Chapter Seventeen #2
“Because you don’t trust me,” he reiterated.
“Here’s a bit of honesty for you—I visit this club and the other four in the city once a month for inspections.
When I’m here, Juana sidles up to me on the manager’s orders.
That’s Tulio, the big guy who was just here.
Usually, I don’t mind her attention.” Lourdes winced at that, but he couldn’t let it bother him.
“I can easily juggle a manipulative woman and still find problems in the club’s management, ledgers, and day-to-day business.
But I’m married now and off-limits. I told Juana that. The other girls, too.”
She shook her head. “Off-limits? You expect me to believe they’ll leave you alone?”
“You should. My word is law here.” Though he needed to take a stronger stance against Juana.
As Lourdes scoffed, his temper flared hotter.
What his wife needed was a good screw to subdue her inner harpy.
“With the clubs outside of the Hermosillo plaza, I visit them once a quarter or every other quarter if things are quiet. Same with the brothels. I usually spend most of my time at the desert camps or at my office. My home office,” he clarified, then swiped his arm around the room. “All this is a necessary evil.”
“How convenient for you.”
“You want to know how you can trust me? That’s simple.
” He held up his left hand to show his wedding band.
“I’m a married man who’s crazy about his stubborn, infuriating wife.
You’re the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, even if you do dress a little prim.
G-strings, pasties, and bras that can barely be comfortable don’t get me going as much as a pajama top on your body.
Believe me, princess, you’re more than enough woman to keep me satisfied. ”
She glanced away and dragged in air. “What about the future? What about when I’m older and wrinkled with gray hair? What if we have a stupid argument, and you leave angry and come here for an inspection? What if you give in to temptation?”
“So many what ifs.” He tsked, shaking his head. “Again, that falls into the realm of trust. Do you think I would risk our marriage, our future children’s happiness, over a meaningless lay?”
She winced again and squeezed her eyes shut.
Cristo. His heart rammed against his rib cage. She truly didn’t trust him. How was that possible? He’d risked so much to marry her. Defied his jefe, started a war. All for her. And she didn’t trust him to keep his cock in his pants. Fucking hell.
She rubbed her hands down the armrests as though to gather her courage. “About La Estancia Roja, I assume you went there today to examine the fire damage.”
A subject change? That suited him fine. He nodded, choosing his words carefully. “Two bedrooms and the office need remodeling. It shouldn’t take long once I get a cleaning crew in there. Right now, it’s an active crime scene, like La Paradoja.”
“At least no one died. That’s a miracle in itself.”
“A few women and their clients were treated for smoke inhalation, but that was it.” He massaged his stiff neck.
“This morning, Rubén promoted one of Zayas’s councilmen to senior capo to take over the man’s responsibilities.
Domingo tracked Zayas to a small hotel, but he hasn’t returned there after setting the fire.
He hasn’t touched his bank account, so he can’t flee the country unless he has money on hand. ”
“What about offshore accounts? Maybe he has gold or jewels that he’s fencing for cash. Have you checked the pawnshops in the city?”
His lips twitched up. “I’ve thought about the fencing angle.
So far, the search has turned up nothing.
Domingo is currently checking the offshore possibility.
Zayas is a fool. He threw his career away over a bruised ego.
He probably thinks the Lozano Cartel betrayed him, that Rubén brushed him aside in showing me preference.
” Which was true, Enrique hated to admit.
“What else? I have a feeling you’re not telling me everything.”
He locked his jaw. He had to protect his obstinate wife from the truth, from federal prosecution if he landed behind bars someday.
Did she appreciate that? If only. She wanted what she wanted when she wanted it.
If she hated him, distrusted him, if his silence doomed their marriage before it ever got started, then that was on her.
“I’ve told you more than I should have, Lourdes. Let it be enough.”
Her lips tightened as though she sucked on a lime. She stood and whipped around to stare at the back wall. No, at the plaid sofa. Then she stomped across the room.
He dashed toward her just as she opened the door. He slammed it shut, jerked her around, and backed her against it. “We’re not done, princess. Not even close.”
****
Lourdes huffed. He’d snarled the pet name, mocking her, and gripped her arms in an unbreakable hold. His nails bit just enough to get her attention but not enough to bruise. Anger and hurt throbbed in her chest, stealing her sense of self-preservation.
