Page 31 of Set Up By the Cartel

As if sensing my approach, Kael glanced over his shoulder, smiling a big bright smile at the sight of me."There you are! I was starting to think you'd fallen back asleep."

"I overslept,"I admitted, crossing the room to press a quick kiss to his temple. So much time passed."Smells delicious."

He preened under my praise, plating up the pancakes and pouring two mugs of coffee. We settled at the table, eating in comfortable silence for several minutes before Kael broached an unexpected topic:

"Maybe we shouldn’t be discussing this, but I’m curious. Have you ever been with someone before me? If so, could you share what you can about him?" He asked as though we were talking about the weather, though I could sense an underlying curiosity in his tone. "What happened between you two?"

I nearly choked on my coffee. Why did he want to discuss that now of all times?

"There isn't much to say,"I hedged, setting down my mug.I was trying to remain calm, despite the nature of our conversation. "My relationships have always taken a backseat to business."

It wasn't entirely true — my involvement with Carlos had been far more significant than I cared to admit. But discussing him now would only lead to painful revelations best left buried. It was better that Kael didn't know certain things about my life.

Kael studied me, head tilted.He was suspicious about my answer, no denying it. He wanted to know more.

"Come on, Mateo. Surely there must have been someone special along the way. Someone who meant something to you..."

His persistence caught me off guard. How much did he really know about my past? Had Santiago been filling his ears with tales of my romantic history? No, it couldn't be. It just wouldn't make any sense.

"There was one person,"I conceded even though I didn't want to do it, pushing away my empty plate."Carlos. We were involved briefly a few years ago."

Understanding dawned in Kael's eyes, followed by a flash of hurt."Oh. So, you loved him then?"

I didn't like where this was going. He was talking about something that couldn't benefit us in any way.

His question hung in the air between us, loaded with unspoken implications. Did he suspect the depth of my feelings for Carlos? Worry that I might still harbor emotions for myformer lover even now? No, I didn't. In the end, he had never been the one.

"No,"I affirmed, reaching across the table to take his hand in mine."Not like this. Not like how I feel about you. You know that. You know I'm right."

But even as I spoke those reassuring words, doubt crept into my voice. I didn't know how I could have made it clearer. Could I truly claim to love Kael more when Carlos' memory still haunted me so sometimes?Only sometimes.Nothing more than that.

Kael searched my face for any hint of deception, finding only sincerity reflected back at him. He could look for lies as much as he wanted. It wasn't going to change the person I was.

Showing some hesitance, he nodded, accepting my declaration at face value. For now, anyway. I couldn't help but wonder if he would bring up Carlos again. With some luck, he never would.

Yet even as relief washed over me, suspicion continued to gnaw at the edges of my consciousness. Why did he want to know about my past loves? They didn't show anything about me. I was a man like anybody else. I fell in love sometimes. That was all that happened.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of tense interactions and guarded conversations, though, and I hated that. Every innocent comment took on sinister undertones, every shared glance fraught with hidden meaning. By evening, exhaustion weighed heavily upon us both, physically and emotionally drained from the weight of our doubts.

In bed that night, I lay awake, staring up at the ceiling fan spinning lazily overhead, with Kael curled against my side. I felt relieved that he still liked me enough to be here. I had worried he might change his mind.

His steady breathing filled the darkness, a reminder of the bond we shared despite everything.

And yet... uncertainty lingered, refusing to be banished. Until I uncovered the full truth surrounding Carlos' disappearance, I couldn't fully commit myself to Kael without reservation. When he disappeared, I wasn't able to find out the truth. I'd given up. Did he die? Did he simply not want to spend any more time with me, but couldn't bring himself to say that? So many possibilities and none of them were good.

Too many questions remained unanswered too, too many potential betrayals lurking in the shadows.

I knew I needed to confront Santiago, demand answers regarding whatever new information he claimed to possess about Kael's activities. He was good at his job. He probably knew more. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what else Kael had been doing without my knowledge, though.

On a different day, as I sat in my study, poring over the latest reports from our men tailing Mr. Novak — he'd become someone important to me — a sharp rap sounded at the door. Before I could bid entry, Santiago strode inside without waiting for an invitation, a triumphant smirk playing across his thin lips.

Whatever he was thinking, what he just did was unacceptable. He should know better.

"You won't believe what I've found, boss!"He exclaimed, waving a folder. What was in it?"New evidence proving your little omega's treachery once and for all."

His excitement made me wonder if he wanted to kick Kael out, no matter what. It felt personal, but why would it be?

My stomach clenched with unease at his overly confident demeanor. Something told me I wasn't going to like what he had to reveal. Still, I gestured for him to sit, bracing myself mentally.

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