Page 10 of Set Up By the Cartel

He reached out to brush a stray lock of hair behind my ear almost tenderly before trailing his calloused fingertips down the side of my neck. I shivered despite myself, hating how easily he affected me.

"What do you want from me?"I demanded, hating the breathlessness in my voice.And deep inside, I already knew the answer to my question. "Why won't you just leave me alone already?"

His expression sobered, green eyes boring into mine with unnerving intensity."Because I can't,"he answered simply, as if stating a fact."Fate has other plans for us both whether we accept them willingly or fight tooth and nail every step of the way."

Oh, so we were already back to this nonsense again? Growling under my breath, I batted his hand away."I don't believe in fate or destiny,"I insisted even as doubt began to creep into my mind.Dammit, I hated that. I hated the way my mind thought about the issue. It was as though it was working against me.

"We make our own choices based on free will and personal agency," I stated.

"You think so?"He challenged, arching one brow. Before I could respond, he produced a folded piece of parchment from within his jacket, thrusting it towards me.

"What's this supposed to be?"I asked right away, eyeing the ancient-looking document with distrust. Some kind of trick perhaps?

"A confirmation of everything I've been trying to tell you,"Mateo replied, pressing the scroll into my unresisting hand."Proof that we're destined to be together regardless of your continued resistance. I know you understand the meaning of this scroll's existence."

Skeptical but morbidly curious, I unfolded the brittle pages, squinting to decipher the strange symbols scrawled upon their surface. And I also remembered my dream. Or, maybe I should say:nightmare.

At first glance, the symbols appeared to depict two figures entwined in an intimate embrace surrounded by arcane glyphs and runes.

But as I studied the images more closely, a chill raced down my spine. Because there, plain as day amidst the abstract designs, was an uncanny likeness of myself gazing adoringly up at someone bearing a striking resemblance to none other than the man standing before me right now.

Heart pounding, I tore my gaze away from the damning evidence to search Mateo's face for answers. His expression remained impassive yet somehow triumphant, as though he knew exactly what I must be thinking. And I knew that he knew. It wasn't a big mystery.

"This... this is impossible!"I sputtered, clutching the incriminating proof against my chest like a shield."There has to be some mistake!"

"There is no mistake,"Mateo countered, reaching out to cup my cheek in one large palm."What we share is real, Kael. Denying it changes nothing."

And even though I didn't want to admit it, I knew that part of me realized he was right about that.

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes unbidden as the weight of his words sank in. Everything I'd ever known about the world seemed to shift on its axis, threatening to send me tumbling into an abyss of uncertainty.

Was that really it? Was this my destiny unfolding before me, with no choice in the matter? That’s one of the reasons I didn’t want to get involved with Mateo any more than I already was. In different circumstances, if he were someone else, maybe we would’ve had a chance.

"I'm scared,"I admitted, hating the weakness in my voice but unable to keep the truth locked inside any longer."This isn't what I planned for my life..."

Mateo's thumb brushed gently across my lower lip, drawing a shudder from deep within my core."Neither did I,"he murmured, leaning in close until our breaths mingled."But sometimes the greatest blessings come wrapped in unexpected packages."

Before I could formulate a response, he closed the remaining distance between us, capturing my mouth in a searing kiss that stole the very air from my lungs. I stiffened for a brief moment before melting against him, surrendering to the inevitable pull drawing us closer.

When he finally released me moments later, I swayed dizzily on my feet, lips tingling and brain short-circuiting from lack of oxygen. Mateo steadied me with strong hands gripping my upper arms, green eyes blazing with barely restrained desire.

“Come home with me,” he urged, his voice husky with need. “I know this is crazy, but I can’t imagine my life without you. I felt the same way after finding the scroll. I wanted to fight it, pretend I didn’t feel what I do — but there’s no escaping it. We’d both die without each other. It’s as simple as that. We’re not like most people. It’s as much a curse as it is a blessing.”

Every instinct screamed at me to refuse, to push him away and flee back to the safety of familiar routines and expectations. But something else, something primal and undeniable, urged me to take the leap of faith and trust in the promise shining bright in his eyes.

And I knew the decision I was going to make.

Chapter 5

Kael

The next morning dawned gray and dreary, matching my mood perfectly as I dragged myself through the motions of getting ready for another day at Club Nocturne. My mind remained preoccupied with thoughts of Mateo and the bombshell revelations from last night.

Part of me still didn’t want to be with him, but there was nothing I could do about it. I had already made my decision and had to live with it.

As I walked into work, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The usual chatter and laughter from my coworkers sounded hollow, their smiles strained. Even Lila seemed subdued, offering only a half-hearted wave before disappearing into the break room. Okay, I wasn’t just suspicious; something was definitely wrong. I didn’t know what it was yet, but I could tell something was off.

Shrugging off the unease, I tied on my apron and began restocking bottles behind the bar, trying to lose myself in the mundane task. But my focus kept wandering, replaying snippets of conversation with Mateo over and over in my head. Eventhough I didn’t want to think about him, he kept resurfacing in my mind. That was one of the reasons I knew he was going to be in my life forever.

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