“I bet lots of people have had sex in here,” she sniped, her catty side rushing out in full force. “That couch looks nice and comfortable. I’m sure you already know that given how many strippers you’ve taken on it.”
His eyebrows scrunched low over his bloodshot eyes.
“Goddamn it, Lourdes. What was I supposed to do? Be a saint while you took the time you needed to heal? I gave you three fucking years, then the next thing I know, you’re engaged to another man.
Oh, no, little girl. You do not get to condemn me for sleeping with other women.
” As she tried to pull free, he grasped her chin and forced her to face him. “Do you hear me?”
“Asshole.”
“That’s it. I’m done playing nice.”
“Stop.” She shoved at his chest as he crushed his mouth to hers in a bruising kiss.
His power, his fury, his pure masculinity seized her in a warm, dangerous embrace.
The scent of his citrus soap, second-hand smoke, and Juana’s overpowering cocoa butter fragrance clung to him.
Repulsed, she squeezed her eyes shut as his tongue invaded her mouth with the taste of coffee and man. She struggled to breathe. To escape.
Remember your training.
She shoved her arm against his windpipe and kneed him in the thigh, though she was aiming for his crotch. As he grunted, his grip slackened around her. Pride jolted through her. She twisted just enough to elbow him in the ribs. Cold air sliced down her throat as she heaved.
“Damn it, woman.” He yanked up her skirt, gripped the crotch of her panties, and ripped the fabric.
“You’re crazy. We’re not having sex here!” She shoved him again.
“I’ll fuck my wife wherever I want.”
Gasping, Lourdes froze as he pushed two thick, long fingers inside her.
“Moan, cry, beg.” He tapped her clit. “You need me even when you’re angry.”
“I hate you,” she panted the lie and gripped his shoulders, riding the building tremors that seized her ability to fight.
“I’m not fond of you right now either.” He kissed her again, asserting his authority, demanding her compliance. Obedience.
“Ahh!” Her contracting feminine muscles pushed his fingers out before dragging them back in.
She bucked her hips against his hand. The mini orgasm rippled through her in pale contrast to the riotous waves her body craved.
Damn him. She wouldn’t beg. Wouldn’t let him win.
She fisted his hair as roughly as she could and yanked his head away from her.
He grunted again and snatched her hands to drag them out of his hair.
Lust and anger cratered his face in lines so deep that she stumbled back and landed sideways on the sofa cushions. “Oomph!”
Enrique stalked to the desk and jerked open one drawer after another. Then he snatched out something pink and fuzzy.
Her heart skipped. Furry handcuffs?
“Stand,” he ordered and stomped back to her.
She raced for the door. Again, he caught her and whipped her around to pin her against the wall near a massive bookshelf. He slapped on the cuffs faster than she could blink, stretched her arms above her head, and looped the metal links around a curved wrought iron hook.
“There, that will keep your hands out of the way.” He stepped back and smiled at his handiwork. “Be careful. You’re a bit short for how high up the hook is.”
“Aargh!” Lourdes kicked at him with one foot and balanced herself precariously on the toes of the other.
If not for her shoes, she’d be dangling.
The hook and clanking chain pulled her arms taut.
Okay, no kicking. She could lose her footing and dislocate her shoulder.
That would show him, but the pain wasn’t worth it.
She’d better calm down and talk him out of this craziness.
“You must be so pleased with yourself. Do you always chain up women who dare to disobey you? Not that I expect many would here.”
“Actually, I swore I would never use this.” He nodded toward the hook.
“Tulio installed it a few months ago for bondage play with Juana. They like it dirtier than I do, if you can believe that.” He stood off to the side in case she kicked out again, and he pulled her hair just enough to crane her head.
A smirk crossed his lips. “You brought this on yourself, Lourdes.”
“Screw you.”
“No, I’m screwing you.”
“Stop this nonsense,” she hissed at him. “Let me go.”
Enrique tossed his suit jacket onto the sofa and unbuckled his belt. Once he unfastened his jeans, his cock sprang forth from a nest of dark curls.
“Wait.” She squirmed, fighting back panic and arousal.
Even the sight of his gun in his shoulder holster and the knife on his belt heated her up.
What kind of freak was she? All right. A different tactic.
She had to make him see reason. Somehow.
“Enrique, you don’t want to hurt me. I know you don’t. This isn’t right.”