14. Isabel
14
ISABEL
M iguel didn’t believe me.
I saw the skepticism in his eyes.
“Are you trying to say that man in the alley was after me because of Louis Flores and whatever bullshit he’s been up to?” Keeping my tone level was impossible.
The thought of not one man chasing after me because of my father, but two , pissed me off to no end. Fury spiked hard and fast. The faintest threads of fear, shock, and trauma were erased by this rage.
I’d never asked for any of this. I’d never done a single thing to warrant people chasing after me. If anyone had an issue with my sperm donor, then they should go after him, not me.
“I’m not trying to say anything, Isabel.” He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face as he paced slowly. “I’m pointing out that he was very determined to get you away.”
“To rape me!” I shoved my fists down, my arms locked. Bottling up this anger wouldn’t solve anything, but lashing out wasn’t my style. Deep down, I didn’t want to lash out at Miguel. I owed him my gratitude. I should’ve been on my knees and thanking him for getting me away from that foul-smelling creep in the alley. For sparing me a worse fate. “To rape me and kill me! That’s what he wanted to do.”
He narrowed his eyes at me as he walked back and forth, seeming to struggle with bottling up his anger as well. “He wanted to capture you.”
“To start with,” I argued. “Then he would…” I flung my hand out, unable to say that word again.
When he didn’t reply or counter what I said again, I had to wonder why he’d jump to the conclusion that the man was after me for something else. “Why are you so sure that man was after me like you are?” Before he could answer, I barked a single, mean laugh and shook my head. “Not that you’ll explain why you’re after me, either.”
“I was given orders to…”
I tilted my head to the side when he cut himself off. “To what?”
“It’s not important.”
“Not important?” I was sure my eyes were bugging out. “Not important? Then why—” I growled, so frustrated at this conversation. Then why did you step in to stop that man? Why do you… care?
“The details of my orders are not important,” he said after too long of a moment for all my doubts and fears to grow and build. “But that man also looking for you does matter.”
“If he actually was looking for me.” I wouldn’t change my mind. That creep was just a common street criminal. An opportunist. “Who gave you orders to find me?”
“I’m not answering that.” He cracked the kinks out of his neck as he paced.
“Oh, but I’m supposed to answer your questions?” I shook my head, so mad, so annoyed with myself that I was here and even having this discussion with him.
“Yes. Tell me what Louis?—”
“I don’t know!” I would scream it over and over if I had to. “I know nothing about Louis Flores. I have no intel to give you. I am clueless, Miguel. Clueless. I’ve got nothing .”
“Then how come you didn’t go to the cops when you realized I was following you? How come you’re so determined to hide and make me chase you instead?”
“Because the cops can’t do anything. I know that.”
He glared at me. “If you have nothing to hide, you wouldn’t have run from me. If you have no secrets to protect, you wouldn’t have tried to evade me.”
I bit my lip to physically rein in the need to scream. I didn’t have anything to hide. And I had considered leaving, but that wouldn’t have solved anything in the short term. He wouldn’t have given up.
And…
I hated that I hadn’t wanted to run too far away because I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Couldn’t stop wanting him.
Being needy for Miguel’s attention and company had to be a sign of a sick, twisted part of my brain, but I couldn’t deny it. Being near him and seeing that electrifying stare had made me feel the opposite of alone and dismissed and I hesitated to give it up.
Running from him was a way to keep up this game of chase. A game I had no business wanting to play, especially with someone like him.
“I have nothing to hide.”
He looked away, as if he couldn’t bear to meet my gaze when he spoke again. “I don’t believe you.”
I huffed. “Obviously.”
“It doesn’t matter if you cut ties with Louis. You have to have some value or know something.”
There it was. That was how Miguel saw me. As a valuable asset. A pawn.
“Fuck this.” I shook my head, despising how easily I’d been duped by a hot, sexy man who actually knew how to kiss. “Fuck you,” I added.
The second the words left my lips, I rolled my eyes and looked at the ceiling. “Actually, no. Never mind that. Thank you ,” I said instead, emphasizing the end of it. “Thank you for saving me from that man who wanted to rape and kill me.” One day, I’d look back at this and marvel at how I could speak those words so clearly. Anger fueled me. Perhaps that was how.
