Page 58 of Beautiful Dangerous

His promises mean nothing now. And his idea of okay, is it the same as mine?

He once again reaches out to cup my cheek, tilting my face up as he kisses me slowly.

What are you feeling now?

Still nothing… And does he sense that? Can he feel my resistance? Because when he pulls back from me his smile is a little more strained, falling slowly from his deep, dark eyes. “We’ve been a long time apart, Olivia.”

He wants to sleep with me. Wants the sex he’s missed, the closeness he might be craving, and I say might because I don’t believe for one second that he’s been alone all this time. That he’s been faithful, all this time. A man like Javier, he can have anything he wants, anyonehe wants, whenever he wants, all he has to do is ask. And I find it hard to believe that he’s been two years without any form of physical contact, I know these men.

“It won’t be forever,” I reply, putting my mug in the sink and crossing my arms against myself, creating the kind of barrier I have never felt the need to put up against this man. Until now. “I promise.”

And how much weight domypromises carry now…?

“Have you ever broken a promise to me?” he asks, holding my gaze, and when he smiles it doesn’t reach his eyes. They remain dark. Guarded, even.

“No.”

And that’s the truth. Up until now I have never broken a promise to him. Up until now…

“Good. Because so many others have.”

He narrows his eyes slightly, holds my gaze for another moment or two, and then he turns around and heads out of the kitchen.

“Javier?”

He stops and turns back to face me. “Yes?”

“Tonight, at the party, I’ll be right by your side.”

Because that’s my job. My role. For now…

“I never had any doubt that you would be.”

Another smile, and he’s out the door, and I lean back against the counter and drag a hand through my hair, sighing heavily, a sigh laced with apprehension, frustration, and fear. And that’s what worries me most. The fear. I’ve never, not once, felt any need to be scared around Javier. But now – now, I do…

Lucca

Today, my world became a far more dangerous place. One where I will have to be on my guard, twenty-four-seven, just one, tiny lapse could kill me. What I did, it was reckless. An urge I could’ve fought –should’vefought, I’m not that weak.

Except, you are.

You were.

You can’t afford to be, ever again.

“Are we ready to go?”

Javier approaches the Jaguar, dressed in a dark suit and open-necked white shirt, his black hair swept back off his face, his beard neatly trimmed, dark glasses covering his eyes.

I open the passenger door, and he smiles at me, giving my shoulder a friendly pat before pulling me in for a hug.

“What would I have done without you, brother?” He holds me at arm’s length, his eyes fixed on mine, although I can’t see his, thanks to those dark glasses. Is he wearing them for a reason? So I can’t see what he knows? Or am I just being unnecessarily paranoid? Which could give far more away than if I just acted as though everything was normal. But everything isn’t normal, not even for this world. Everything’s changed,I’vechanged. But Javier can’t know that. “I know I said all of this last night, but I really do owe you, Lucca. I owe you so much, for keeping Olivia safe. For making sure she kept our business alive, this side of the border.”

“She knew what she was doing.”

“Yes. She did.”

“You taught her well.”

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