Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Emmanuel walks into my house like he owns the damn place. The man really does know how to take up a room. He exudes power and authority wherever he goes. I’m sitting on the sofa, watching as he walks through the house, and then he finally comes back to me.
“Guessing you didn’t find the boogeyman under the bed, then?” I ask him.
“Why didn’t you want your friend to know I was here?” he says, totally ignoring my dig.
“Because I’m already lying to one of my friends when it comes to you. I don’t want to add another,” I tell him.
“Why are you lying?”
“Gee, I don’t know, Emmanuel. Maybe because when I’m asked why I’m crying and why I told you to leave me, I didn’t think the right answer was that I just saw my boyfriend kill his mother.” I stand and wave my hands around.
“You don’t need to lie, Evie.”
“Yes I do, because what if I did say that, and then that friend went to the cops, Emmanuel? I don’t want you to get into trouble. So not only am I lying, I’ve become an accomplice to your crimes.”
“Nothing I do will ever come back on you. I guarantee you that,” he says.
“You can’t guarantee anything, Emmanuel. You aren’t the law.”
“Wanna bet?” He raises a brow.
I shake my head. “You should probably go. I’m pretty sure the cops are coming back to talk to me, and you shouldn’t be here when they do.”
“You think I’m leaving you to deal with any of this on your own? You’re out of your fucking mind,” he growls. “We’re leaving for Vegas tonight. You are coming back with me.”
“Excuse me?” My arms fold over my chest. “Who the hell do you think you are, ordering me around?”
“Your boyfriend,” he replies.
“Pfft, you are not my boyfriend. And I’m not going back to Vegas!”
“I am your boyfriend, and you are coming back to Vegas. If I have to gag and tie you up to get you there, I will,” he grunts.
The idea of him tying me up isn’t totally unappealing. But having him order me around? Yeah, that’s not happening.
“I’m not your pet, Emmanuel. You can’t just bark orders at me. I have a life of my own.” The ringing of my phone interrupts our argument. I snap it up off the coffee table. “Rachel, now’s not a good time,” I answer when I see my friend’s name on the screen.
“You hear about Amy?” she asks.
“No. What about her?”
“There was another fire. At her house. Two bodies were found inside,” Rachel says.
“What?” My eyes go to Emmanuel. He wouldn’t. But before that thought leaves my mind, I know deep down that he absolutely would.
“I’m not sure what’s going on, Evie, but it might be a good idea for you to go and visit Charlotte for a while. Get out of town.”
“Yeah, I think I might,” I whisper into the phone. “I’ll call you when I get there.” I hang up and stare at Emmanuel. “What did you do? Actually, don’t tell me. I already know too many of your crimes. I don’t want to add another one.” I bring my phone back to my ear and call Charlotte.
“Hey,” she answers.
“Hey, you got time for a visitor for a week or so? I think I need to get out of town for a while, get my mind off everything,” I tell her.
“I always have time for you, Evie,” she says. “And I’ll have a room for you. Oh my god, it’s going to be so much fun. Want me to book you a flight? When are you arriving?”
“I’ll book it.” I laugh. “I’m not sure, but I’ll let you know when I’m getting in. Thanks, Charlotte.”
“See you soon,” she says.
“I’m booking a flight to Vegas. I’m going to be staying with Charlotte. And you and I… this isn’t a thing in front of anyone,” I tell Emmanuel.
“You’re not booking a flight. We have a jet. And as for staying with Charlotte, I’d prefer you to come home with me,” he says.
“I can’t go back to your house, Emmanuel. I watched you kill your own mother. I can’t go back there,” I tell him quietly. “All the guns, it’s just… I don’t like it.”
Emmanuel looks at me silently, appearing to consider his next words. “Okay. You will stay with Charlotte, and I’ll go along with this whole we aren’t dating bullshit you’ve cooked up. For now.”
“Thank you.” I sigh in relief. I don’t know why I’m not ready to tell Charlotte, probably because she will try to talk some sense into me. Whereas Rachel is a diehard love conquers all kind of girl.
“Pack what you need,” Emmanuel says before sitting on the sofa. He pulls out his phone and starts scrolling.
I don’t know what it is, but something feels really unfinished about our argument. Or maybe it’s the fact he’s getting his way. I’m going back to Vegas.
About an hour into the flight, I feel it, the tiredness catching up with me. It always starts with dizziness. Not now. I cannot fall asleep here.
“E?” I call out, my voice wobbly as I reach for his seat.
“What’s wrong?” He’s on his feet and in front of me within seconds.
“I think I’m going to crash out,” I tell him. My eyes are wide. “I can’t fall asleep here.” Now I’m panicking.
Emmanuel picks me up and carries me into the bedroom. He lays me down and curls up next to me. “You are safe here, Evie. You can sleep.”
