Page 67 of Beautiful Dangerous

I shake my head, but inside there’s real fear starting to build. Were we that obvious? Did we, unwittingly, let something show? Eddie’s already alluded to it, and now Angel?

“Nothing can ever happen, between me and Olivia.”

“That isn’t what I asked, brother.”

His eyes hold mine, and I shake my head again, and this time he gets the message.

Thereisno you and Olivia.

But there could’ve been.

Should’ve been…

“Must’ve been tough for you, having to keep that secret from so many people.” Angel finally shifts his focus, and I follow his gaze. Olivia and Javier are still playing the perfect couple, because I’m absolutely certain that they can never be the people they were before Javier’s planned disappearance.

Is that what you’re hoping…?

Too much has changed. People have changed.

Haveyouchanged…?

All around us people are celebrating Javier’s return from the dead, and I can’t help but wonder how much of his shit Hawkins is losing right now. He’ll be paying us a visit, that’s a given, but we’re ready for him.

I glance over at Olivia as she stares up at Javier, she’s doing what she has to do, I’m not entirely sure it’s what she wants. And the ache I feel in my chest is crushing as he squeezes her waist and kisses her, and she laughs and holds onto him, and it’s so fucking painful to watch .

Javier and Olivia Delgado.

The perfect couple.

Powerful.

Beautiful.

Dangerous.

“I need a drink,” I mutter under my breath as I push past Angel and head back inside the house, where it’s slightly quieter, and make my way to the kitchen.

“Everything okay,SeñorPérez?”

Celine looks up from the pile of dishes and plates she’s just retrieved from the dishwasher.

“Everything’s fine, Celine. I just needed a breather from the party, that’s all. A few minutes to myself.”

She smiles and bustles over to the stove, where there’s several pots of something that smells incredible bubbling away.

“It’s been a crazy couple of days, no?”

“Tell me about it,” I sigh, leaning back against the counter and crossing my arms.

“If you’re hungry, I’m cooking a batch of chili verde. With pork. This one’s just about ready, and there are some fresh, homemade tortillas over by the fridge.”

I reach for a spoon, dipping it into the pot and lifting out some of the chilli to taste. “Perfecto!”

Celine smiles and grabs a bowl from the rack, ladling a good portion of chili into it.

“Enjoy. I wanted to make sure I had enough food ready in case anyone’s hungry later, and I know this is one ofSeñor Delgado’s favorites.”

I take the bowl and set it down on the counter while I fetch myself a couple of fresh tortillas, and some cheese from the fridge. And I sit and I eat and I chat with Celine about her son and the new couch she’s having delivered next week, and I let myself get lost in her excitement about innocent, everyday things. It’s a welcome break from the shit going on in my own, fucked-up world.

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