“Thanks for taking a break from your ‘orders’ to make sure I wasn’t raped or killed.”
He lowered his gaze as he gripped the back of a chair, his knuckles turning white from the ferocity of his grip.
“But I have nothing to offer you. No secrets, no answers. Nothing, Miguel. When I say that I cut ties with him years ago, that means I went no-contact. No updates. Nothing at all. If you’re looking for a pawn in whatever he’s been doing, I’m not it.”
All day, I’d been plagued with that nagging solitude. At lunch, when I tried to doodle and work, then at dinner. All fucking day and night, I’d been missing this man, this mysterious savior who could kill a street thug to protect me from a horrible fate.
It all seemed like such a waste of time now. Every thought I’d had of him. Each moment I’d wished for him to be seated with me and prevent all those people from giving me sad, pitying looks when I dined alone. Those seconds of longing for his company…
Stupid. How stupid I’ve been.
He was a stalker, not a friend. Opposite of yearning for him and wanting his company, I now wanted to get away. I wanted to run, not for any purpose of prolonging this game of cat and mouse between us, not for any means of playing hard to get and making him work to find me. I wanted out of this bullshit.
Yes, I was grateful for him for saving me from that other man. But I was done with this crap about my father. I had nothing to give, no secrets to reveal.
I kept my head held high during this intense stare down. I couldn’t read him. I didn’t know him, didn’t know anything about him other than the fact that he had orders to track me down because of who my father was.
His silence was telling. His reluctance to deny what I said made his stance crystal clear. When I said I had nothing to offer him, his only reply was to insist I was lying, that I had to have a secret or whatever his boss wanted.
What he didn’t say was that he wanted me . Not Louis Flores’s daughter as a pawn, but me, the woman he danced with and shared naughty fantasies with.
We were just in the shower, kissing and comforting each other.
But in the blink of an eye, he showed his true colors.
He didn’t want me. Not like I wanted him.
And that stung. I’d been so lonely and desperate for someone to value me , to see me and want to keep me around that I’d misinterpreted his interest in me at all.
He only wanted me for the sake of doing his job. Not because he felt like he’d go insane with need and nagging desire.
“I’m done.”
I’d said that years ago when I walked away from my father and never looked back. The irony killed me that I’d need to express this sentiment again.
“What are you saying?”
I shrugged, backing up slowly. “I’m done with this crap. With anything to do with my father.”
He advanced. Stopping that pacing, he turned toward me. For every step I retreated, he slowly progressed across the room after me.
“I’m done with you.”
Even if we never even actually… started.
“You’re done with me ?” He pointed at his chest, his voice gravelly and threatening.
It should’ve scared me. It should’ve made me mad.
Instead…
No. No more.
Instead, it turned me on.
“You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart.”
Oh…
He was playing dirty, throwing an endearment like that in there.
No.
I wouldn’t cave.
I kept backing up slowly, aiming for the door. Tipping my chin up was my reply.
“If you try to leave, I’ll chase you.”
Oh, God. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. Already, my heart hammered so fast. My lungs couldn’t fill. At the challenge of him following me again, I wanted to be bad. I wanted to be so rebellious and naughty just so I could experience the thrill of him hunting me down.
To be caught by a man like him…
No! Focus. Just get out of here and avoid him!
An angel and devil sat on each of my shoulders, and I couldn’t pick how to view this situation.
Slowly, eyes dark and face stern, he stalked after me like a predator.
I shouldn’t be excited. It was so damn wrong to be turned on and hyped up on the adrenaline that pummeled through me and edged me on. To see how far I could edge him on.
His sinister stare suggested wicked delight if he had to chase me. The firm set of his lips dared me to piss him off and make him work to find me.
“Isabel…”
Oh, fuck. That growly voice. I sped up, almost tripping on my flight.
“Isabel!”
I ran as he lunged forward to catch me. Stubbing his toe on the couch slowed him just enough for me to wrench open the door and burst into the hallway. I slammed the door shut and ran for the elevator, and as its panels started to slide closed, I bit my lip and damned myself for enjoying this way, way too much.
Find me, Miguel.
Hunt me down.
Make me yours.