Page 47 of Bound to the Crime Lord

He was silent for a moment before he spoke again, “I’m not alone, though. Manuel’s guards follow me everywhere I go, and I’ve made friends in the facility. For the first time in a long time, Juliette, I feel… normal.”

My heart tightened. I was happy that he was in a good place, but to hear him say those words only made me realize just how much the sickness had taken from him.

“I’m glad you do, E. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.” I tried to keep the emotion from my voice, but there was a little crack at the end of my sentence. “So, tell me, how have the procedures been?”

My brother took time to explain his treatments and ran through the results he had been getting back. Things were really looking up. And though I missed having him close to me, with all this chaos going on I knew that Switzerland was the best place for him.

I heard the door open and, when I looked to my side, I saw Manuel walk in, looking as tired as ever. He was fully healed from his cold, so I knew that was the result of his workday.

“I need to go, little brother. Manuel just walked in. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Don't make any babies. I’m still too young to be an uncle.”

“Ethan!” I said mortified before I hung up the phone. I could feel the heat kissing my cheeks, coloring my skin.

Manuel trudged his way towards me, his sleeves rolled all the way to his elbows and two of his top buttons undone.

He looked good enough to eat.

He plopped himself down beside me and pulled me into his lap. He buried his nose into the crook of my neck and breathed my scent in deeply.

I threaded my fingers through his fine hair and kissed the side of his temple. It still astounded me just how easy it was for us to fall into this ‘couple’ role. It was like it had always been destined for the two of us. I didn’t feel like I needed to perform for him. I just moved with my feelings, and he followed with ease.

“Penny for your thoughts?” I muttered into his hair.

“No.” He kissed the hallow between my shoulder and neck. “This is enough.”

That was exactly what I feared he would say.

I moved my body away from his so I could grab both sides of his face and force him to look at me.

“Manuel.” I gave him a pointed look. “I know something is bothering you. I want to help, if I can.”

“You can’t,amor.” The usual shine in his eyes was not there, and had been dimmed for a few days now. “This is something that I need to deal with on my own.”

My back stiffened. “What do you mean 'deal with'?”

“I’m going to Mexico,amor,” he spoke into the thick of the silence.

I allowed his words to process fully in my mind before I lifted my head from his chest and looked at him. I could see the conflict raging in his eyes and casting shadows over his features.

“It’s not safe, Manuel.” I didn’t want him to go. Not only because I wanted him to stay at my side, but because I didn’t want him in harm's way. Which was ironic since his entire day job required him to place himself in harm's way time and time again.

“I need to, Juliette.”

He coated my name with a level of tenderness I had never heard before. Many people called me by my name, but it somehow only ever seemed right coming from his lips.

“I need to find my mother and put an end to The Triad.”

“I don’t want you getting hurt, Manuel. I’m just… I worry for you.”

One side of his lips tilted upward into a soft smirk. Some of the chaos swimming in his eyes calmed. “Why worry about me,amor? You know I’m invincible. I’m the devil. What does the devil have to fear from mere mortals?”

His words did nothing to ease the dread cementing itself into my bones. “Manuel, be serious right now. You are walking into the very place The Triads is from. What if it’s a trap?”

“You act as if I’m going there without my men. I’m not stupid enough to walk into a war zone without any armor. Mexico is where I’m from, and my family still heavily influences Guadalajara. I will be fine.”

I didn’t know why I was feeling like this, but my gut just wasn’t settled.

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