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“And I can do that by, what, getting over you?” His mouth curved into a wry smile. “You say that like it’s easy. I’ve never had someone mean something to me the way you did. I’ve never felt the feelings you brought out of me. After my mother died, I kept people at a distance. Everyone. Ayesha, you’re the only person who knows how she died, howtheyleft her. You’re the first woman I’ve ever let in.”
“Am I the first to try to get close to you?”
“Look at me, querida.” He gestured to his frame, his eyes glinting. “What do you think? I’m constantly beating them off with a stick.”
She smiled. “You’re still as modest as I remember.”
The side of his mouth quirked, his eyes glinting as he tucked a twisted strand of hair behind her ear. His hand remained at the side of her face. “But do you understand what I mean, Ayesha? When I say you’re the first woman I’ve ever let in, do you know what I’m saying to you? Why you’ll always be special to me?”
Whatever she was about to reply died on her lips when his gaze shifted behind her head, and his expression changed. His shoulders tensed, and the muscle in his jaw pulled tight like a man gearing up for the fight in “fight or flight.”
Joel.
She spun around, and there he was, looking damn near edible in a black crew-neck sweater and gray jeans, strolling toward them. Her husband was sexy as hell, regardless of whether his face would be the last thing she saw before the white light.
“Don’t get up,” Joel said. “I would hate to interrupt.”
She stood anyhow. “Hi, baby. So, Adrían—”
“Popped up again. Interesting.”
“Joel, if you’d let me explain—”
“I’ve been following her,” Adrían said, standing as well, and this wasn’t exactly how she’d fantasized about being sandwiched between two large, handsome men. “But not in a way to harm her.”
“I’ve got her. She’s good.”
“I think you might be in over your head with this one…Joel.”
“Oh, aren’t you adorable?”
“You have no idea what you’re dealing with. If you did, you’d understand the privilege of having someone like me watching out for Ayesha. You’d be able to better grasp the advantage of having a man with my expertise protect your woman in ways you’ll never be able to.”
Joel didn’t flinch, but she pressed herself back against him, silently professing who she supported while allowing her body to be a barrier.
He tipped his head, pointing behind him. “Let’s go, Eesh. Evidently, we have some shit we need to clear up.”
“Do you feel unsafe, Ayesha?” Adrían asked. “Because if you do, you can come with me.”
“Adrían, don’t do that,” she said, begged. “I already told you that you can’t do this anymore. I appreciate you looking out for me. You know I do.”
Joel’s gaze flicked in her direction.
“But it can’t be like this.”
“You think this pretty boy can protect you?” Adrían tippedhishead, pointing at Joel. “Better than I can? Better than I will?”
She blinked, and Adrían was suddenly bent, awkwardly, back against the picnic table. Joel’s forearm was lodged against Adrían’s windpipe, the tip of a blade pressed against Adrían’s skin, and a dot of blood sprouted where the tip met Adrían’s throat.
“Stop it,” she hissed. “If you kill each other in front of my baby’s school, I’ll revive you both and kill you again.”
Adrían had a knife to his throat but didn’t look terrified. Joel was pressing a knife into another man’s throat and looked amused. They were about to kill each other in front of her child’s school, and it served her right for messing around with unstable men.
“I’m not going to repeat myself. Get your shit together. The two of you.”
Joel stepped back and lowered the knife. Adrían straightened, dragged his fingers across his neck, and barely glanced at the red stain left behind.
“Sit down.”
