54. Attila
54
ATTILA
I bought her fair and square. That’s all I can think as I look across the room at Luna. Bastard that I am. It was a job, one I undertook willingly. But now I find myself in a precarious situation and I can’t find the door.
I find myself thinking about her, maybe more than I should be. I steal glances at her when she’s not looking. I’ve slept with this woman. But she won’t chance me a glance anytime she’s around me. Which is next to never. She’s holed herself up in her room and rarely comes out, except to eat or ask for any updates. She’s getting restless as she waits around for nothing to happen, and I try to put myself in her place to understand how she’s feeling.
When I talk to her, she answers in stilted, barely one word sentences, her attention focused elsewhere. Like she could conjure up her brothers out of thin air. The look on her face tells me she thinks they’re already dead; she wouldn’t put it past Coyin to have killed them, especially if they had tried to revolt against him.
I bought her fair and square. The words keep playing in my mind over and over again as I try to catch her attention. I’ve never had to force a woman’s attention. Contrary, I’ve always had to fight them off. Not this woman. When she looks at me, it’s like she’s looking right through me, disinterested. As though we never happened. Which makes me want her more. Which makes me all the more determined to win her over. But she’s built like a great wall, hiding behind her emotions, refusing to let me in.
And all I can think is I bought her fair and square . I’ve never had to force a woman onto me. I’ve never had to force a woman, period. But technically, I won her at that auction. We haven’t spoken about it since, but a fine dusting of fire prickles against my skin as devious thoughts start to take hold. The fact that I’m even thinking about resorting to that card doesn’t sit well with me. I’m not that man. I’ve never been that man. But thoughts of her screech through my mind like a car without brakes, muddling my senses. I don’t want to be that man, but if push came to shove, would I become that?
She resides for the most part in her room, depriving me of her presence. Even after I disappear for hours on end for work meetings, she’s nowhere to be seen. She’s either still dwelling in her corner of the suite or she’s in the private rooftop gym practicing her moves with Gabriel. I finally learnt that it was her eldest brother Enzo who had insisted on her learning martial arts when she was a child, even above his father’s protestations. She’d kept up with the sport throughout her teenage years until she’d mastered enough of the art to ensure she could always protect herself. And she’s been able to do so for the most part — except when her father held a gun to her head and forced her into a car to take her back home. Except when Nestor Gamboa also held a gun to her and tried to steal her away from me. Because that’s exactly what he tried to do. I bought her fair and square.
“There’s movement,” Cesar says, coming into the room. Luna turns from her place by the window and hurries over to join us, her fingers flying across her phone as she no doubt shoots off a text to Gabriel.
“What is it?”
Cesar shakes his head and tells us he couldn’t make out much because the line was so bad, but he believes Maria has information that could lead us to the Castillos.
“Call her again.” Gabriel says, catching the tail end of the conversation.
“Phone’s ringing out. I think it’s best I fly back and deal with it.”
“When? I’m coming.”
I turn to look at Luna in all her eagerness to find her brothers. That’s our priority now, but so is her safety.
“You’re not going anywhere,” I tell her, and she shrinks back in surprise. It’s already been decided that Cesar will travel to handle this when the need arose, but as I look at her, I realize I can’t bear to be in the same room with her and have her look at me with that indifference. Something has to give. “Cesar and I will handle it.”
Cesar throws me a surprised look. Plans change, and this one just got a whole lot more complicated. He hadn’t expected me to go along on this ride, but now I am. Just as quickly as his eyebrows shoot up, they slide back down as he moves his gaze towards Luna. He understands exactly what’s happening here; how could he not, when by all accounts, he’s lived out his love story and knows all the cues. He probably understands what’s happening here even better than I do.
“They’re my brothers,” she argues. I see Gabriel flinch, although it’s subtle. He’s wondering if she’d do the same for him. She hasn’t known him as long as the boys she grew up with. He’s a virtual stranger to her. But I’m guessing she’d fight just as fiercely, if not more, for Gabriel. For the chance to get to know him better and have him in her life.
“It’s not safe,” Cesar says. “It’s not safe for you when we don’t even know what we’re walking into.”
Luna’s eyes meet mine, an edge of concern laced in them. She’s worried about us. About her brothers, but also about us. And she feels helpless.
“We can’t afford to be worried about you when we’re there,” I tell her, pushing off the sofa I’m leaning against. “Cesar and I will go. We’ll leave in a few hours once the flight plans are lodged.”
I look toward Gabriel as he starts to say something. I know he’s going to offer to come with us, but I can’t have that either. “You need to stay with your sister,” I tell him. “I need someone that’s totally invested in her safety to watch over her. Make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid.”
Such as try to sneak off or grab a gun and kill a man.