Chapter 17 #2
My reaction was typical when being burned and I almost dropped the cup in my lap.
His actions were quick enough he grabbed the mug, keeping me from further burning myself.
He placed both cups on the nightstand, taking my other hand into his.
Immediately, he pulled my fingers to his lips, first blowing on them.
A series of tingling sensations mixed with the harsh sting.
I held my breath, mesmerized by the moment he pulled them into his mouth.
He sucked on both, licking my skin and remnants of the coffee away, but he didn’t stop there.
He made the moment sensual, provocative, and by the time he finally pulled them free, I was short of breath.
“Be careful, sweet falcon. As an artist, your fingers are valuable.”
“Thank you,” I said awkwardly and curled my fingers while pulling my hand away. The sensations remained, the live wire of current constantly dicking with my resolve.
“Of course. I don’t want you hurt in any way. You are very… special.”
Special. I wasn’t certain how to take that.
The way he made the statement was as if only he was allowed to hurt me. My pussy began to throb. He was by far the most intimidating man I’d ever met and I’d met some doozies over the years, assholes who could give a class in raging pompous dickishness.
His attitude came natural to such a powerful man, but there was more of an edge to him than anything else. The death of his family had stripped him of a safe haven, somewhere to go when the chips fell.
That was easy to read.
He didn’t bother reaching for his coffee a second time, merely leaning forward as he’d done before. “What’s the code on your phone, Fallon?”
“The code? You were being nice to me, so I’d provide the code. How asshole-ish of you.”
“The code, please. I have hackers on my staff that can and will break the random number of digits if you’d prefer.”
“Jesus Christ. I have nothing to hide. All sixes. Double the devil.”
He chuckled. “Why does that not surprise me?” He took my phone into his hand, pressing his finger against the screen and unlocking my cell phone.
My guess was the battery was ready to go.
Watching him happily scrolling through my photographs put me on edge.
There was nothing incriminating other than the picture of him that I’d taken off the internet.
Last picture on, first picture to look at. After he did, he lifted his gaze briefly before returning to his task of destroying my privacy. What I found interesting was how many times he’d lingered on the photographs of my paintings.
“These are yours?” he asked.
“Yes. Maybe they don’t appeal to someone like you, but they are my babies. I learned a long time ago to carry proof of my work. You never know when you’ll run into a gallery owner or someone searching for the perfect painting for their living room.” Why was I suddenly babbling at the mouth again?
Maybe because I was completely naked while he at least had sweatpants on. The thought of how the material hung low on his hips just about did me in. The deep V appeared even more chiseled than before after our workout from the night before.
“They are incredible, Fallon. You are very talented. You should be very wealthy at this point in your career.”
“Are you suggesting I lied to you about that? Trust me, I enjoy ramen noodles a couple times a week. I’m determined to make it on my own.”
“I’m not suggesting anything, Fallon. I’m simply trying to ascertain how much danger you’re in.”
“You mean how much danger you’re in. Right? If you didn’t kidnap my sister and were framed, then we’re both involved. Why?” I had an advantage since I knew who he was, but he’d yet to ascertain my identity. Even so, I sensed goading him wasn’t going to do any good.
He lifted his head, studying me for a few seconds.
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” Very slowly he lowered his head, returning to surfing through my photos.
When he found one with Brooke and me together, he held the phone up as if I couldn’t tell what he was looking at. “Is this your sister?”
“Yes.”
His exhale was exaggerated and he navigated to my email, typing in an address and hitting send. “I’ve sent this to myself so that there will be no doubt who she is.”
A moment of excitement surged through me. “Did you find her?”
“Not yet. I’ve asked the soldiers to determine if an American girl was recently brought here by the Alcarez Cartel or anyone else.
Now I’ll know for certain if anyone has seen her.
” He handed me my phone, at least satisfied for now what I’d told him was the truth. “Tell me about Renfield Industries.”
“I don’t know about the company. To my father it was just a job. They provide chemicals to landscapers. That’s all my father would tell me.”
“And he was their accountant.”
“One of them. You don’t believe me.” The lies were getting more difficult to maintain.
“I have reason to believe you’re keeping secrets, Fallon.
While I do understand your hesitation in trusting me, as I’ve told you before, if you’re on the radar of the man my organization considers our greatest enemy, you may be nothing but collateral to try and lure me into a trap.
But with all lures, useful or not, once their usefulness has dried up, the person becomes expendable. ”
“Who is this person?”
He was obviously agitated by the thought of this enemy alone. “Farid Fassi, a Moroccan Cartel leader specializing in the harvesting of diamonds. He is brutal, treating the people who work in the mines like slaves. He is a formidable enemy.”
“Do you think he has something to do with what’s going on with my family?”
“Does it?”
“I live a normal life, Navarro, completely unlike yours.”
“Don’t forget that we’re all alike inside whether or not the life we’ve chosen to lead is different.
If Fassi is behind destroying your family, there is a reason.
