Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 80139 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80139 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
I let out a huff. “There you go.”
Robin turns to me.
I keep my voice calm. “Any card can mean anything if you’re creative enough. Ace of Spades can mean death, or finality, or change, or maybe that someone drops a black umbrella on a Sunday and decides it was destiny.”
Mercedes narrows her eyes at me. “You’re mocking sacred things.”
“I’m mocking things that scare people who have already been scared enough.”
That shuts her up.
I look at Robin. “You’re not going to die.”
She sighs. “You don’t know that.”
I scowl. “And I’m not going to fall in love because they pulled a heart out of a deck.”
The words taste like acid on my tongue.
Because I want it.
God help me, I want it.
Not the card. Not the prediction. Not the ridiculous performance Mercedes and Esmeralda made over the Ace of Hearts.
I want what they said.
I want to fall in love.
Worse than that, I want to fall in love with Robin.
I stand, forcing the thought out of my mind. “Robin and I need to discuss our plans.”
Her expression shifts. “Our plans.”
“Yes.” I arch my brows. “For how we’re going to smooth things out with your family.”
“Right,” she says. “Smooth things out.”
Esmeralda sighs. “Families can be so dramatic.”
“You have no idea.” Robin stands. “Thank you. For the conversation. And the company.” She pauses for a few seconds, her lips thinning. “And the reading, however harrowing it was.”
Esmeralda rises, comes around the table, and takes both of Robin’s hands in hers. “You’re very brave.”
Robin stiffens. “I’m really not.”
Mercedes joins them. “You are. And very beautiful. Even tired.”
“Thank you,” Robin says.
Esmeralda squeezes Robin’s hands. “I hope everything works out for you.”
Her words hit me hard.
Working out means so many things now.
It means Robin getting home alive.
It means Vega not finding us before then.
It means my past staying far enough behind me to keep her safe.
It means me figuring out what the hell I’m supposed to do once I betray the only person who’s had my back for years.
Mercedes turns to me next. “And you,” she says. “Don’t be stupid.”
I raise a brow. “That’s your blessing?”
Esmeralda nods. “A good one.”
“Very practical,” Robin says.
Mercedes yawns then, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. “We need sleep,” she says.
Señora Valentina stands. “Enough. Both of you. Let them talk.”
Mercedes and Esmeralda begin to clear cups and plates even though they just announced their exhaustion. Robin tries to help, but Mercedes waves her off.
“Go. We’ll be done in a minute.”
Señora Valentina lingers in the kitchen doorway and grabs my arm. “Use the back sitting room,” she says. “No one will disturb you there.”
“Gracias.”
She nods and then looks at Robin. “You are safe in this house.”
“Thank you,” Robin says quietly.
I lead Robin out of the kitchen and down the hall to the back sitting room.
It’s smaller than I remember, though everything from my childhood seems smaller now. The walls are painted a faded yellow. A worn velvet sofa sits beneath the window, and two mismatched chairs flank a low table scarred by rings from old cups and glasses.
She sits on the edge of the sofa, posture straight. The robe makes her look soft, but nothing about Robin is soft right now.
I take one of the chairs instead of sitting beside her. Distance is wise at this point.
“So,” she says. “What’s the plan?”
“We could lie low here for a few days.”
She widens her eyes. “A few days?”
“Yes.”
“Cruz—”
“But I know you want to move now.”
She gestures toward the main area of the brothel. “I want to not get these women killed.”
She’s not wrong. This will be number one on Adriana’s places to look. After all, it’s where she found me. I’m putting all of us in danger by staying here. But I had no choice last night. I had to get Robin to safety. By now, though, Vega is no doubt discovering Robin is missing.
“The safest place for you is the US Embassy.”
She opens her mouth to speak but I gesture her to keep listening.
“Vega will look here, so we have to move quickly.”
She exhales.
“At the embassy,” I say, “you can contact your family. They’ll help arrange a way to get you back to the United States.”
“They’re probably losing their minds.”
“I’m sure they are.”
She locks her gaze on mine. “You say that like you know.”
I do know. I’ve been learning everything I can about the Bellamys in the last few months. But I don’t want to remind Robin of my past. There are still so many skeletons I haven’t yet unearthed.
I shrug. “I know families.”
“You know mine?”
“I know enough.” I pause. “And if your brothers are anything like you, they’re already preparing to burn down countries.”
That gets the faintest curve of her mouth.
I both love and hate her family at the moment. I love that they’ll get Robin out of here.
I hate that they’ll look at me and see only a man who once worked for their enemy.