25. Chapter 25
Ines
He's hiding something from me. I can feel it in my bones.
I have plenty of time to question him on our trek back to Otero's estate, but I'd rather hold my tongue and crawl into my bed as quickly as possible. Him losing his temper with me over some dumbass dogs has me ready to claw his eyes out, but I refrain for the sole reason I’m exhausted.
Morning light will be upon us sooner than I'd like, and I'll have a long day of preparing for another ball and hopefully securing a proposal in the near future.
We cross over the canal and into the Golden District where the streets are filled with the most beautiful houses with backyards blocked in by iron rod fences.
The sidewalks are evenly paved, and the streets are immaculately kept.
Not a lick of dirt anywhere. This is where most of the wealthy dwell.
The Garden District is for the richest and high-to-do families, but here in the Golden District is where I spent most of my career as a burglar.
In fact, Senor Montenegro's house is a few streets away from where we are.
How I'd love to veer off course for a few minutes to pay him and his wife a long overdue visit.
But Remus won't allow me out of his sight. Especially this late at night, after mandatory curfew. I peek up at him walking a few paces in front of me and narrow my eyes at his back. How easy it would be to sink my dagger into him, unsuspecting of the true danger I pose.
The way he stared at me during the secret meeting when Cassius explained they didn't kill innocent people has me questioning if he suspects me of murder. I know he won't come out and point blank ask me, but part of me wishes he would so I could confess my sin and truly let it go.
But I'm not the only one keeping secrets. I know damn well Olli didn't clam up because of some text that no longer exists. A lie and a telling one.
I spot the opening of an alleyway behind a few houses and decide I'm going to get answers one way or another. I might regret delaying sleep in the morning but fuck it.
I grab him by his back collar and shove him against a wall in the dark alley and press the barrel of my gun against his ribcage. "You're lying to me."
"Lying, Vibora?" He smirks, a danger sparks in his eyes as he stares down at me, not fazed by the revolver. "How could I lie to you when we haven't spoken for the last hour?"
"What is Olli guarding?" He opens and shuts his mouth quickly when I add, "And don't bullshit me about some Venturan records. You and I both know those don't exist. The Soberano cleared out those accounts when he staged his coup."
"Have I told you how lovely you look when you're angry?"
I push the pistol further into his side and smile when he grimaces in pain. "I don’t want to harm you, Remus, but you are leaving me little choice. I'm part of your crew and deserve answers."
"Are you part of my crew, little viper? I thought it was a silly club."
"I believe keeping my mouth shut when you tortured me earned my seat at your table. You want me to trust you, but you don't honor me with the same. This relationship will never work if you treat me lesser than yourself."
"Are we in a relationship now, Ines?" He lifts his hand and grabs the back of my neck, pulling me toward him. His thumb strokes down the center of my throat.
"We're partners."
"So, you believe because we work together, I owe you all my thoughts and secrets?" He tsks. "Why not ask? Why pull a gun on me and threaten my life? You know damn well I'm willing to die for my cause, for my people. You think these tactics will work on me?"
He's right. Forcing him to tell me the truth isn't going to make his lack of trust in me sting any differently. I decock my pistol and slide it into its holster on my hip. But before I can say anything else, Remus snatches me by the neck and whips us around, slamming me against the wall.
"If you pull a weapon on me again, Ines, I'll drop your corpse in the canal."
"Liar," I whisper with a grin and watch as he recoils. "You might talk a big game, but I know you'd rather fuck me than fight me."
"Oh, I want more than that, Ines," he growls, pushing his knee between my thighs and spreading my legs apart.
The sound of his voice makes my stomach heat.
"So much more,” he whispers against the crook of my neck, sending goosebumps rippling down my arms. Suddenly, as quickly as he pressed himself against me, he releases me and backpedals to the opposite side of the alley, raking his hand through his hair.
"Are you afraid of me?" I ask, and I'm not quite sure what answer I'm hoping for.
He takes a minute to ponder my question before shaking his head. "No. I'm not afraid of you. I'm afraid of myself."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I'm afraid what will happen if I give myself permission to fall for you." It's a vulnerable admission that shatters my very soul. "You make me wonder what my future could look like when all I've ever questioned is the present."
