6. Pedro
Pedro
How the hell am I supposed to hold back when she looks at me like that, jumping right into my arms? This is going to be torture, staying this close to her.
She holds onto my arm as we walk into the apartment, and my whole body tenses; I clench my jaw as her sweet sea scent fills the air around us.
She looks up at me with that innocent, questioning expression, and it takes everything in me not to meet those purple gem-like eyes.
If I did, I might get lost in them. But this isn’t about me.
It’s about Bay’s future. I remind myself I can’t break the capo’s command. Fucking hell.
“Your room’s over there.” I gesture toward the guest room at the start of the hallway on the third floor of my apartment.
She shoots me a confused look, letting go of my arm. “Wait. I’m not sleeping with you?”
My body aches at the loss of her touch, but I keep my eyes averted. “Since when do you sleep in my room?” My voice comes out colder than I intend, and I feel the weight of that question hit both of us.
“Am I missing something here? I thought we ha—”
“We had nothing,” I cut her off, ripping the bandage off fast. It’s the best thing for her, for both of us.
My heart pounds as I lie to her face about my intentions.
“We’re family, Bay, not a couple. The sooner you accept that, the better.
” I never lie. I’ve never lied . I didn’t think lying could hurt this much.
The light in her eyes dims, and I see her tears well up at the corners.
“We’re…family?” she repeats slowly, almost like she’s trying to convince herself.
“Yes. You’re my family, Bay. That’s why I’m here. That’s why you’re here.”
She takes a step back, looking stunned, as if I’ve just crushed every hope she held onto. My fists clench so tightly I feel my nails dig into my palms. It takes everything I have not to pull her close, to wipe away the pain and tears. But I’m not allowed to comfort her as a lover—only as family.
“But you said something different before…” Her voice is fractured, and she leans on the wall for balance. I bite down hard, trapping every word I want to say behind clenched jaw. Her skin looks even paler than usual.
“I never meant to confuse you, Bay. You’re Alin’s cousin, like a sister to me. We’re not…a thing,” I lie again, forcing the words out through gritted teeth.
“Sister, huh?” Now her eyes narrow with anger as she steadies herself. “I’d rather stay an only child, thanks.” Her voice drips with sarcasm, and she whirls around, heading toward the guest room without waiting for me to respond.
“Bay,” I call out before she shuts the door. The storm raging in my mind nearly chokes me as she turns, brows raised, her anger written across her face.
“Your things…” I hold out the sack I carried from the beach, and she snatches it from me without a word, slamming the door behind her so hard it makes me flinch.
In my room, I kick the door closed and let out a string of curses under my breath. This is supposed to protect her, but it feels like I’ve just shattered something precious.
My phone buzzes, and I’m almost grateful for the distraction. I glance at the message from Mateo.
The night the van was stolen, we got a CCTV hit on a familiar face. Will Duval. Isn’t that the French bastard who escaped us last time when the capo was in Vegas?
10:38 a.m.
What the hell is Will doing here? That piece of shit slipped through my fingers once, but he won’t get the chance again. I fire back a quick response.
Track his CCTV trail with police intel. I want to know why he’s stealing on Russian territory and where he went that night.
10:39 a.m.
I lie back on my bed, realizing I don’t know if I should be relieved that her scent doesn’t linger on the new sheets the cleaners put in.
She’d snuck into my bed at night a few times last month, curling up against me, her skin damp with sweat.
When she was like that, vulnerable and trembling from nightmares, I never touched her.
I held back, watching her suffer through whatever terror haunted her.
There’s no way I’ll let Luca send her back to the place she hates most.