Page 29 of His Team

I need to do better about keeping her from finding out. Anyone I bring into my life has to be a part of the team. If I can’t trust them, they can’t come in close.

God, I hope I can trust her.

CHAPTER 10

Life Is Happening

Maribel

“I will book a first-class flight for you. We should plan the engagement party while you are here. I’m thinking of hiring a planner to get things squared away,” Dez says on the phone while I roll my eyes.

“It will be the holidays. Who’s planning anything?” I grumble.

“You’d be surprised what a little bonus can do.”

“Well, I’m not coming home for Thanksgiving. My friends and I have plans here on campus.”

“My patience is growing thin. You didn’t discuss going to school with me. We didn’t discuss you moving to Texas either. You’ve been treating me like an option when I’m anything but, Maribel,” he snaps.

“An option I didn’t ask for. No one discussed with me if I wanted to be married or to who. I’m going to school for me. This is what I want,” I snap back.

“You have been mine since before you were born. Your father made promises to my family he will keep.”

“What?”

“Oh, so you don’t know why your mother left? She thought she would take you away and hide you from me and my family. Little does she know.

“I always get what I want. Ask my brother. Oh, sorry. You can’t. He’s no longer with us,” he says darkly.

Dez had an older brother who was going to take over the family. About a year ago, he died mysteriously and Dez stepped into the grooming for the promotion his brother was supposed to get.

A shiver runs through me as I catch onto what he’s implying. I’m still getting to know my father and learning about his world. If this is true, there’s no telling the danger I placed myself in by finding my dad.

Tears begin to well in my eyes as I feel so stupid. This is all my fault. I walked right into this.

“Have your fun with your friends. I will see you before the year ends.”

With that, he hangs up. I sit staring off into space as the truth sets in. I can’t for the life of me think of what my father got in exchange for me. How do you promise off your baby for anything?

“If we want to make the four o’clock show we need to head out,” Taylor says as she pokes her head into my bedroom.

Quickly, I swipe at the tears that have fallen. I need to pull it together. I don’t want anyone here to know about the craziness happening back home.

“I’ll be right there.”

“Are you all right? We don’t have to go if you’re not feeling well.”

“I’m fine. Just give me a second.”

“No worries. I’ll be in the living room if you need me,” she says with worry in her voice.

I get up from my bed and look in the mirror at my outfit. I should change into sweats and tell Cam I’m not going to be able to meet him later. I had dressed in blue jeans and a cream sweater with thigh-high boots for our hang-out session.

Now, I feel silly. How do I get out of an engagement I don’t even want? Dez was cool when I first met him. I thought nothing of it when he kept coming by my dad’s house to see me.

I felt like there was something dark about him, but he was always nice to me. Taking me out and showing me attention. I was seventeen and a handsome older guy was showing me attention.

I thought I was hot shit at first. Then my father announced that Dez was to be my fiancé. I thought I was going to be sick that day.

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