And it has everything to do with your past.” His eyes continued exploring, searching for answers.
I was no fool. If I was a man, his interrogation would be as brutal as he claimed Farid Fassi was.
I’d need to make a choice whether to trust him sooner versus later. There were no other options.
I held my phone close, returning to the picture that had been taken of my sister and me at her last birthday. “You want to hear a secret, Navarro?”
“Yes, Fallon. I do.”
“Brooke was sick as a kid a lot. She was frail and always fatigued. It took doctors almost two years to diagnose her diabetes. By that point, she’d almost lost her fight, in and out of the hospital.
Her heart was damaged in the time it took for the bastards to figure out what was wrong with her.
She’s on insulin. She’s on heart medication.
She’s on blood pressure medication.” I waited to see if he’d say anything.
He didn’t, just continued staring at me with blank eyes.
“I don’t know if she was allowed to take her medicine with her or not.
I didn’t see it in her apartment. If she wasn’t, at some point she’ll go into a diabetic coma.
And she’ll die. That’s another reason why I rushed to Mexico like some crazy fool.
She doesn’t have much time if she’s not already dead because of a disease that almost destroyed her life and her dreams. Maybe you don’t care and have never needed to deal with anyone being tragically sick in your life.
I get it. I’m sorry about your parents, but when you watch someone you love slowly fading and can’t do anything, you realize that you’ll do anything in your power to protect them. ”
This time he blinked, but nothing more.
“Fine. You don’t care. I feel sorry for you that you can’t seem to care about anyone.
It’s obvious my father doesn’t care either.
Do you know how horrible it is to know your father just doesn’t give a damn about anyone but himself?
It’s the worst feeling in the world, a realization that the loving man who picked you up when you scraped your knee and sat with you while you tried to finish a project suddenly decided his life was more important than that of his child that he’d sworn to protect.
If it appears I’m angry and unable to trust anyone, including you, then you’re right.
My sister is all I have. No aunts. No uncles.
No grandparents. Do you have any idea what that’s like? ”
He rose to his feet without saying a damn thing and I was furious all over again. I noticed his shirt on the floor, the one with the buttons ripped off. Reaching down, I grabbed it, sliding my arms through the sleeves. I crawled out of bed and yanked the two sides around me.
Navarro headed for the door.
“You’re not going to say anything to me after what I just told you?” I demanded quite forcefully.
Only after opening the door did he tip his head in my direction. This time, there was extreme sadness in his eyes that I’d been allowed to see once before. “I do understand your pain, Fallon. I have a sister as well.”
“You do?” I instantly walked closer but stopped myself from getting too near to him.
There was something so agonizing about the way he took several deep breaths.
“Her name is Maya. She’s beautiful much like your sister is, but also frail, her life entirely different than it should be.
She’s much younger, just about your age.
” A slight smile twitched across his face as he remembered.
“Oh. She’s in Barcelona?” I’d had no idea, my father whisking us out of Spain within a single day of me learning about my mother’s death.
“Yes, in a protected environment.”
Protected. I took a step closer.
He lingered in the doorway and I sensed he wanted to share whatever burden he had on his strong shoulders.
“Are you close with her?”
“I’m all she has left. I’m all she understands.”
Why did I have a terrible feeling that something was tragically wrong with her? “What happened, Navarro?”
He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, raking his fingers through his hair. When he snapped it down again, I could tell the memory brought nothing but fury.
“She was in the car with my parents on the night they were killed. Maya survived but had serious brain damage. She’s come a long way since being in a coma for several months and being unable to speak.
But she’ll never be able to live a normal life.
She’ll never marry or complete her education.
She’ll never have children. She’s forced to live a life in a glass bubble.
I’ve allowed almost everyone to believe she did die.
It’s safer that way for her. I do what I can for her as I love her very much, but she’s locked in a prison because one man betrayed not only my family but the Torres family as well.
She’s forced to suffer the sins of men who advanced by greed and the hunger for power.
So yes, I do understand and will do everything I can to help you find Brooke. You have my word.”
As he lifted his gaze, I could tell he was making a promise he had every intention of keeping. I was stunned by the admittance and floored he trusted me so much, as his sister would be considered a weakness.
He took a deep breath and nodded as if sealing the deal.
“I’m so sorry, Navarro,” I whispered.
His deep breath was difficult to hear. “You’ll find something of interest in the bags along with some clothes.
The door won’t be locked. You are free to roam the house and grounds.
I think you understand the rules and the level of danger.
Hopefully what I provided will bring you some peace. I won’t be long.”
With that, he walked out and closed the door. I took a deep breath, remaining where I was. Navarro was also in a prison, only his had both chains and a noose around his neck. A shiver tore through me. A few seconds later, I moved toward the bags, peering inside.
When I found a sketch pad and some artist grade colored pencils, I was stunned.
Another feeling washed through me and I knew that inside the cold, callous man was someone who hungered for exactly what I’d wanted my entire life.
A family.