Epilogue
Liana
It’s been six months since I made the choice to stay in Arizona. To stay with Rio. Six of the best months of my life. I’ve explored so much already in such a short amount of time that sometimes I almost feel like I don’t deserve to be this happy.
The morning light filters through the curtains, casting golden light across our tangled sheets, and for a moment, I let myself simply exist in this perfect bubble we've created. I watch Rio with his eyes closed and relish in the warmth of his embrace.
"You're thinking too loud," he mumbles, his voice rough with sleep as he pulls me tighter against him. Like I could possibly get any closer.
"I didn’t say a word."
"I can feel it." His hand slides up my stomach, fingers splaying possessively over my ribs. "Your body gets tense when your mind won't shut up."
I turn in his arms, facing him, and trace the lines of his face with my fingers. I don’t think I’ll ever get over how attractive this man is.
"I was thinking about how different everything is now," I admit.
His eyes fly open, those green depths that still make my stomach flip even after all these months.
"Different good or different bad?"
"Good, of course." I press a kiss to his lips. "Definitely good."
He smiles, that rare smile that's become less rare lately, at least when we're alone.
"Why don’t I help quiet that mind of yours?" he says with a sexy smirk that sends heat right between my legs.
His mouth finds mine, and I melt into him the way I always do, my body responding to his touch like it was made for him.
Maybe it was made for him. Maybe all those years of being sheltered and protected were just preparing me for this…
for him. I never imagined my life would end up like this, an actual home instead of a cage, and I won’t complain.
Our mornings are spent tangled together, afternoons spent learning more about his business and evenings that sometimes end at the underground fights where I've become a fixture in the VIP section. Rio has kept his promise to me. He treats me as his equal, his partner and his princess. The women who used to throw themselves at him have learned to keep their distance like they know better now than to touch what’s mine.
I've even started training regularly with Nicci, who has become something like a friend. Well, as much of a friend someone like her could have. She’s unique and a little quirky, but she is fierce and protective over her family. She’s loyal.
My phone vibrates on the nightstand, interrupting the delicious path Rio's mouth is taking down my throat but I ignore it. It buzzes again.
"Leave it," Rio growls against my collarbone.
"What if it’s important?"
"Nothing is more important than what I’m about to do to your body, Datura."
I laugh, threading my fingers through his hair as he continues his descent. The phone falls silent, and I let myself sink back into the sensation of his mouth on my skin.
This time, my phone actually rings, making Rio pull back with a frustrated groan.
"Someone better be dying."
I reach for the phone and see my cousin’s name on the screen.
"Andre?" I answer, sitting up despite Rio's protesting hand on my hip.
"Liana," he says, his voice clipped. "Have you heard from Antonio?"
The question catches me off guard.
"Antonio? Not for a few days. Maybe a week? He texted about some business he was handling and wanted to do lunch when he got back. Why?"
Silence stretches across the line.
"Andre, what's going on? Is everything okay?"
"He's missing. It’s been over a week now with no contact. Felix and Alexander confirmed he never came home from that trip. His phone goes straight to voicemail and I can’t trace it."
Rio must sense the change in me because he sits up immediately, gesturing to me to put it on speaker.
"That’s not good," I whisper.
"I know." Andre's composure cracks, just slightly. "That's why I'm calling. I was hoping maybe through Rio's connections…"
I look at Rio, who's watching me with assessing eyes.
"We'll help. Whatever you need," he says, and I can hear a sigh of relief from Andre.
"Thank you," Andre says, before pausing. "Hopefully he’s just holed up somewhere with a girl."
The call ends and I lower the phone slowly, staring at the blank screen as dread coils in my stomach.
"Datura." Rio's voice pulls me back. "Talk to me."
“Do you think this is connected? To our family?”
He knows I mean the Sanchez cartel because that’s what I am now. A Sanchez. He's quiet for a moment, his thumb tracing circles on my skin as he thinks.
"I don’t know but I'll make some calls," he says finally. "If Antonio is anywhere in the southwest, we'll find him."
"And if he's not?"
In this world, people don't just disappear. They're taken or killed. They're made examples of.
"We’ll find him, baby. He’s probably just off exploring and his phone died. You know your cousin. He’s not exactly the most responsible person when it comes to keeping in contact."
He’s right. Antonio has never been good at making sure he keeps in contact.
There were plenty of times I heard Andre yelling at him for being irresponsible when I was younger and his personality hasn’t changed much.
It’s only been one week. I’m sure Andre is just overreacting.
Antonio is probably in bed with some bikini model and decided to keep his phone off.
Rio kisses my forehead before sliding out of bed, already reaching for his phone.
"Get dressed. We have work to do today and if you lay in bed any longer, I’m going to fuck you until you can’t walk, Datura."
I watch him move and am seriously tempted to take him up on that offer.
But he’s right, we have work to do today and it won’t get done if we stay in bed.
Six months with this man and I still can’t get enough.
I’m not sure any amount of time will ever be enough.
If someone would have told me this is where I would have ended it up, I would have laughed in their face.
My vision of marriage to an old wrinkled man turned out far better than I expected it ever would.
My night in shining armor may be a cartel prince but I wouldn’t change a thing.