Page 1 of Cutting Ties
Chapter 1
Valentina
“You look beautiful. Where are you going?” The deep voice with a thick accent distinct to our part of Columbia asked. Most women swoon at the sound of his voice, but it gave me pause as dread flowed through me.
Looking at the reflection of my brother’s dark eyes in the floor-length silver-framed mirror I was facing, my equally dark eyes narrowed. “When did you get back?”
I wasn’t interested in having a confrontation of any kind with the man who’d come to stand behind me. I hated him with every fiber of my being. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gotten along with him – maybe when we were kids? Though with him being five years older than me, even as kids we never had anything in common.
But not having similar interests wasn’t the reason for the animosity between us; the reason ran much deeper and darker than that.
“I landed a few hours ago. Went to check on some business in Papa’s absence and then came here.”
“I see.” Doing my best to look unperturbed by his unexpected visit, I continued to run a hairbrush through my black locks, watching the strands catch the light as they fell from the brush. Anything to keep from looking at the man behind me. Just the sight of him enraged me. “How long are you here for?”
“Haven’t decided yet. Not sure if you’ve noticed but we’re having issues with the Santiago cartel.”
“I’m not a fucking idiot, Asher!” Spinning around I faced him directly, glaring. “While you’re living it up on Helka Island, people here are dying. My friends are dying. People we’ve grown up with. I can’t leave the fucking estate without being surrounded by guards!”
His expression remained stony. “People in our line of work know the risks and are paid accordingly, no one is forcing them to work for us.”
I seriously doubted he’d ever understand the pain I went through daily because of the drug war between our family and the Santiago cartel. I doubted he was even capable of feeling emotional pain or of any empathy whatsoever. The man before me was empty – his soul black.
“Where are you going? This house is fortified. You’re safe here. We can’t guarantee your safety if you leave.”
My anger was reaching the boiling point. “Don’t pretend you care about me, Papa, or Mama. I know the truth!”
He took a step to the side to lean his back against the wall the mirror was mounted on, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “What truth?”
“The only thing you care about is you, Asher. El Diablo. That’s what you are!” My hand gripped the wooden handle of the brush in my hand, forcing myself not to throw it at him.
“Oh come now. Let’s just all get along… For our mama’s sake.”
I scowled at him. Why couldn’t our mother see him for what he was? Maybe she didn’t want to. Just like she didn’t want to see the kind of person our father was. I loved her dearly, but she lived in eternal blissful ignorance of who they were. Hell, who our entire family was. She was a beautiful woman with a kind heart, where the men in our house were the exact opposite.
“Don’t you dare use her as a tool.” Taking another step toward him, I prepared to use my brush as a weapon.
His dark eyes took on a cold look that made my insides tremble, but I refused to back down. That was what he wanted. It was what he was used to; people backing down from him because of who he was and what he was capable of.
I wasn’t one of those people. Despite how cold and vicious he was, there was a part of him that felt the need to keep his family safe. Though, I sensed there was a point where that allegiance ran out with my brother. I just hadn’t found the point – yet.
“If you don’t like your living situation or the diablos you live with, then perhaps it’s time to move on, Valentina.” He spread his hands out at his sides and motioned to the massive room we were in as he pushed himself off the wall. The house was grandiose and immaculately decorated, with a massive outdoor pool and waterfall. The property sprawled for acres upon acres, the house and land encircled with a tall, electrified fence and more guards than the president of the United States had, I would wager.
His lips curled into a sadistic smirk. “Or is leaving this and all the money you could ask for too much of a sacrifice?” He took a menacing step toward me. “Or does living as a princess in the home of the most powerful man in South America reap too many perks?” He looked down at the silver spike heels with red bottoms I was wearing and pointed to them. “Or would giving up your Christian Louboutin or Chanel be too much of a sacrifice for your morals? Are those the things that you need to keep your conscience clean?”
My entire body visibly trembled as I gripped the handle of the brush so tight my knuckles began to turn white. He was throwing in my face the demons I fought with every day of my life. I was done now, with him and this life of blood and war. Terminar!
“Malparido!” I screeched.
“Stop! Stop this right now!” Both of us froze momentarily, and then turned our heads to see our mother gracefully descend the staircase at the center of the room, coming from the west wing. “Valentina, I never want to hear that word again and certainly not in this household toward your brother. Apologize.” When I hesitated, she shouted, “Now!”
“Lo siento.” Under my breath, I added, “Diablo.” Cutting my eyes to look at him, I saw a grin of satisfaction on his face. Damn him, why did he always have to fucking win?
“She was angry because I complimented her on how nice she looks and asked where she was going all dressed up.”
“Oh, she’s meeting up with Anthony.”
Cocking a brow, he turned to me. “Anthony? Who is this Anthony? Do I know him?”
