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A smirk played along Adrían’s mouth. “I thought his father was dead.”
“Look, I already know you and Eesh have a past, but this shit has got to stop. You’ll get yourself killed fucking with the wrong man’s family.”
The smirk grew, and Adrían’s veil of civility briefly slipped. “I’m following him because of Ayesha. I understand Theo’s been having nightmares. He’s been talking about a ‘veeny,’ but she doesn’t know what it means. She asked me if it was Portuguese, and it’s not, but I did some research, and I think I know what it is.”
Joel told himself the man was lying. Ayesha wasn’t still talking to him; she would have said something. Yet, something sparked in his chest that felt a lot like betrayal. Ayesha’s explanation of who “Adrían” was at the restaurant was incomplete. She might have said they’d had a casual relationship, but her face told him she’d had feelings for this man, and she didn’t entirely leave them in Maui. This fucker, however, was in love with her.
“What does veeny mean?”
“It’s a name,” Adrían explained. “I used to do consultant work in Maui. Some of the work took me to the schools in the area. My company does a lot of data analysis, data reporting…things like that. There was a janitor who used to work at Theo’s school.”
It was a lie.
Still, he listened.
Adrían’s veil slipped again, revealing hatred. “The man’s name was Lavigne. Lah-veen.”
“Exactly why are you telling me this?”
“I think you know.”
“Tell me anyway.”
“Because I’m in love with Ayesha.”
Joel’s jaw twitched. “And you want me to know that you were able to get information that I couldn’t.”
“I’m looking out for her and the boys.”
“I can take care of my family.”
Adrían smirked. “Look, it’s not what you think. I would never hurt her, Theo, or Josiah in a million years. That’s the God’s honest truth. I truly want her to be happy, and she is, it seems. With you. But that doesn’t mean I won’t protect her.”
Joel glanced to make sure he could still see them. They’d moved to a bench along the wall, Theo on Ayesha’s lap while Josiah sat next to her.
“Look, man.” He scratched underneath his chin, needing a distraction from the intense desire to reach for a weapon. “You’re going to have to back the fuck off. I’ve got this. I can take care of my family.”
“At least let her know I hope Theo’s night scares go away.”
Another pang hit Joel’s chest. “What?”
“She told me about them.”
“She doesn’t talk to you.”
“She does.”
“Why would she talk to you and not tell me?”
Adrían shrugged. “I don’t know.”
They stared, sizing each other up. This man wasn’t who he claimed to be. There was more to him, something that reminded him of their team. Trevor, from earlier, reminded him of Gage. If other groups existed, it was possible they’d all initially been trained the same way. Trevor and this fucker in the same place, at the same time, stunk of surveillance.
“Well, I’ll see what I can do with the information,” he said.
Adrían offered his hand again. This time, he didn’t accept the handshake. If he did, he would break every bone in the man’s hand, and then Ayesha would probably get upset and leave him.
Walk into Adrían’s arms.
