Page 57 of Defy

Well, I guess that cat’s out of its bag again.

Fucking cat.

This time, I hear my father hiss, “Damn it. Iknewthat son of a bitch was wrapped around her finger.”

“Yes, well, your other son double-crossed meandhe showed up today to put his own plan in motion. Thinking he’d bested me. On my property. Without being invited. We both know what that means.”

“No,” my mother whispers in her horrified voice again.

“Imelda, don’t beg,” my father snaps.

“But he didn’t know! We never told him,” she says, panicking. “We didn’t think it needed to be said. There was no reason for him to seek you out.Youwere supposed to come tous.To theclub. To negotiate! Peacefully on neutral ground! Thatwas the plan! DAMN IT, Luis!”

Mateo laughs, “Well, not telling him was an oversight on your part, wasn’t it?”

Before I can process what I’m seeing or put together the story that’s unfolding, Mateo turns away from the door, comes back into the kitchen with unnatural speed, and slices a deep gash across my brother’s chest. Although the blood starts to bead and drip immediately, the cut isn’t life threatening but it looks bad as streaks of red run down his shirt.

He howls in pain.

“NO!” my mother screams. Trying to race inside the house but she’s blocked by Mateo’s men.

“It’s hard, isn’t it?” Mateo says softly, feigning interest in the bleeding man on his tile kitchen floor, “Watching your child slip from this earth and not being able to comfort them. Console them.” He’s taunting her and she’s going mad right in front of my eyes because I can see her in the doorway now. She’s gripping Mateo’s shirt and sliding down his aged frame as her legs fail to hold her up.

Apparently, my father has not stepped forward to comfort her and my heart breaks for Imelda Hielo.

Irina is sobbing softly, trying not to draw attention to herself as she no doubt realizes what a mess she’s gotten herself into. Her hands are still tied to the chair and her eyes are squeezed shut, Luis’ blood on her arms and legs.

Beside me, Diego says nothing. He stoically stares straight ahead.

“We need to finish the rest of the story,” Mateo says calmly. “I allowed Luis and his companion into the house - devoid of their weapons of course. And I listened as he tried to sell me a tale of Dominic’s mission to find Daniella and use her to blackmail me, thinking I would sign over everything to him in order to keep her safe. He had me believing this story easily considering the words were almost exactly your own, Omar. You’ve made it no secret that you want everything I have.” At this point, Mateo has returned to the open front door. He’s talking to my parents but he can see both Luis and I from his position as well. He throws a glance my way before continuing. “But then, none other than Dominic Hielo, himself, showed up at my gatehouse.” Almost as an afterthought, he adds, “At least that one had permission to be here.”

I did?

I had permission from Diego.

Based on what Mateo has said, I’m assuming there was some agreement reached after the ceasefire that stated no member of either family could approach the home of the other upon pain of death, to ensure peace within the confines of their property.

How touching. A gentleman’s war. Except no such thing exists.

“Dominic was frantic,” Mateo continues to explain. His description of my demeanor, although accurate, is still hard to hear out loud and I wince at how weak it makes me sound. “Beside himself, pleading for me to tell him that Daniella was alright. He simply wanted my help in getting her to safety. He begged. He groveled.” Mateo pauses, letting this love, this betrayal to my last name and my parents’ legacy bring them to their knees. “And I saw the same anguish in his eyes that I saw the day he killed Adriana.” He takes a deep breath and straightens his spine looking right at my father. “That’s when I knew it was true. Your oldest son is in love with my youngest daughter. And your youngest son thought he could deceive me.”

Omar hisses his next words. “Luis, youfucking fool.”

Mateo turns back to me and nods again, but I don’t know what he wants me to do this time.

Then I feel a tap on my shoulder, the guard behind me is motioning for me to follow him. I pull my hands free easily, realizing I was never truly bound. The gun in my hands causes my breath to catch. Sure enough, it’s the pistol from the weapons room. The gun I used to kill Adriana. How in the hell?

I look up and catch Diego watching me. “I grabbed it on the way out,” he whispers calmly. “I thought you might need it.”

I nod, choked with emotion that I work to push back down.

Before I go, I take a chance. “Libby, do you remember what I told you on the boat?”

It’s clear the guard thinks I’m plotting or planning because he grabs me so Libby responds loud enough for him to hear.

“I do everything you say. When you say it. And don’t ask questions.”

That’s my girl.

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