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I wonder what today holds for us.
Once I’m out of the shower, I quickly dry off and wrap my hair in a towel, giggling at how stupid and silly I feel.
I’ve never been this way before; never giddy with excitement to be near someone, to want to have their attention on me and to give them all of mine, but Alvaro makes me feel that way.
I ignore the makeup that was purchased, not really wanting to lather my skin with all those chemicals. Once I have on some white sneakers, I grab my phone and leave the bedroom.
With the knowledge that Marío isn’t here for the next few days, I don’t feel the crippling anxiety as I walk through the large halls.
I pause at a photo I hadn’t noticed before. It’s smaller than all the rest, but it still has the former lady of the house in it.
She’s beautiful; exotic looking with her high cheekbones that match Alvaro’s. Her eyes seem to be the same color too, only hers are slightly darker. Her black hair is pulled into a complicated looking side bun and her dress looks like something you’d see worn at a masquerade ball in the early nineteen hundreds. Standing at her waist is a boy with black curls combed to the side like a galant young man.
Alvaro is so adorable. His face holds a mischievous smile that he rarely gives anyone as an adult…well, except for me. I get to see it a lot.
I smile back at the image before turning away, only to stop dead in my tracks when I spot Marío standing at the end of the hall watching me. I swallow, hesitating to continue forward, but he smiles as charmingly as he did the first time I met him.
“Good morning, Vicenta. I see you are well rested.” The way he says it makes me think he knows what me and his son did. What we’ve been doing.
I clear my throat, Alvaro’s words replaying in my head.Play your part, Bruja.
“Yes, I am. Thank you.”
I force myself to move forward, pretending like his smile isn’t scaring the shit out of me. “How are you doing? I was told you’d been called out of town. I hope things went well?”
Fuck, I’m rambling. I bite my tongue as I reach him, forcing my hands to be still.
He looks at me from my head to my feet and back to my eyes. I feel like he can see all my secrets. He moves his hand quickly, making me jump in place and squeeze my eyes shut.
He chuckles as I tentatively open my eyes. “I’m not going to hurt you, Vicenta.”
I swallow and nod, mumbling an embarrassed apology.
His hand gestures toward the stairs. “Join me for breakfast.”
The invitation sounds like a command and one that I know I can’t refuse.
“Of course,” I answer with a stronger voice, lifting my head and walking ahead of him. Despite my bravado, I have to hold the banister as I take the steps methodically. I feel his eyes on me, watching my every move as I try to keep myself as relaxed and unaffected as possible.
Where is Alvaro and why is Marío here?
I hear voices as I reach the bottom landing, my brows furrowing when I hear a flirty feminine laugh. I look up at Marío.
“I didn’t realize we would have guests. Should I change into something more appropriate?”
I don’t give a flying fuck how I’m dressed or if it’s proper breakfast attire, I just want to get back to my room and call Alvaro.
“You look perfect,” he says, pressing a hand to the small of my back and leading me toward the dining room. I do my best not to cringe away from his touch.
When we enter, three sets of eyes turn to me, but my focus is on the bright green ones that are locked on the hand touching my back.
Alvaro sits stiffly beside a beautiful woman with light brown hair cut short at her shoulders. Her perfect brows furrow over her blue almond eyes, the innocent look may fool others, but the situation and tense atmosphere betrays her. She is apart of this world that I’m being dragged into, she’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Behind her, standing against the wall, is a man who has tattoos across his neck, a dark suit and eyes that assess me before dismissing me entirely. He must be a guard.
“Miss Herrera, I would like for you to meet my fiancé, Vicenta Guzmán.” Marío looks down at me with a twinkle in his cruel eyes. “Vicenta, this is Katalina, Alvaro’s betrothed.”
Without conscious thought, my body jerks at the word as though I’ve been hit with a taser. I turn sharply, my eyes bouncing between the two of them, catching on Alvaro's. They look cold and closed off, making my heart break inside my chest.
“Mucho gusto,” I tell her with a tight jaw as I walk to the chair Marío pulls out for me, keeping my eyes on anything but Alvaro.
