Page 9 of Hunted By the Cartel

I lowered my voice to a whisper, glancing at the bedroom door. "Lila, I need your help," I said, my heart pounding in my chest. I was so nervous. I knew I shouldn't be, but I couldn't control it. "I'm in trouble, and I need you to send someone to get me. It's urgent. You have to do it quickly."

As I spoke, the bedroom door swung open, and there he stood, his eyes blazing with anger. What? What happened?

My heart leaped into my throat as I found myself face-to-face with the debt collector. Diego's eyes narrowed, and in two swift strides, he was upon me, his hand clamping down on my wrist, his touch sending a jolt through me.

He was furious at me. What he wanted to do to me couldn't be described.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He growled, keeping his voice low and dangerous. "You don't bring outsiders into this! Do you have any idea how risky that is? Do you have a death wish?"

Fear gripped me, and I tried to pull away, but his grip on my wrist tightened. No matter how much I tried, the outcome was going to be the same.

My heart hammered in my chest, and in my panic, I dropped the phone, the screen shattering on impact. Diego's eyes blazed with fury, and he hauled me against him, his body a wall of solid muscle. Arousal and fear gripped me.

"Please," I whispered, trying to get through to him. "I-I wasn't trying to— I'm sorry about what I was doing."

He pressed even closer, his lips brushing my ear as he growled, "You have no idea what you've just done, omega." His breath tickled my skin, sending shivers down my spine, and for a fleeting moment, I felt a rush of desire mixed with fear again. It confused me, this pull I felt toward him, even as he frightened me.

I shouldn't feel arousal for the person keeping me hostage. It was wrong and made me feel terrible about myself. I wanted to do something about it, get rid of it, but couldn't do it – especially when he was breathing down on me.

Diego's eyes darkened, and he pulled away, his gaze flicking to the broken phone on the floor. For a long moment, he said nothing, his jaw clenched, appearing to be thinking about something.

Then, without a word, he released me, his eyes cold and distant, and stormed back into his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him. I didn't even have time to say something else. Given the situation, I didn't know if I could say something else without making things worse, anyway.

I stood there, trembling, my heart torn between fear and confusion. I sank to the floor, my back against the wall, my eyes fixed on the closed bedroom door. My entire body was sweaty.

What had just happened? Why did I feel this strange pull toward Diego, even after he had frightened me so? I knew he was dangerous, a loan shark with a short temper, and yet, I couldn't deny the way my body had reacted to his proximity, the way my heart raced at the sound of his voice.

Maybe I was just too lonely and horny. Whatever the case, I didn't like it, especially since I couldn't control it.

I buried my face in my hands, my mind reeling. There were so many thoughts swirling in my mind right now. Swirling? It felt more like a tempest.

I needed to get away, to put distance between us. But even as I thought it, a part of me rebelled, longing for the safety and warmth I had felt in his presence.

I couldn't help but think, again, about what I would do after getting out of here. Who would protect me? The police? Obviously not. They would find out about some of my nasty, shady practices in the past and put me behind bars.

It was as if my body craved Diego's nearness, even as my mind screamed at the danger he represented. He just showed me how dangerous he could be. What other proof did my mind need to understand that?

I took a shaky breath, my eyes never leaving the closed door. I knew I should run, that staying here with Diego was a risk I couldn't afford to take. But something kept me rooted to the spot, something beyond logic or reason.

Or maybe, just maybe, I was too much of a chicken.

Chapter 6

Diego

I paced the confines of my apartment, my phone clutched tightly in my hand as I dialed my boss's number for what felt like the hundredth time. My heart was tight. I was so tense.

The line rang, once, twice, and then went to voicemail. I growled in frustration, ending the call and immediately redialing. Did I think that, this time, it was going to work? Not at all, but it was better than nothing.

This time, it went straight to voicemail, my boss's deep voice informing me that the line was unavailable. Fucking hell.

"Damn it!" I slammed my hand against the wall, my eyes flashing with anger. I wanted to do something good for Rowan, but it appeared to be impossible. He wasn't a bad guy. I thought he was someone I would never like, but that was not what I thought of him at the moment.

Something was wrong, I could feel it in my bones. My boss never ignored my calls, and the fact that I couldn't reach him sent a wave of unease through me. Maybe he was specifically ignoring me. Whatever the case, I knew I had to be extra cautious.

As I slid my phone into my pocket, my eyes fell on Rowan, sitting on the couch, his eyes wide as he took in my display of frustration. I shook my head. I didn't want him to see what just happened.

I scowled, not wanting to explain myself to the omega. I didn't have to. To be honest, I was wondering again why I was keeping him alive. There was no reason he should be. It was either his life or the money he owed.

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