Page 26 of The Tourist

"Who was it?"

"One of Richard Armstrong’s ex-business associates," Diego replies, his voice filled with disgust. "He assured us he was on our side, but now we’ve discovered he was still profiting from the human trafficking business and didn’t want Eaton and me to interfere."

"What happened to him?" I ask, even though I already have a feeling I know the answer.

"He's dead," Diego says, his voice cold. "Eaton and I took care of him and made sure he suffered in the process."

"How?" I ask, out of morbid curiosity and a need for closure.

This traitor prevented Serena from coming home to us. Maybe he was responsible for my rescue taking so long. The part of me that, in the past, would have been appalled by the taking of this man’s life has long since stopped caring. Anyone who places a value on another person’s life deserves all that comes to them.

Diego looks at me, tilting his head. "Are you sure you want to know?”

I nod.

“Eaton cut out his tongue first, so he couldn't talk or scream, and burned it on the fire in front of him. Then we beat him, over and over, until he was barely conscious. But that wasn't enough to kill him. Eaton and I both have a thing for old-fashioned torture. God, I shouldn’t be telling you this."

“I’m not naive. You don’t need to protect me from the darker side of the underworld. Tell me everything. Please. I want to be sure he suffered for what he did.”

"We had him drawn and quartered," Diego continues, his voice steady. "We tied each of the traitor’s limbs to the rear axels of four different vehicles and then had them driven in opposite directions. The man was literally torn apart."

A shiver runs down my spine at the thought, but I also feel a sense of justice.

"He deserved it." My words are cold. A new and tougher Chloe has risen to the surface.

Diego’s face falls again. I can see he’s tired. "I don't know what to do next. I'm beginning to lose hope."

I move closer, wrapping my arms around him. "We'll find her, Diego. You can't give up."

We cling to each other for comfort.

"She’s the only family I have left. I can't lose her," he responds.

"You won't," I whisper. "We'll find her. You're not alone."

Diego pulls back slightly and stares into my eyes. "Thank you. For being here. For believing in me."

I smile through my tears. "Always."

Without thinking, I lean in and press my lips to his. The kiss is gentle at first, but it soon deepens. I’m in desperate need of comfort and reassurance, and I savor every moment of this physical connection. It makes me feel alive.

CHAPTER18

Diego

Chloe’s warm, inviting breath mingles with mine, but as the reality of our situation settles in, guilt crashes over me like a wave. I pull back abruptly, my heart pounding and my mind reeling. I look at her to check she’s all right.

“I-I'm sorry, Chloe. I shouldn’t have done that.”

She looks at me, confusion and hurt etched into her features. “Don’t apologize. I started it. I wanted to kiss you.” I can see the surprise etched on her face at her confession as she strokes her fingertips over her lips.

I shake my head. “You’ve been through so much. I can't take advantage of your vulnerability like this. It’s not right.”

She reaches out, her hand trembling slightly as it rests on my arm. “Please listen to me, Diego. This isn’t about me being vulnerable. I wanted to kiss you. I need to feel normal again. All I feel is dirty, most of the time.”

Her words hit me hard. I look into her eyes, seeing the depth of her pain. “You're not dirty.”

She gives a cynical laugh, shaking her head. “You don’t understand. They injected me with heroin to keep me docile. When they used my body, I was so high I could escape to a different place. But now, without the drugs, all I feel is disgusting.”

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