"And if I don't see a future with you when all is said and done?"
He smiles, though I sense sadness in his words. "You have always been free to walk away, Ines. You're the only person keeping yourself here."
"The house in the Golden District is keeping me here."
"Take mine then, I don't care." He offers flippantly.
"I'll take the one promised."
"So, the house is all you're staying for? It has nothing to do with us at all? With me?"
I furrow my brow. "No."
He pulls a silver container from his pocket and extracts a cig. "For someone who has spent a lifetime lying, you're awfully bad at it." He lights it up and takes a long draw before blowing smoke above us.
"I'm not lying."
"Oh, but you are." He pushes up from his side of the lane, pinching the cig between his index and middle fingers, and stalks toward me. "You think I don't see it?"
"See what?"
"The way you look at me." His voice is low, seductive, and it propels my stomach to flutter. "The way your chest rises and falls when you hear my voice or how your bottom lip puffs up when I draw near to you, as if your body is aching for my touch."
"You flatter yourself," I make a point to keep my breathing even as he closes the gap between us. "You aren't Don Rafael."
"No, I'm not." He readily agrees, planting his palm flush against the stone facade of the building I'm leaning against. "But you were never interested in him. You were taken by Salvador."
"Salvador was taken by me." I amend his statement, and he flashes a wicked smirk.
Taking one last swig of his cig before flicking it to the ground and grinding it beneath his boot, he nods. "Yes, I dare say he was."
"What do you want from me, Remus?" I whisper as he leans close, and I bite my lip to keep a moan from escaping when he drags his lips from the crook of my neck up to my ear.
His fingers slide from my waist down to my thigh. "Whatever you're willing to give me."
"Who goes there?" A gruff male voice barks out at the opposite end of the narrow street drawing our gaze. The Black Guard.
We're out past curfew in a very compromising position.
The Night District is the only place where patrons can be out late, but they still have to be home before two in the morning.
As it so happens, it's now almost three and we're the only ones stupid enough to be out this late.
And the black masks aren't doing us any favors.
"Stay right where you are!" The patrolman points at us and motions for two other guards to join him.
"Shit," I hiss.
"Language, Vibora." He teases, not at all worried about the patrol. "Do you trust me?"
"What other choice do I have?"
"I'll take it." He chuckles. "When they get closer, we will have to incapacitate them and make a run for it."
I slip my hand to my pistol, but he grabs my wrist. "We don't kill, remember?"
"An unfortunate rule if you ask me."
"I didn't ask you." His gaze narrows. "No killing. Clear?"
"Perfectly." I release my hold on the handle of my revolver.
"What are you two doing out this late? It's past curfew." The lead soldier grumbles, as if our existence is majorly inconvenient for him and his buddies. He stops. "Why are you wearing those masks? I think we have a couple burglars on our hands."
The three patrolmen beeline for us, drawing their rapiers as if those will do them any good. Remus huffs and pushes away from me, squaring his shoulders to the three men. I don't know what propels me to do it, but I take my stance beside him, ready to fight.
The first guard slices down, but Remus easily sidesteps the attack and sweeps his leg around, kicking him against his temple and knocking him to the ground.
He moves on to the second guard leaving the third to me.
I grin, knowing I'm going to hand this man his ass.
The patrolman thrusts his rapier toward me, and I knock my knee against his hand, unarming him.
I three-piece punch him in the gut before taking the rapier he dropped and smashing the butt end down on his head.
I toss the weapon away from his crumpled body and watch as Remus throws his elbow connecting with the guard's jaw. A loud crack echoes down the street.
"Time to go." Remus snatches my hand, and we take off in a sprint down the alley and cut to the right.
It won't be long before the soldiers collect themselves and chase after us. Thankfully, we're both fast and light on our feet. It'll take them all night to find us and that's if we don't get out of the Golden District by then.
We hit a sharp left and when we reach a stunning house with green shutters and a sloped terracotta roof on the corner nearest the canal, Remus drags me to the fenced backyard and crouches, cupping his hands to give me a boost. I run and step in his hands and he heaves me over the hedges beyond the black-iron fence and into the garden.
Remus swings himself over with little effort and takes my hand to tug me to the back door.