Page 50 of Defy

His words I catch, however.

“And yet somehow,youstill thought I wouldn’t mind you opening your fucking mouth to him like you always have.” There is a definite edge to his voice. They continue to talk in hushed voices down the hall but I can’t hear either one of them at this point.

I don’t like my current relationship with Camila, but I like whatever is going on between her and Luis even less.

I head back into the office and try to feel Libby out. Maybe she doesn’t want to be around any men right now. Especially not ones that resemble Luis. But damn if it isn’t hard to give her space when I know she’s hurting. And scared.

“Lib.” I say her name tentatively. It feels like forever since she’s looked at me with something other than disdain in her eyes.

When she breaks down in tears, I throw caution out the window and envelop her in my arms. She can be mad all she wants but when she’s hurting and scared, I’m going to be there for her, no matter what.

“I c-can’t d-do this with you r-right now,” she stutters through her tears.

“Princess, is this still about the mistake I made with Camila? She and I haven’t even spoken since then, I swear.”

She pushes out of my arms, taking my heart with her as she clings to Irina. I guess Libby has seen Irina on one of the hardest nights of her life and so a bond had already been formed but it’s destroying me that she wants Irina’s comfort instead of my own right now.

“This is abouteverything. I want to go home but I don’t even know where that is anymore. I want to be around my friends but the closest friend I’ve had in the last three years was Johanna and I don’t even know if she’s okay. I don’t want to be inside these stupid walls anymore cleaning this fucking house, biding my time until someone tells me my next move.” She sobs into Irina’s arms as Irina whispers something in her ear and strokes her hair.

I had hoped for at least a couple more days to try and get my mom and Diego on the same page, to let Libby in on the plan, to enlist Irina and see if Diego could pull strings to get her out of here as well.

I promised if she stayed clean, I’d take her with us if I could get out of the country. It’s hard enough living on the run, but it would be impossible – and pointless – to do it while trying to hide a drug addict. She could kill herself with the purest cocaine right here, in the comfort of her own house.

But she’s determined.

And she wants out.

I hope like hell my plan works because tomorrow, right after I say goodbye to Libby, I’m delivering myself into the hands of the enemy.

Sixteen

THE NEXT MORNING, when I wake up, something feels off. The feeling in my gut is definitely nerves. I’m more nervous about seeing Mateo again than I was my own parents. Probably because I knew I held some kind of value to my parents and although possible, it was unlikely that they would kill me. I hold much less appeal for Mateo but hopefully my life in exchange for his daughter will be good enough to at least get me in the door.

I only have about forty-five seconds to wonder why my asshole is puckered before Omar crashes into my room without warning. Thank God I slept in boxers because three other guards, Luis, and my mother come in behind him.

“Where the fuck did you take her?” he growls.

“Takewho?”

It’s six-thirty in the morning and all my cylinders aren’t firing yet.

“Daniella, Dominic. Where did you put her?” He glowers at me and if I squint, I can almost see steam pouring from his ears. “I told you if anything happened to her, I would suspect you were behind it. I can’t believe you would still try this after all we’ve done for you!” he bellows.

“Will you slow down? How long has she been missing?” I ask, his words finally sinking in. As I’m talking, the guards are opening the doors to my bathroom and my closet. “And you think she’s in here?”

I sit up, throwing the covers off myself and plant my feet on the floor. While my father crosses to my bathroom and yanks the door open, I risk a glance at my mother. Her eyes are wide with worry and she shakes her head no almost imperceptibly.

It wasn’t me.

Which means Libby is in more danger than ever.

“Get out. All of you,” I bark loud enough that my anger is unmistakable. “I’ll get dressed and be right down. We need to find her and she isn’t in here, you fucking morons,” I address the guards pulling my clothes off the hangers in the closet like Libby somehow folded herself up into one of my dress shirts.

“Two minutes, Dominic, or else you won’t like it when I come back in here,” Omar says.

“Get the fuck out rightnowor you won’t like it when I come outthere.” This is a whole new level of pissed off. I’ve toed the line. I’ve played my part. And Libby is still gone. Fuck Omar Hielo for thinking he controls me. He doesn’t control shit.

I slam the door behind them and grab a pistol I had stashed earlier.

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