Page 81 of Devil Mine

Visions of my father’s volatile mood swings flash through my eyes. The fear that I might inherit those genes is always in the back of my mind. I’m forever conscious of my outward reactions and largely favor rational responses, always working to control my temper when it arises so I don’t spiral into an emotional reaction, but I’m on edge right now.

I squeeze my fists to keep myself collected.

“Listen, Arturo. I understand you don’t like me. The feeling is entirely mutual, although I’m not sure what your issue is with me, whereas you’ve pointed a gun at me, kidnapped me and are now trying to hold me captive. Regardless, you’re out of your mind if you think you’re going to stop me from going to work.”

With that, I turn my back on him and reach for the front door. The handle doesn’t budge an inch. It’s locked from the inside.

Slowly, I face him once more.

“Open this door.”

“Go back to your room, Barbie. It’s safer for you there.”

“What do you think your boss is going to say when I tell him you stopped me from leaving?”

He throws his head back in an open-throated laugh. The longer he mocks me, the more I feel the blood draining from my face and my anger rising to replace it.

Finally, he stops. Takes a step towards me.

“Who do you think told me to keep you here?”

And I snap.

I shove my bag at Arturo, catching him off guard enough that he stumbles backwards, and take off for the stairs.

I came willingly as promised, I didn’t put up a fight, I even stayed put over the weekend when Thiago left, but I won’t be held prisoner here.

I’ve had enough.

“Stop.” Arturo calls out after me. My anger renders me deaf and blind to anything but tracking down my either soon to be dead or ex husband. “Joder,stop!”

When I’m on the second floor, I fly down the hall to his study where I know I’ll find him. My strides are long and determined despite my tight, pink skirt and matching heels. My chest heaves against my white blouse, stretching the fabric.

I don’t stop to think about the wisdom of my decision, that rational part of me gone for now. I barge into his study without knocking instead. The door flies open with such force that it bounces off the wall with a deafening bang.

“I won’t be controlled like my father controls my mother, Thiago. Like he’s controlled me mywhole life. I need my independence. If you think you’re going to make me give up my job, you can go screw yourself. I won’t do it!”

Deafening silence meets my tirade as I come to a stop in the middle of his office. I’m met with half a dozen pairs of eyes looking back at me in shock. Thiago sits behind his desk surrounded by a group of his men, each looking more dangerous than the next. Each looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. And maybe I have because the deadly quiet has a dousing effect on my anger.

It’s so silent that my ears pick up a passing breeze in the room. The soldiers seem both frozen in disbelief and tensed, as if bracing themselves for a cataclysmic explosion.

“Sorry,jefe,” Arturo says out of breath, having finally caught up with me. “She wouldn’t listen.”

Thiago’s gaze is pitch black as it bores into me, his face grim. “Lárguese,” he orders.

His men shuffle towards the exit and my bravery leaves the room with them. Marco gives me a pitying look on his way out. The door clicks softly closed behind the last of them and I’m left alone with the giant, angry bear I just cattle prodded.

The air feels thin all of a sudden, like I’m bartering for oxygen with every breath I pull in as the weight of his dark glare crushes my lungs.

Dark eyes track me. “Fine.”

I startle. That’s the very last thing I expected him to say. “‘Fine’?”

He remains seated, settling back into his chair in a deceptively relaxed manner. I know better than to let my own guard down, however. “Yes, fine. No one asked you to give up your job.”

I stalk up to his desk and scowl at him.

“Stoplyingto me. Arturo just stopped me from leaving and said you ordered him to keep me here.”

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