“Precisely.”
“And Liam? What about him?”
I sigh. I don’t want to talk about her man, but we have to. “Liam is going to try and swap places with you. Killian won’t tolerate that. He’ll fight to keep you both. That will be the catalyst for the gunfight at the meeting spot. All of the people in this organization that need to be executed will be there.”
“This all sounds…chaotic and crazy. I don’t want anyone I care about to get hurt.”
“People do crazy things for love.” I shrug.
She pulls her knees to her chest and rests her head on them. Her face is angled my way. A lone tear slips down her cheek.
I swipe it away with my thumb. “What’s wrong,Mariposita?”
“You are not what I expected. You are doing anything you can to protect the people you love and care for. Even for the ones you don’t know—innocent lives.” She starts to whisper, so I lean in closer.
“Why did you let your uncle beat me when I first got here? You let me stay in that dungeon for weeks. You let him wrap his hands around my throat, each and every night until I passed out.”
Her tears pour more freely now.
My heart palpates wildly in my chest. Anguish claws through my body until my hands shake with the desire to change the past. I never meant for that to happen. My uncle wasn’t supposed to be here.
“It was never meant to happen that way. As the leader, Geraldo would bring you into that room, and his lackeys would guard the door. If I showed up..if I questioned..if they saw any other side of me besidesEl Rompe Huesos,they would figure out our plan.” I drop my head in shame. It’s a fucking terrible excuse. I should have stopped him from hurting her. I could have done so much more to prevent all of that pain. She will never understand how much she sacrificed for my family.
“My sister was inconsolable. So was I for that matter. I destroyed so many guest rooms in this house. Trashing the place to shreds. I would take local assignments just to be able to break some bones and do to them what I couldn’t do to my uncle. Hearing your screams and having to pick you up off that filthy floor and carry you back to your cell was pure agony. I would stay with you, holding you in my arms on that tiny little cot until my uncle went back to his home in South Beach. I needed to know he wouldn’t come in and do anything further. That he wouldn’t….” I can’t even say the last few words.
My sweet little butterfly crawls over and hugs me. Her body shakes as she sobs into my shoulder. “You did what you had to do. To protect Selena. I would have done the same thing for my sisters. Thank you for,” she hiccups, “for staying with me at night—even when I didn’t know it. Thank you for defending the innocent.”
“I’m not a saint, Madison. I’m still very much a monster,” I sigh. “I’d like to think that one day I can be…somewhat redeemable.”
She swivels her head, which is resting on my shoulder and looks at me. Her glossy indecisive eyes drop down to my lips before she pulls away.
I’m about to sayfuck it, break my promise to her, and get a taste of those luscious lips when an explosion rocks the entire house.
Madison grips my shoulders, her eyes going wide. Gunfire goes off in all different directions.
Coño.
I pull her off the bed, dragging her to my walk-in closet. There’s a hidden room in the back. I shove the clothes aside, unlatch the door, and nudge her in.
“Stay here,Mariposita. I’ll be back for you.”
It’s justshy of three weeks.Three. Fucking. Weeks.Without our women. I hate that we are sitting here waiting for the call to get Madison back…and possibly Selena.If she’s still the woman I believe her to be.
Seb was able to find the island the same evening we arrived at the compound. It was owned by Selena’s father and was gifted to her brother Diego.Fucking Diego. I gave him my word and killed his father andthisis how herepaysme? Taking Madison hostage?
It doesn’t add up.
Less than a year ago we had an agreement that if I killed his father, he would find a way to get Selena back to me. I was desperate for it, clinging on to every shred of hope that we would get the chance to try again. Her father would be dead and his horrific reign would be over. That was right around the same time I had met Madison. So I declined the offer to have Selena sent to New York and still kept good on my promise.
Even if Selena found out that I had Liam kill Basilio, why would she care? Her father was a monster. He killed her mother with his bare hands and beat his two kids almost daily.Does this have to do with Madison? Perhaps she found out that I had chosenMadison over her and resented me for it?She could have set me up this whole time, pretending to still be in love with me. Maybe her brother helped her, seeking out his revenge on me for fucking over his sister.
Seb delivered us the number of Geraldo’s burner phone shortly after finding the island. Dec, Liam and I called him, demanding to meet that night. We would avoid more bloodshed if we worked out a deal. Geraldo just laughed and told us if we even stepped foot on his island, he would kill both girls. He even sent a picture of Madison in a disgusting cell. Filthy and scared shitless.
As of right now, Selena is being well cared for. Geraldo threatened for that to change if we attempt to play any games. The last words he said before hanging up was that he would reach out when he was ready for a deal to be made.
After hearing that, Liam was ready to steal one of Declan’s boats and set of coordinates and go there himself. Dec and I had to hold him down long enough for him to cool off. As much as that’s what I want to do as well—we can’t. Geraldo is a sick son of a bitch who would make good on his threat. If it was Basilio, everyone would have already been dead.
We need a plan—and a solid one at that.