Page 49 of Trapped

“And who am I?” I ask.

“Mine.” My heart stops at the word.Mine.

He grabs my hand, and we walk into the party. The Maestas’ mansion is adorned with all the luxuries that money laundering could afford. Diamond chandeliers hang from the ceiling, and abstract art is plastered to the walls. When we get inside, I break away from Silas and head to a large guest restroom by the ballroom so I can ditch my soaked panties. That was the effect Silas’s words had on me. When I exit the stall, I have an unexpected visitor waiting for me.

“Gabrielle,” I say and move to the sinks.

“The wifey.” She smirks. “Sorry, I forgot your name.”

“It’s Thalia. Thalia Macias.” I stick out my hand, knowing the gesture will not be met. She rolls her eyes.

“You know, I’ve always known about you. I’ve known Silas my whole life, even when his father took him away from me to marry you. Even after your father tried to kill him,” she says.

I make the mistake of looking away. Something Patricio said to never do when face-to-face with a snake. She recognizes my unease and digs her claws in deeper.

“I never lose, Thalia. You can wear that ring on your finger or trap him with a child, but I won’t stop until he’s back in my bed. I will remove every obstacle in my way. You, your daughter, whoever.” She delivers the threat before the door swings open and Ale steps in. Her eyes dart toward Gabrielle.

“It smells like fucking skonka in here. Close your legs, Gabrielle. That coochie isfuchi.” Ale covers her nose as shestares down at Gabrielle. Gabrielle is still staring at me, ignoring the insult.

Ale grabs me by the arm and pulls me into the hallway. I’m still processing the threat. Processing the knowledge she’s uncovered, and nervous about who else here knows. I’m so pissed off I don’t recognize my hands shaking. Everything is a blur. The threat hits me like an aftershock.

“Are you okay?” I register Ale’s words, but her voice sounds so far away. I close my eyes and push the panic away from me.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Don’t let that bitch get to you. She ain’t the better woman, she’s just the other woman.” I regain focus and my brows furrow. Oh. She thinksI’m jealous. Not this time. No. This time, it’s pure murderous rage coursing through me.

“Thanks,” I say to play the part, and Ale cups my face.

“For what? You’re a Macias. You’re family.”

And that’s where Ale was wrong. I am legally still a Macias, but Consuelo blood runs through me. I can be as cold and calculated as my father. I am a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Lucia. When it comes to my family. I won’t think twice before putting a bullet between the eyes of anyone who dares to threaten what I love, and right now, Gabrielle is a walking corpse.

The crowd cheers, and Thalia smiles at me before the music starts up again. The plan is to give everyone the gossip they need for the night. All eyes are on us on the dance floor while Ale and Efren search the mansion, and break into the private office on the top level of the house.

“You’re really playing the happy wife well,” I whisper in her ear.

“I’m an incredible actor. You’ve seen my orgasms.” I can’t see her face, but I already know there’s a devilish grin on it.

“You got jokes, mija, but nothing between me and you is fake.” I push into her, letting her feel the hardness in my pants. She sucks in a breath. “I will fuck you in front of this entire room and let them decide if the screams coming out of you are fake or not.” She stops, and I push her stiff body along with the music.

We continue to put on our show of dancing and laughing. Only, it’s not a show. Whether or not we admit it, we are each other’s happy place. It’s a push and pull dynamic that makes what we have work. The more time our bodies are pressed toeach other, the more we crave each other. I want to make good on my threats, knowing how much she loves to be watched. I run my hands over her ass and pull her to me. I don’t even look to see how many pearls are clenched in our audience. Thalia gasps.

“How wet are your panties right now?” She pulls her head off my shoulder and whispers into my ear.

“I’m not wearing panties.”Fuck.

It takes all of my self control to not take her into the bathroom and fuck her to ruin. To fill up all her holes while her screams and moans echo off the walls of this house. We might as well be fucking at this point with the way our bodies are pressed together. The banda music blares, and my leg is between hers, guiding her through every twist and turn. I’m waiting for the big exit I told her to make as soon as she sees Ale return.

We dance a couplehuapangosthat leave us both breathless from all the turning. We’re standing there, catching our breath, when the music begins to play again. Right away, I recognize the familiar piano and tuba mixed melody. It’s our song. She removes herself from the embrace, and her eyes stare into mine. Other couples dance around us, but Thalia just stands there, frozen in place. When she does move, she’s shaking her head at me. We both see Ale at the ballroom entrance, and Thalia takes off down the hall.

It was the dramatic exit we needed, but the feel of her pulling away from me again is infuriating. Almost as infuriating as the way my heart feels like she ripped it out to take with her. I smile at our audience and go after her. Is this how Prince Charming felt chasing Cinderella? Do I look as pathetic as him? She makes her way to the back room like we planned, but when I meet her there, she is shaking.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, pulling her to face me.

“That song. It just fucks me up every time I hear it,” she shouts, anger radiating from her.

“Because it’s our song?” I ask.

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