Page 111 of Drawn Blue Lines

My chest tightened as I processed her words. I asked for forgiveness, and she gave me clarity. A clean slate.

Wrapping my arms around my baby sister, I kissed the top of her head and rested my cheek against her blonde hair. “How’d you get to be so smart?”

She chuckled, sinking into the hug. “I had a pretty good teacher.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Adriana

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I turned away from the window, unable to watch any more of the sibling love fest between Brody and his sister. Not that I wasn’t happy for him. I was glad to see him get the closure he needed to stop punishing himself for other peoples’ sins, but I couldn’t help the torrent of conflict running through me.

I grew up with a brother—at least the man I thought was my brother. We were close as kids. It wasn’t until Esteban died and Manuel became drunk with power that the divide between us grew so wide I could no longer reach him.

But now I had a real brother. One I’d lose by my own doing no matter what I did.

Chills scattered down my arms as sweat beaded across my forehead. The fever was back. My body felt like it had been hit by a truck. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could pretend like nothing was wrong.

“I’ll put you back on top and make sure you live to see it.”

“Shut up!” I yelled, pressing my hands over my ears.

“Interesting. Usually women wait until I speak before telling me to shut up.”

I glanced up to where Val leaned against the door to my room, hands in his pockets, wearing an amused smirk. “Oh, that, I…uh, it…” Pressing the back of my hand against my forehead, I closed my eyes, forcing Ignacio’s voice out of my head while silently praying for the room to stop spinning. “I’m glad you’re here. I have a confession to make.”

And hope to hell Brody didn’t get to you first.

“So do I.”

My revelation died on my tongue, and I stared at him at a complete loss for words.

Seeing he achieved his desired shock value, he pushed away from the door and sauntered into my room. I watched every step, following every shift of his eyes as they scanned everything from the walls to furniture.

“This used to be our mother’s room,” he said finally.

“I know.”

He raised a curious eyebrow, waiting for me to explain, but I didn’t. It was too late, and I was too tired to explain the memories I shouldn’t have.

I shrugged. “Just a feeling, I guess.”

“I put you in here on purpose,” he admitted, running his finger along a thin layer of dust resting on top of the dresser. “I suppose as a test to see how you’d react.”

“Seems to be a lot of tests lately,” I huffed. When he didn’t respond, I braced my shoulder against the tall bed post and cocked my chin. “Did Brody fail one of your tests?”

“Actually, Brody passed.”

Remembering the blood dripping from his nose as he stormed out of the sitting room earlier, I narrowed my eyes. “Your reward system is pretty sadistic.”

Val let out a hearty laugh. “Brody proved his loyalty tonight by telling me something our father would have beheaded him for.”

“But not you?”

“I may be Alejandro Carrera’s son, but I’m not him, Adriana. When the situation calls for it, I can be just as cruel, but unlike him, I have limitations as well as standards. I expect a certain code of conduct from my men, and in turn, I exemplify it. If I’m shown loyalty, I reward it. If I’m betrayed, I show no mercy.”

“What does this have to do with Brody?”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he took slow, calculated steps designed to taunt and torture until finally, his eyes flickered right in front of me. “He confessed to using your true identity in an attempt to keep Eden away from me.”

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