Page 50 of King of Hearts

I lifted my shoulder. “We’re a fucked-up duo, aren’t we?”

His eyes bounced back up, seizing me. “We are.”

“So, what’s next?” I eyed the desk clock and saw that we were running out of time.

“Now, we run with this lie until everyone believes it. Your dad needs to trust there’s an actual shot at a deal being brokered here, otherwise he’ll find a way around it and kidnap you.”

“But this is going to mess up your whole life, Juan. The only way he’ll believe it is if you step into the role your father had, right?”

Juan’s head dipped, hiding his eyes from me.

I pulled my foot free and moved until I was sitting on my knees in front of him, my hand cupping his jaw.

“I can’t ask you to do this. I knew this was coming. I’m strong—his darkness doesn’t scare me anymore.”

He lifted his face, bringing his palm to cover mine, pinning us in place. “You’re a fucking liar. I can see it in your eyes, in the way your limbs shake and your lips thin. You’re terrified, if not for you then for your baby.”

“It’s my issue, not yours. I can’t ask you to do this.” My voice cracked, betraying how much this hurt. I hated that he was being put in this position, that he was choosing this.

His forehead pressed into mine, our hands still connected on his face, our lips dangerously close. “You didn’t ask me to do it. Stop saying that, preciosa. You didn’t ask, and I wish you would have. I wish you could see how badly I need you to ask.”

His lips parted to say something else, but someone knocked on the door, and his head turned toward the sound.

“Time to go. You need to remember that in front of my men, and in front of your father’s especially, you are mine. Got that?” Both his hands cupped my face this time, ensuring I understood how serious he was.

I nodded. “I understand.”

His lips briefly pressed against mine in the slightest touch before letting me go.

* * *

Juan’s handwrapped around mine as we walked downstairs. Three men trailed us, and three more were at the bottom of the stairs waiting for us. I wanted to make a point to meet them, especially if they were going to be around for a while. I tried to give one of the men a smile, but he only met it with a serious glare, his eyes watching the room around us.

I’d forgotten these men were trained killers.

Juan pulled me closer as we made our way outside, toward the patio. Once we cleared the glass doors, there was an entirely new barrage of men standing guard. This time they were my father’s men; I knew from the clothes they wore, the heavy knitted coats despite the heat, and the specific tattoos they had. Each one of my father’s men had his moniker tattooed on their knuckles.Ördög.

Ignoring the butterflies in my stomach and my desperate desire to have my own gun in the palm of my hand, I focused on Juan. He was my protector and would ensure my safety, as well as my baby’s. We bypassed the patio furniture and headed toward the pool house, which had a slight covering off to the side. Underneath a myriad of hanging flowers and twisted vines sat a long slab of glossy wood fashioned into a table. Eight wooden chairs, each with white cushions, sat around the space. On the opposite side, three were occupied by my father and two of his men. Jakob was on his left, giving me a small smile, and there on his right was a familiar face. My breath hitched as I tried to place him, but as Juan pulled out my chair and helped me into it, my eyes flicked to the man in question and my lungs stalled. His eyes landed on mine, softening just a fraction before he looked down.

What the fuck is Decker’s little brother doing here?

“She doesn’t need to be a part of this,” my father declared, forcing my eyes away from Kyle and toward the monster I knew as Father.

Another man sat next to Juan on the other side of him while at least ten men flanked us. Juan’s hand tightened on my own before bringing it to his lips, then he put it in his lap. I gripped his thigh, leaning into him.

“First of all, I told you three men. You brought over ten. The fact that you weren’t killed on sight was a kindness. As far as Taylor’s presence, I won’t speak to you without her,” Juan said evenly.

“She’s a female and has no say in the deal we broker,” my father said, his icy eyes landing on me for a fleeting moment. This wasn’t new to me. He used to treat my mother like a sack of moldy potatoes, so I didn’t expect much from him.

“I’m not sure how you treat your women, Ivan, but in my outfit, we treat them equally. Taylor is mine, my other half, my queen, my entire fucking soul. You’ll treat her with respect while in my house.”

My breath hitched while heat infused my neck and face. Did he mean that, or was it just for show? Jesus, he couldn’t just say shit like that and not expect me to get confused and blur our already murky lines. Not being able to stop myself, I leaned over and kissed his neck, moving my fingers that were in his lap to graze his dick. His responding smirk only made my blush deepen.

“Fucking tizenéves.” My father shook his head.

Juan raised a brow, looking over at me in question.

“He called us teenagers,” I explained.

---