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Coming here wasn’t his place either, but he had the opportunity to give Seraphina the one thing she so desperately wanted, and he would or he’d die trying.
Even though it meant she would be done with him.
He rubbed his chest at the thought but still made himself get out of the vehicle, walk to the front door, and knock.
It opened immediately, as if someone had been standing by, waiting.
Toro gazed at the dark-skinned man staring back at him steadily, arms folded. He had Seraphina’s eyes. And her nose. Shit. “Israel Storm? I’m—”
“Nieto’s nephew. I know who you are,” Israel told him calmly, though his tone belied the aggression in his stance and in his eyes. “I want to know what you want.”
The list of things Toro wanted was a mile long. He doubted he’d get any of them, but he would at least try. “Your man’s parents were taken.” That part didn’t appear to be a surprise because Israel didn’t blink… until Toro said, “By Seraphina Cook.” The emotion was fleeting, but Toro caught the surprise, the anger, before it all disappeared and Israel Storm was just a wall of blankness in front of Toro. “I’m here because even though you don’t know shit about me… I need a favor from you.”
Israel didn’t speak, but the man who suddenly appeared at his side did. “How do you know about my parents?” This was Reggie then. He was as calm as Israel, fairer-skinned to Israel’s darker tone. The two of them were dressed as if they were about to leave the house. On the hunt for his parents maybe?
Toro answered Reggie’s question. “Because I was there when she did it.”
He didn’t know which of them grabbed him by the throat and yanked him inside the house but he found himself backed into the wall as the door slammed shut, two guns aimed at his head. Toro bit back a smile. That was one way to be invited into their home. He doubted he’d have been allowed in otherwise.
“Motherfucker, you got some nerve,” Israel growled.
“What did you and that bitch do to my parents?” The muzzle of Reggie’s weapon pressed painfully into Toro’s temple. “Start talking!”
He deserved answers, but Toro didn’t come to see him. Not really. So he ignored the obvious pain and panic in Reggie’s voice and turned his gaze to the darkness in Israel’s eyes. “She doesn’t know I’m here, but there are things you need to know,” he said calmly.
“I don’t need to know shit!” Israel snarled. “I don’t want her in my life.”
Toro shrugged. “That’s your decision, but I think it’s one you should make with all the facts. Listen, you don’t know me, not really. All you know is that I’m a Nieto. But I know her. I know why she does what she does, and I want to give you the opportunity to hear it from her own mouth.”
Reggie snorted.
Israel studied Toro. “Is that why you’re here?”
“I’m here because the woman I love is hurting. She’s been hurting for decades and I want it to stop.”
Reggie lifted an eyebrow at Toro’s love declaration. Israel didn’t flinch.
“One meeting.” With both men looking like they’d lose control of their trigger fingers any minute and start firing, Toro still didn’t rush. “If it doesn’t work out, you go your separate ways. Again.”
“What do you get out of this?” Reggie asked when Israel remained silent.
Toro shrugged with a bitter grimace. “Nothing. I don’t even get her. She will undoubtedly see me coming here as a betrayal. I had your location and didn’t hand it over when I know she’s been searching for you for so long.” Bleakness spread through his body as he told Israel, “All she’s ever wanted was you. There’s no room in her heart for anybody else. By giving her what she wants, I’m making sure I’ll never have a place in her life.”
“You think so, huh?” Israel’s lips twisted.
Toro smiled grimly. “I know so.”
“And you love her.” Reggie sounded incredulous, as if he didn’t see how that could be possible.
“Yes.” They didn’t have to understand it. Hell, he didn’t understand it either. But it was what it was.
Reggie’s phone rang and he narrowed his eyes at Toro in silent warning while searching around in his pocket for his phone with his free hand. He dropped his gaze to the screen then lifted it to Israel just as quickly before answering. “Mom?”
Toro felt Israel stiffen.
“You’re okay?” Reggie’s shoulders slumped. “What happened? Where were you?” His gaze traveled slowly to Toro’s and stayed without blinking as he said, “Okay. I see. I love you. Is and I will come to see you soon.” He ended the call and closed his eyes briefly. “They’re home. Safe. She said they spent a romantic night away in a hotel.”
Even Toro frowned at that. Why wouldn’t Reggie’s parents tell their son exactly what happened? Had Seraphina threatened them to get their silence? It didn’t make sense, not when she’d wanted to bait Israel into coming to her, which was why he’d heard her tell the couple exactly who she was and why she’d taken them. She’d known that once Israel learned what happened and by whom, he’d come running to her.
