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Chapter Twelve
Kris
Athena bounds through the door with Shannon following close behind. She puts the ice cream in the freezer and then takes my hand and leads me outside to the cabana near the pool.
“Is everything okay?”
Still holding onto my hand, Athena shifts so she’s sitting closer to me. She lets out a deep breath and looks into my eyes.
“I love you.”
“I loveyou.”
She smiles at me. “While you were in the hospital and unconscious, Luis Rivera paid me a visit.”
“Jesus, Athena! Why didn’t you tell me? Did he hurt you? Did—”
Shaking her head, she puts a finger to my lips. “Let me tell you the whole story. Let me get it out, and then you can ask as many questions as you like.”
With a nod, I grip her hand a little harder and wait for her to tell me everything.
“He trapped me in an elevator and told mehewas the reason for your accident.”
All the air rushes from my lungs, and I feel as though someone has punched me. “Athena,” I whisper.
She holds up a hand and looks down. “He intimidated me in such a small space, and he licked the side of my face.” Her lips turn down, and she shivers. “I was so scared. I felt so weak and defenseless. It’s the reason I left you after the accident. He said I was supposed to be in the car, that the accident was meant for me.” With tears threatening to spill over, she gains the courage to look me in the eyes. “It was why I left. I thought if I wasn’t anywhere near you, then they wouldn’t hurt you. I’m so sorry, baby. I wish I’d never gone to New York. I wish my past hadn’t tainted us. I-I wish…” Athena shakes her head as words fail her, and the tears stream down her face.
Holding her hand to my lips, I whisper, “You haven’t tainted us. We’re a team, remember? I’m not letting you go. I meant it when I said where you go, I follow. For so many years, I was lost without you. You’re my everything… you always were. It just took me a little while to figure that out.” Pulling her closer, I kiss her lips and then lean back to look at her beautiful face. “We’ll go to the police and have him arrested.”
Athena’s lips tremble, and her face goes ashen white. “No!”
“He has to be stopped. Don’t you see it’s the only way?”
Her voice rises to a near screech. “He’ll kill us both!” I shake my head. “No, Kris, you don’t get it. He’s powerful and has no morals or conscience. The man is a killer.”
“She’s right.”
Turning, I see Todd, who has two bowls of ice cream.
“Go away, Todd.”
He shakes his head and holds out the ice cream. “We have to be smart about this. The Riveras have powerful friends. We don’t want to piss them off. Let me do some digging… see if any federal agencies are looking into them.”
“Why federal?” I ask.
“The Diablo cartel has many people on its payroll, especially at ground level. I’m hoping the feds will at least be clean.”
“Are you serious?” I ask.
Todd nods. “Hell, if I get asked to look the other way in a small town over a speeding fine, imagine what organized crime will offer you to let their drugs slip into the community. Unfortunately, there are rotten apples in all organizations, law enforcement included.”
“So you’re saying you don’t trust the locals?”
Todd gives me a chin lift and a slight shake of his head. “Not yet.”
Seeing Athena’s reaction and trusting Todd, I reluctantly agree. “Babe, you go nowhere without me, Todd, or a security detail, is that clear?”
“No police?” she asks.
