Page 31 of Branches of Betrayal

“No manches.” Peyton smirked at Hadina’s frustration. The kid knew how to play them both.

Itza gave her a look that Hadi threw right back at her. When she turned back to her father, Itza’s words came out in a rush. “I want two things: the first is to spend next summer vacation in Puerto Vallarta with you. And I also want a purebred Arabian horse—white, if possible.”

“Tell you what,” Darío finally said after a long few seconds, “I’ll get you the horse, and I’ll do everything in my power to have our home ready for you. Hopefully by then, you’ll be coming home for good.”

Itza’s eyes lit up but quickly dimmed as she looked over at Hadi and Peyton. “ButtiaHadi and aunt Peyton?—”

“Can come and visit you anytime they want, for however long they want. You can even come here and visit them when you miss them. But this only works if you keep your grades up this year and I get the house ready in time. Deal?”

“Thank you, daddy!” Itza hugged Darío, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

Peyton could feel Hadina’s tension from beside her. So much for giving them three months to get used to the idea. Darío had practically swept Itza out from under Hadina’s feet, and there was nothing either of them could say to make it better.

Talk quickly shifted onto other topics, with Itza talking about her schoolwork and riding the horses Hadina had bought for her to practice with.

Alvaro—who seemed to be the peacekeeper of his little trio—caught Itza’s attention, leaning forward to speak to her. “You like riding horses, huh? Do you ever ride competitively?”

Peyton bit back her grin and Hadina swore under her breath, rubbing her temples.

“I’m a barrel racer buttiaHadi won’t let me join any leagues. She says I still need training even though I’ve beaten everyone’s times on the ranch—even Beto."

“Being good and fast is not the problem, Itza,” Hadina said, exasperated.

“Then why do I need more training?” Itza pouted.

“Because you don’t follow the rules,niña. When you cut corners on the rules and try to skip certain lessons just because you think you know better than the trainer, you’ll lose, even when you win.”

The fourteen year old rolled her eyes, pushing her leftover food around her plate as she replied under her breath, “I actually do know the lessons—it’s called reading ahead. You andpapátaught me that.”

Vicente choked on his laughter, using the top of his fingers to lightly pinch Itza’s arm. “Sounds just like something he’d teach you, but sometimes going fast isn’t always good. Slowing down and taking the advice of those who have been in the game longer than you is beneficial.”

“Honestly, that’s advice you and your sister need,” Kat laughed.

“Hey!” Vicenta and Vicente said in unison.

Peyton giggled. “By the looks of it, everyone at this table needs that advice.”

Vicenta huffed, her brows furrowing. “What do you mean,Blancita?”

Peyton grinned at the nickname, knowing it was said as an endearment rather than an insult. “Really?” she replied, her eyes looking pointedly at how both Alvaro and Romero held Vicenta’s thighs, and Vicente had his arms draped over the back of Itza’schair and Kat beside him, glancing possessively at Darío every few seconds.

Vicenta burst out laughing. “Yeah, me and my brother have the thrill gene. It can’t be helped.”

“You and that mouth of yours,” Hadi said gruffly into Peyton’s ear, making her blush hard while biting her lip. She lowered her voice to a whisper, her lips brushing Peyton’s soft skin. “I can’t wait to put it to good use later.”

Peyton felt her blush spread throughout her body, making her cross her legs beneath the table.

“Promise?” she asked with a sly smirk. Hadina’s hand slid up her thigh, squeezing gently. It was a silent answer, but Peyton was an expert in Hadina’s silence.

“So,” Vicenta asked, her honey-coloured eyes shining, “Tell me something I don’t know about San Antonio. We’re not here long enough to do the whole tourist thing.”

She pouted and both of her men rolled their eyes. Alvaro pressed a placating kiss to her temple, while Romero gently squeezed her thigh. “We’ll come back for a visit if you wish,Bruja.”

Itza tilted her head. “Aren’t you from here, Vicenta?”

The woman shook her head. A quick darkness passed over her eyes, almost too quick for anyone to notice, but Peyton had perfected that passing look. “Not here. I grew up in Dallas, though Acapulco is definitely home now. I don’t know much about San Antonio.”

Peyton understood finding a new home for yourself. She’d grown up in a country town, Willowbrooks, and it had been oppressive to say the least. The town itself was beautiful, but when dark moments happened in life, they tended to bleed all over the light. What was once home became a trap, and escaping was the only way to let yourself live again. She’d been lucky to gooff to college, and then find her way to San Antonio with the Adis family.

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