’t think killing her was honorable.”
I wilt a little. Right. The whole reason why divorce isn’t a thing in the mafia is the same reason as theirs without the clear statement, divorce equals death.
“Why did you wait so long to marry? Is your brother married? I heard she picked you over your brother, why?” A tiny part of me resents the faceless woman for having him first. Even though I know it’s stupid, because he clearly didn’t care for her—which makes my resentment worse.
His chuckle is bitter and dark. Nothing like his laugh earlier. I shiver from the tension in him. He doesn’t miss a thing and yanks covers over the both of us. “I believe my father felt since he was locked into marriage at far too young, he wanted to leave it up to us to marry when we were ready. Felix screwed up not marrying until he wanted to by getting an associate’s daughter pregnant at only seventeen. She died almost ten years ago. The marriage with Blanca happened when her father despaired she would never marry. He came to my father and offered up something my father wanted. He asked us if we were willing as she would make the perfect wife. I said I didn’t care. Felix was fine with it, if a mistress was acceptable. I think it’s the reason why she didn’t choose Felix. And I think the only reason why Felix wanted her was because she hurt his pride.”
What? “Your brother and your wife…”
He nods. “He came to me and asked me before, so that makes it all right.” His tone is bone dry—clearly it wasn’t all right. “He said she was miserable and deserved some happiness. There’s a chance he’s Elias’ father. I’d told her I didn’t care if she took a lover as long as she was discreet. I didn’t think I needed to clarify not to select a member of my family.”
I push up from him. “You accepted it, and were still having sex with her?”
I’m rolled underneath him. “She wasn’t happy. I didn’t have the right to say no for her to have something she wanted. When we set the terms of our marriage, I warned her of the lack of love or soft feeling. I promised I would honor her as a wife, to provide for her always. I didn’t do that—not really. Because I didn’t care what she did or if she was happy or not. I’m not angry she fucked someone else. I’m angry she fucked my brother. He did what I didn’t. Felix made her happy. My anger comes from failing in my promise.”
I’m not sure if I’m relieved or not for how little he cared about her. While glad I won’t be competing with the memory of another woman, fear clings he won’t care about me either.
“My father said I need to let go of my anger, because it doesn’t matter if Felix thinks he loved her, she never loved him. She was using him in place of me. Felix is suffering for his stupidity. Supposedly, I can’t make him feel worse than he does. Whether Elias is mine or Felix’s is in question because she was still my wife, and I still needed relief. That’s all she was to me. And why I didn’t break Felix’s nose. I didn’t care about her. She deserved someone who did.”
Confusion is twisting me up inside. “I thought no one could touch me—”
A hand goes around my throat. “No one can.”
“But you let your brother—”
Lowering his mouth to mine, he’s a breath away. “I warned him, he will never be allowed to touch you. You are mine.”
Awe at the threat in his hard body at the mere idea of someone touching me fills me. “I thought you couldn’t care…feel.”
“I can’t. I am a selfish motherfucker. No other pussy has ever felt as amazing as yours. Therefore, you are the only pussy I want. No one else gets to know how good you feel, in case they try to take you from me.” The hand around my throat tightens. It’s a chain tying me to him. I offer him more, all of me.
“Preparing a room for my mother?” I taunt him.
“When you’re happy, you glow like the sun. I love the feel of the sun on my skin. My own personal sunshine close enough to touch. Your mother in our home will make you happy.” He says the words into my mouth.
I’m his sunshine? I’d wondered about him calling me that. He captures my mouth in a fierce kiss that sends me into another galaxy where planets, moons, and stars are spinning around us. This man, he might not be able to love me. But he needs me. He needs me to feel the ecstasy he makes me feel—this is not mine alone. If this is all I can have, it’s enough, because I can’t imagine ever being able to let this feeling go. Hopefully, he can’t either.
CHAPTER11
Nicolette
I’m woken by repeated knocking on the door. Sitting up, I’m surprised to find I’m alone. Aching and pleasantly sore, I slide off the bed. A long silky white robe is on the chair by the bed. I put it on and open the door. The flight attendant smiles weakly. “Mrs. Rodriguez, we will be landing in Medellin in a half hour. Mr. Rodriguez advised I give you some time to prepare for landing. Breakfast will be prepared if you tell me what you would like.”
I startle at her calling me Mrs. Rodriguez. Why is it so weird to think of him as my husband? “Thank you. I’m starving. Has my…husband eaten yet?”
“Mr. Rodriguez isn’t on board. We had to reroute to Miami several hours ago. He will be following when the matter is resolved.”
“Oh, thank you. I appreciate it. Some eggs and bacon and toast please. And coffee—a lot of coffee and half and half,” I stammer. “I’ll be right out. Thank you.” I close the door with a forced smile.
Hurt Manuel didn’t wake me up to tell me himself what was happening, I stumble into the bathroom. I lie to myself it’s him being thoughtful and letting me sleep.
Holy fucking shit. This is insane. There is a shower in marble with room for four people and two shower heads. The bathtub is as impressive as the shower. It fits two, has jets, and more buttons than the dash of a car. I open one of the two doors, one of them is a water closet the size of most half baths in people’s homes. The other is a linen and personal products closet.
