Page 42 of Defy

Just when I think she’s done, she adds, “And if Camila touches you one more time, I’ll slit her throat too so I’d make itveryclear that you’re off limits unless you want to watch me bathe in her blood. Whether or not you and I have a future together is uncertain but it will behardno if you touch her again. I don’t share, Dominic. And I’m done letting people make my choices for me.”

With that, she storms quietly out of my door, leaving me stunned and unfortunately turned on as hell.

Fourteen

LUIS TAKES A SEAT next to me out on one of the patios off the kitchen where I have several sheets of paper spread out in front of me, sipping my morning coffee, reveling in my new title. He’s looking hungover and a little pale.

The boxdidsay not to mix alcohol and the sleeping medication, but I figured if he can survive mixing booze and actual cocaine, he’d be just fine.

The sun isn’t fully up but it’s high enough to cast light to read by. The sound of the gentle waves lapping at the dock and the birds overhead have me almost feeling peaceful.

“What the hell happened last night?” Luis asks, rubbing his face.

I can’t hide the smirk that crosses my lips. “You got fucked up, brother. And then you got abducted and held for ransom, until I swooped in and saved your dumb ass.” I hold up my coffee mug mocking him.

“I don’t even remember that shit. Where were the guys?”

By guys, he means the security team.

“Sitting around with their thumbs up their asses, like usual.” I shrug a shoulder before continuing nonchalantly. “That’s why Omar and Imelda made me the head of the security team last night.”

His eyes register what that means and he quietly says, “R.I.P. Carlos.” He looks at me quizzically. “Thanks for being there. It’s crazy though, nothing like that has ever happened. I mean threats sure, but someoneactuallygetting close enough to do that shit?” I see suspicion in his eyes so I shrug again.

“That’s why it’s better to stay away from the powder, brother. You never know what they lace that shit with these days.”

He just hums his agreement. Distrust and skepticism flowing freely between us.

I’ll have to watch my interactions with him as I remind myself maybe he isn’t as naïve as I think. He’ll always be dangerous due to the chip he carries on his shoulder and the point he feels he has to prove.

Knowing I’ll only raise his suspicions even more if we continue to talk about this, I try to switch gears when two things happen simultaneously.

My father hauls ass into the kitchen with two security guards hot on his heels, thrusting a weapon in my hands and glass shatters somewhere overhead as Libby lets out a blood curdling scream followed by “I’m not going!”

“What the fuck is happeningnow?” I roar at my father as I tear through the house, taking the sone stairs three at a time.

Panting, I hear him say behind me, “The Dutch finally made contact with Mateo letting him know his daughter’s here. From the sound of things, I’d wager that he’s making an attempt to get her back.”

I don’t even pause to consider how he knows this. When I get to the third-floor landing, I drop my left shoulder and increase my speed. I hear the lock give as I spill through the door, my mind processing the scene in an instant. A man I recognize from our own security team is pointing a gun at Libby with one hand while clutching his head with the other. Her mirror is broken and she’s holding a shard of glass with a t-shirt wrapped around her hand as a weapon.

She’s crouched in a fighting stance and her hair is wild around her shoulders. When she turns to look at me, I see she has a split lip and it’s then that my rage breaks free. Without asking questions, I raise my weapon at the man threatening my woman.

Before I can pull the trigger, another shot rings out and the man drops to the ground with a thud before I take my next breath. Not giving two shits about our audience, or who pulled the trigger, I grab Libby and haul her in my arms. She feels limp as I pull her against me and I realize instantly that she doesn’t hug me back. At first, I think she’s doing it because of our audience but when I pull back the truth is in her eyes.

She’s still hurt and pissed over what I did with Camila.

So am I.

“I knew it.” I hear someone say in the background, presumably Luis, but I just can’t bring myself to care. It’s time for this charade to end.

I set her down on the chair in her room and take the seat next to her. My mother, father, Luis, and two guards are standing in the doorway when I hear my father bark at the guards, “Well, start cleaning this up for God’s sake!Damn it, Diego, do you think you could have waited half a fucking second so we could figure out why our own guard is threatening her?”

Omar crosses the room and stands in front of Libby. When he reaches for her chin to make her look at him, I stand and place myself between the two of them, shaking my head.

Do. Not. Touch. Her.

The hard set of my jaw communicates the rest of the message.Or I’ll remove your hand from your body.

“What happened?” he asks gruffly.

---