Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 74882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“You have a nice home, Cuervo,” Eduardo says for the twentieth time.
I cut my gaze his way and glower at him. He scrounged up a suit that’s seen better days and isn’t big enough to button around his stomach. I crave to lash out at him like old times, because he married my mom and tried to take my dad’s place, but I refrain. Barely. It’s not his fault Dad died. Eduardo has always been good to me.
“Thanks,” I mutter, my eyes once again locked on the two women in my kitchen.
“You and the girl seem to be in love,” he says. “She’s a good one. I can tell she makes you happy.”
His words should soothe me, but they only irritate me. In fact, everything is pissing me off. I can only imagine what kind of mood I’ll be in when I have to watch them lower my dad into the ground.
“It was nice of her to pay for our flights. And I know that casket was expensive. Rosita squawked when Sheridan told her how much it cost.”
I snap my head back to Eduardo. “What?”
“Top of the line.”
“Sheridan paid for it?”
His mouth parts and worry clouds his features. “She said you were too upset to deal with it, so she just took care of it.”
I rise to my feet. “Why?”
“Because she’s your woman?”
“You’d know all about a woman pulling you out of a rut,” I snarl, spittle flying everywhere. “You pounced on my mother the moment Dad was gone and have been fucking mooching off her ever since.”
He recoils at my nasty words. “Cuervo—”
“Fucking stop calling me that,” I growl.
“What’s wrong?” Mamá demands, her hands on her hips as she walks into the living room with Sheridan on her heels.
I glower past her at Sheridan. She looks like a powerful goddess looking over her subjects. Rich and powerful. Seems as though she’s used to lording her money over others. My disgusted look has her frowning.
“I can handle…” I grit my teeth. “I can handle my shit myself.”
“Everyone is just trying to help,” Mamá says in a soft tone. “Let us help.”
“You mean let the rich girl save the fucking day,” I snap. “How much did it cost?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Sheridan placates.
“If fucking does!”
“Enough,” Mamá snaps. “You’ll cool your tone.”
“I’m a grown ass adult,” I bark at her. “You can stop with that shit.”
Mamá approaches me slowly. “You need a break, mijo. As soon as this is over, you should come home. We’re sprucing up the hotel. It would do you some good—”
“We’ll meet you at the funeral home,” I grind out, interrupting her. “Just go.”
Mamá exchanges a look with Sheridan, who gives her a clipped nod. She kisses me on the cheek before ushering Eduardo out of the condo. As soon as the door closes, I begin pacing, already eager to yank my tie off.
“I’m only trying to help,” Sher says. “Camilo, look at me.”
I lock eyes with her brown ones and fall victim to their depths. She lures me in with just a look until I’m chest to chest with her, peering down. Her palms caress my cheeks and she stands on her toes to kiss my lips. I grip her jaw and kiss her hard enough she moans.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” I growl, nipping at her bottom lip.
“It needed to be done. You weren’t able to think then.”
“It’s too expensive.”
“Then pay me back.”
“Beside the point, Sher.”
“I won’t apologize for looking after you,” she tells me fiercely.
“This is too much.”
She frowns, all strength bleeding from her features. “What is?”
“Us.”
Her flinch makes my heart fucking hurt. “No, it’s not.”
“It is.” I step back and rake my gaze down her fitted black dress. “Look at what I’ve reduced you to.”
“Reduced me to? What are you even talking about?” Her eyes water as she crosses her arms over her chest.
“I’ve made you weak,” I sneer.
“Weak? First you’re griping at me for paying for the funeral and now I’m suddenly weak?” A tear races down her cheek. “You make no sense, Camilo. Come on. Let’s get to the funeral home. You’re just upset.”
“I could fuck you right now and you’d let me. You wouldn’t tell me to shut the hell up. The old you would have. This weaker version of you submits to my asshole ways.” I shake my head. “I’m no good for you.”
“Shut up,” she hisses. “Just shut up.”
I walk over to her, loving the way her body responds to me. I also hate it. My words are true. Whatever the fuck we’re doing is only temporary. It always was. I’m not a forever kind of guy. Especially not with someone like her. Not the kind of girl who drops twenty grand on a funeral of a guy’s father whom she doesn’t even know. I don’t deserve her.
“Turn around and bend over,” I order, my words cruel and icy.