Page 145 of Devil Mine

I rip in a shocked breath. The suggestion alone wraps around my lungs and suffocates the air out of them. My chest constricts painfully at the accusation.

“You think I would risk him?”

I realize that Arturo doesn’t know the extent of my feelings, why would he? He doesn’t know that I’d do whatever it took to protect him, even if it meant sacrificing myself.

“I told you, it’s not personal.” He explains, “It’s not about what you would or wouldn’t do. It’s about whathewould do for you. He’d run into a burning building and jump head first into a riptide for you. His feelings blind him to his own weakness and that’s a dangerous place for any man to be, let alone this man. It’s my job to advise and protect him against all potential threats, so Ican’tlike you. Not when I think you might be the biggest threat of all to his survival.”

Arturo has known Thiago his whole life. He’s his most trusted advisor, hisconsejero. I’d be a fool to ignore his warning. I was so caught up in my own safety, I never stopped to consider how I could unknowingly hurt him.

I swallow painfully. “What would you have me do?”

Arturo’s gaze softens somewhat, the first glimpse of something other than frost covering his features when he looks at me.

“If he’s going to continue to risk it all for you at every turn, you need to decide once and for all if this is the life for you or not. You can’t be one foot in and one foot out, with him but disgusted by the world he leads. He can’t be running out of meetings to track you down because he thinks you might have run away again. He can’t be murderingcaposif you’re not actually planning on remaining his wife. If even part of you is unsure about committing to him, tothis, for the rest of your life, then you need to walk away.”

I shake my head. “He’ll never let me.”

A humorless smile tugs at his lips. He doesn’t like this conversation any more than I do, but he’s looking after his boss’s best interest. Although, I think the man in question would disagree. If Thiago ever found out about this conversation, the following day we’d learn on the news that Arturo’s body parts were recovered scattered across the English countryside.

“You’re a clever girl, Barbie, you’ll find a way.” He pauses, then adds, “If that’s what you decide.”

His nickname for me doesn’t carry its usual venom. Instead, he says it with the familiarity of a friend like it’s some inside joke between us.

The door to my office flies open, slamming against the wall with a deafening sound and cutting our conversation short. I feel the color drain from my face when I see my father haunt the doorway. I haven’t seen him since I’ve been back.

“Tess.” He says my name with the warmth one might reserve for dog poop on the sidewalk and takes a step into my office. His gaze cuts to Arturo who jumps to his feet. “Who the fuck are you?”

He turns ashen when recognition dawns on him.

“You don’t remember me, Alex?” Arturo says jovially, walking towards him and placing himself between us in a not so inconspicuous display of protection. No matter his personal feelings about me, Arturo has never done anything other than guard me. “What if I break your other elbow to see if we can jog your muscle memory into activating your actual memory?”

My father shakes his head. “That won’t be necessary. What are you doing here?”

“Bodyguard duty,” he says, tipping his head in my direction.

My father straightens, trying to regain some semblance of power here. “Wait outside,” he orders.

Arturo’s answering laugh is long and loud. A hand comes to his belly as his shoulders shake.

“You’re a real comedian, Alex.”

I place a hand on his arm and his attention slides down to me. “It’s okay, Arturo.”

His jaw clenches and he doesn’t move, staying stoically in place. I nudge at his arm, edging him towards the door.

“It’s fine, you’ll be right outside,” I say, before looking at my father. “I’m sure he just wants a debrief on last quarter’s reporting.”

I don’t know what he wants to talk about, but I know I’ll be safe with Arturo right outside the room.

He grits his teeth but does as I ask, stopping next to my father on his way out to add, “If her voice raises even one decibel above its current volume, you won’t walk out of this room.Comprende?”

The door closes behind him and then we’re alone.

“Where have you been?” I ask. He came back from his business trip weeks ago but he hasn’t made it into the office since.

His head snaps towards me. “Who do you think you are to question me?”

My heart races so fast, I hear the frantic beat in my ears. I tip my chin up at him defiantly. “I’m not afraid of you anymore.”

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