14
“Amalia.”
Eva called for me as I set off for my studio, but I kept moving, not in the mood to deal with her shit. I needed to unwind. It was barely noon, yet I already felt the world’s weight on my shoulders. Soon, I’d be married to a man I didn’t love; in two days, I had to gather my girls, some out of retirement, and knock on doors in retaliation for my father’s losses.
And then there was Gio.
“Hey,” she called again, catching up to me.
“I don’t have time for you, princess.”
Evangelina grabbed my arm. “I just wanted to apologize for earlier. And also, thank you for finding Vali. I had no idea she could climb out of the crib.”
“It’s fine,” I said, waving her off and continuing through the courtyard.
“And Derek…”
I came to an abrupt stop and turned to face her. “You’re not trying to apologize on his behalf, right?”
“Of course not.” She let out an unamused laugh. “I love that man with everything I have, but I know he can be a dick.”
“Do you, now?” I moved closer, our faces just inches apart. Eva wasn’t intimidated, though I hadn’t expected her to be. Sure, she’d been na?ve and stupidly blind to all of Derek’s bullshit and lies all those years ago, but I could admit the woman had a backbone. “How do you do it?”
“What do you mean?”
“Hipócrita. Derek agreed to accompany his brother, me, and my girls in two days for a little fun. His body count will be higher when he comes home to you than when he left.”
Eva looked away.
“So I ask again. How do you do it? Work as a detective, fuck a monster, raise a child—what will you tell her when she’s older? Or will you keep her in the dark like your father did to you?”
I was in a bad fucking mood and taking it out on someone who’d done nothing to me. Sure, I’d felt some way when she thought I was trying to harm her baby, but who could blame her? Either way, I didn’t care. And I’d warned her to leave me alone.
Evangelina schooled her shoulders. “I don’t really think that’s any of your business. But maybe I should ask your parents which way worked best for them.”
I knew I deserved that, so I couldn’t even be upset.
“I like you, princess. So I’ll let that slide,” I said with a wicked grin.
“It’s Eva. And you call me princess, but look around you. Who’s the hypocrite?”
I had already turned around and started down the path toward my studio.
“That’s because in here, I’m the fucking queen.”
“You can’t be serious.”
Kai was sitting on his bike, backpack slung over his back, dressed in all black with a matching helmet.
“What?” He gestured the question with his hands out.
“Why don’t you just strap on a fucking siren and lights? Just in case they don’t hear you coming.”
Kai chuckled and patted the seat behind him. “Actually, I was hoping you’d ride with me.”
“Cain, I don’t trust you enough to hop on the back of that thing while you speed down a highway. And we’re trying to get in and out without being seen, heard, or killed.”
He pulled off his helmet and shook out his hair, smoothing it back with rough fingers.
Fuck. This man, sitting on that bike, all but begging me to straddle him. He knew what he was doing.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go for a ride, beautiful?” He sent me a wink.
I did. I absolutely fucking did. But before I could belittle him with a response, an SUV pulled up from around the driveway. Eva and Derek climbed out, meeting by the passenger side door. She had started to say something, when he tugged her forward, lifting her just enough to damn near inhale her entire face.
“Don’t wait up for me, angel.”
I heard him say before looking away. Kai and I locked eyes, and something electric sizzled the air between us.
“How do you stand to be around them?”
Laughing, he pulled his helmet back over his head.
Three more SUVs pulled into my property. I glanced at the lovebirds one last time just as Derek wiped tears from Eva’s cheeks. Sometimes, I wondered what a love like that would feel like. She sacrifices her morals and her oath as an officer every day, and in turn, he attempts to change his life to be a better person and father—for her. Romanticism aside, their relationship seemed toxic and stressful. But I couldn’t deny they seemed happy.
Kai and I…we were different. We wouldn’t have to change or be other people for one another…
Stop it, I scolded myself. There was no us. He was just the means to an end.
I slid into the passenger seat of the first vehicle as Kai revved his engine and pulled out in front of us.
“What’s wrong?” Holly peeled out, her attention shifting toward me. “You look like you’re a thousand miles from here. And that’s not a good place to be with where we’re heading.”
Leaning my head against the seat, I scoffed. “You doubt me?”
“Of course not, babe. But that man has you all kinds of twisted.”
I let out a small bark of a laugh. “You’re delusional.”
“Oh, am I the delusional one? You think I missed the two of you after the incident with Fernando’s men? The tension was thick, okay. And he gave you a pet name, Amalia.” Her eyebrow quirked as she glanced my way. “Maybe not the sweetest of pet names. But it was the way he said it!” Squealing, her hands gripped the steering wheel tighter.
“He’s unbearable, crude—”
“Hot, fuckable, and he rides a bike, for fuck’s sake! What else do you need?”
“That’s just it. I don’t need anything. I hate that I’m bound to this man over some archaic, misogynist clause on a piece of paper, as if I’ve needed him all this time. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And if I accept it, then they’ll win. I can’t lose the last shred of dignity I have left.”
Holly was quiet momentarily, chewing on her lip as she turned over my words.
“Listen, I hear what you’re saying, I do. But choosing to be miserable for the next three years isn’t exactly winning, either. One thousand ninety-five days is a lot of days, babe. A lot of lonely days tempted by that hot piece of man candy.”
“Did you just do that math in your head just now, or is that some random fact you already knew?”
She snorted a laugh as we came up behind Kai at a red light. “Don’t change the subject. Look.” She motioned forward with her chin. “Look at his shoulders, those legs. That man will break you in the best way.”
I couldn’t help the smirk crawling across my mouth as the memory of Kai between my legs sent a shudder through my body and all the way down to my toes.
In my peripheral, I saw her double-take. “You fucked him. I see that look on your face.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Amalia Isabel Montesinos, there are no secrets between us. Spill! I could die tonight and, trust me, I’ll come back and haunt your ass if you leave me in suspense.”
My smile grew bigger, and I turned away, eyes on the side mirror, the other cars in view. “It was the other night. I felt confused and vulnerable…so I went to his room.”
“Oh, so you took the pussy to him?’
We broke into laughter.
“I didn’t plan it. It just happened.”
“Stop being so fucking cryptic and tell me. What did he do, throw it in your ass, mouth, what?”
“Let’s just say, the man can eat and clean his plate.”
Holly chuckled and shook her head with amusement. “I knew it. I can tell these things, you know?”
“I bet you can.”
We shared another laugh before the cabin grew quiet. My eyes and thoughts were on Kai. I knew Holly was right. What was the point in torturing myself? Why not just enjoy the time we’d spend trapped together? Let the pieces fall where they may—and part ways a bit more experienced and a hell of a lot more limber. Getting under Kai’s skin was entertaining and all, but getting under Kai promised to be a whole other level of fun.