“I can’t,” I say, already knowing I’m losing the battle. “Don’t let anyone in, please.”
Emmanuel holds me tighter. “No one is ever going to get to you. I promise. I will be right here when you wake up.” His lips press against my forehead, and then I feel my body relax.
I wake with a jolt. My eyes spring open. A pair of strong arms wrap around me. “It’s okay. I’ve got you,” Emmanuel whispers into my ear. “It’s just the jet landing.”
My body relaxes slightly, but I do a mental take of every part of me. Trying to see if anything hurts. My hands run over my jeans. They’re still on, and I sigh. Emmanuel’s arms loosen their hold on me, and he slides off the bed.
I roll on to my back and look up at him. His jaw is tight, ticking, and his eyes… He looks… hurt. That can’t be right. Am I still dreaming?
“What’s wrong?” I ask, sitting up on the bed.
“We’ve landed. I’ll have Paz take you to the Royal. Call me if you need anything,” he says and then leaves the room.
What on earth just happened? Did I say something in my sleep again?
I continue to lie on the bed for about five more minutes. When I realize Emmanuel isn’t coming back, I get up.
Paz is waiting for me in the main cabin. “Miss Carter, you ready to go?”
“Sure.” I look around, expecting to see Emmanuel but he’s not here.
“He had an important meeting to attend,” Paz tells me.
“You don’t need to lie to me,” I say, walking past him.
I climb into the front passenger seat. Paz sits in the driver’s seat. “Whatever he did, I’m sure he meant well,” he says as he pulls out of the airstrip.
“I think this time it’s something I did,” I admit. “I just don’t know what.”
“I doubt you could do anything that would piss off jefe, Evie,” Paz says, dropping all formalities. “I’ve never seen him like anyone as much as he likes you.”
“He seemed pretty pissed off when he left. But It’s fine. I’m not here for him anyway.” I sigh. “I’m going to spend time with my friend, figure out how I’m going to rebuild my store. Deal with the insurance company and all that.”
“Your insurance is going to be denied,” Paz tells me.
“What? How do you know that?”
“It was arson. They won’t cover it.”
I lean my head back and groan. “Great, so I’m screwed. I literally have nothing.”
Paz laughs, literally laughs out loud. “You’re the girlfriend of Emmanuel Lopez. You definitely do not have nothing.”
“I’m not, and whatever he has is his. Not mine. I don’t want it.” I still need to figure out a way to return the hundred million he deposited into my account. I’m afraid if I send it back, he will double it again like he has the two times before that.
“Sure, you’re not,” Paz mumbles.
The rest of the drive is quiet. I can’t get the look on Emmanuel’s face out of my head, though. I need to know what I did. I need to know why he was so pissed at me. I shouldn’t care. I wanted him to leave me alone and he finally is. I should just go with it. But I can’t. My stomach is turning.
“Where did he go?” I ask Paz. “Emmanuel—where is he?”
“Ah, I’m not sure,” he replies.
“Yes, you do. Can you take me to him? Please.”
“I can’t.”
“I can always tell him I needed to see him and you wouldn’t let me.” I shrug and dig my phone out of my purse.
“Fucking hell, you are more evil than he is.” Paz smiles at me. “I like it.” He picks up his own phone and types a message to someone. No doubt Emmanuel. “Okay, I’ll take you to him,” he says. “But don’t let the place get to you.”
I don’t know what he means by that. Well, not until he drives into a cemetery. “Whose buried here?”
“I honestly have no idea.” Paz shrugs.
It clicks. Laura. She’s here. This is where he comes to talk to her. And all of a sudden, I don’t want to be here. Is it because of her? Is that why he ran out of the room and left me there?
“I shouldn’t have come,” I whisper.
“You absolutely should have. Whatever you two are fighting about, fix it,” Paz says.
“You know, I think I’m starting to appreciate the fact that Enrique never spoke to me,” I mutter as I get out of the car.
I walk over to Emmanuel. He doesn’t look up. He’s sitting in front of a grave. I drop down next to him on the grass. The words “I was loved” are written in script on the stone. That’s all. No name, no dates, just that one phrase.
“I don’t know what I did,” I whisper. “But I don’t want to cause you pain.”
This gets him to finally look at me. “You don’t trust me,” he says.
My brows furrow. “Yes, I do.”
“No, you don’t. The first thing you did when you woke up was check your clothes. You thought I’d do to you what those sick fucks did,” he grits out.
“It’s a habit. I do that even if I’m alone, E.
It wasn’t because you were there. I trust you more than I should.
I’ve never fallen asleep with anyone besides Charlotte or Rachel.
If I didn’t trust you, I would never have fallen asleep in your arms,” I try to explain.
“I warned you that I was messed up. I told you I was broken. You didn’t listen. ”