Page 118 of Heart of a Villain

“I like Auntie Seda,” Theo went on. “And Mama likes her and Jojo and Daddy and everybody. Do you like Auntie Seda, Adrían?”

“Can you keep a secret?” he asked.

“No, not really.”

A laugh tore from his chest. “No? Well, I’ll tell you anyway. I love your Auntie Seda. I want to marry her. I think she’s the best woman in the world.”

“If you marry her, does that mean you and Auntie Seda get to stay?”

“Do you want us to stay?”

“Yes!”

“That warms my heart, meu amigo.”

“Mine too, me-yoo ah-mee-go. Did I do it right?”

“Perfect,” he said, laughing again. “By the way, why do you call me Uncle Adrían now?”

“Daddy said I can.”

“I thought you could only call your dad’s brothers ‘unco.’”

“Uh-huh. That’s why Daddy said it was okay. I’m gonna go back to eating now.”

While he’d expected the statement to affect him, he couldn’t have counted on how much. It was somehow everything he ever wanted and more than he could have ever hoped for.

Family.

His girl.

Ridiculous financial stability.

A murder plan.

Sayeda glanced back at them and smiled, and his day became infinitely better when she mouthed, “I love you too.”

CHAPTER

THIRTY-ONE

After they got back from their trip to ruin what they’d assumed was Sayeda’s date, Josiah asked all of them if he could have an “impromptu” fighting lesson.

As Adrían reminded Josiah how to remove his hand wraps, he realized that it might never cease to amaze him how different this team was. There were people who shared DNA and grew up in the same household who weren’t as close as this family. It was no wonder that people were drawn to them; that and the fact that getting to know this group had been a boon for his, Thanasis, and Joel’s love lives.

Unfortunately, however, as far as he could tell, no one was left. Based on the kind of women that hovered around Alpha, it was also highly likely that she wouldn’t want anything to do with Lee and his “lie about who I am, get sex, disappear, and never see you again” ways.

“Before everybody goes home, can I have some advice?” Josiah asked.

Joel nervously glanced around the new training facility, a two-story industrial complex, before his gaze returned to his son. “Uh…sure, ‘Siah.”

“It’s personal.”

The rest of the guys shifted toward the exit.

“No! No!” Josiah ran to the door and extended his long arms, blocking their path to freedom from awkwardness. “It’s a ‘guy’ question. Ma wouldn’t understand, you know?”

Joel hung his head and mumbled, “Shoot me now,” under his breath before lifting it again, his expression giving away none of his discomfort.

---