Page 79 of Queens and Monsters

Rei lowered his head to the table and back up. “What I do for the cartel is dangerous. Knowing my surroundings is cartel 101. In that moment, I didn’t even consider who was watching. All I could think about was that you were okay after the roofie and that I wanted to get youout of Kansas City.”

“It was beautiful, Rei.”

“Better than a B-?”

“An A+” I stood. “I should put on my bathing suit and meet your mother at the pool.”

“And I need to go see what is happening. I’ve been MIA for the last forty-eight hours.”

“Should I apologize for that?”

Rei stood and came closer. Snaking his arm around my waist, he pulled my hips to his. “You’re here. You’re my wife. I’ve feasted on your delicious pussy and covered us both in my cum. If you think there’s anything in that to apologize for, I will have to argue.”

My hands landed on his chest. “I don’t want to argue with you.”

“Then we won’t apologize about why I wasn’t here.” He kissed my forehead. “I’d do it all again to have you here, Jasmine.”

“I’m sorry if I’m causing problems with Mia.”

“Don’t be.Mí madrehas a way of calming rough waters.”

I walked into our suite and looked around. “What happened to our suitcases?” It was then that I noticed the bed was made. A glance in the bathroom told me that our towels were picked up and replaced with clean ones.

“Try the drawers and closet,” Rei said. “Mamá’sstaff is thorough.”

I opened a drawer to find my underwear. It was in the second drawer that I found my bathing suits. “Oh my God, we are never leaving this boat.”

Wearing my bathing suit, I made my way up to thepool deck. Just before I turned the final corner, Mia came in my direction.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

She shook her head. “No, that’s on me. Old habits die hard but know I’m doing my best to kill this one. It was hearing her name…”

Josie. My sister.

I nodded. “Now, both of our names are Roríguez.”

Mia inhaled. “Well, fuck. You’re right.”

A smile curled my lips. “What do I need to know about our mother-in-law?”

“Only that she’s very intuitive and about the best person you’ll ever meet.” Mia lowered her voice. “A hell of a lot better than Catalina and Camila’s mother-in-law, and I even love my mom.”

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

Reinaldo

“You got Jasmine out of there just in time,” Jano said as we walked towardPadre’soffice.

“In time?”

“Myshkin had Kansas City’s streets on fire last night.”

I stopped dead in my tracks. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

His lips quirked into a smile. “Oh, that’s right. You’ve been out of the loop, too busy popping the ginger’s cherry.”

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