Page 24 of Dina's Favorite Mistake

Her mother slipped her arm through Beto’s. “Walk me back to my room.”

Once her mother and brother were out of earshot, Steve maneuvered closer and in a low voice said, “I need to talk with your security, and I need to get my things from the hotel.”

“I’ll handle the hotel. You talk to Jose.” She stepped aside while Steve spoke with Jose and quickly called Ximena.

Groggily, Ximena answered on the third ring. “Hello?”

“Ximena? I’m so sorry to call this late, but I need your help.”

“Of course. Yes. I’m here.” Ximena sounded like she was rubbing her eyes and trying to appear more alert than she actually was.

“Can you go the suite that Captain Morgan is using and clear out all of his things? Have them brought here to the estate?”

“Yes. I can do that. But why? Is something wrong? Are you okay? Is Camila okay?” Ximena hurriedly asked. “Has something else happened?”

“We’re fine, and I’ll explain later.” Worried that someone might be targeting Steve, she added, “Be careful, Ximena. If you get there and anything seems strange, you leave immediately.”

“I’ll take Miguel with me.”

“Yes, take your brother,” she agreed, certain Ximena’s football star brother would be useful in a tight spot. “Don’t worry about coming in to the office tomorrow either. Take the day off.”

“I could come out to the estate?” Ximena offered. “If you’re working from home, you might need my help.”

She was right, of course. “If you don’t mind?”

“I don’t mind.”

Dina ended the call a few moments later and waited for Steve and Jose to finish their tense discussion. It was obvious both men were extremely concerned about the situation. She trusted Jose implicitly. She’d known him for more than two decades, after all.

Steve she’d known for a much shorter time yet she trusted him just as much as Jose. She couldn’t explain why. Maybe part of it was his job. Mostly, though, it was the way he looked at her.

Like that.

Steve finished with Jose and came toward her with powerful strides. His handsome face was a mask of concern. He stopped a respectful distance from her, and she secretly wished he would move closer. She wanted to feel the reassuring heat of his body. She wanted to inhale that crisp masculine scent that soothed her raw nerves. She wanted to reach out and touch him, to take his hand and draw him away to her bedroom where he could keep her safe.

Her gaze fell to his still bloody hands, and she grimaced. He winced with embarrassment. “Sorry. I need to wash.”

“Come upstairs with me. I’m sure there’s something in Rafa’s closet you can wear.”

“Thanks.” He fell into step beside her. “I’m sorry about all that downstairs with the police.”

“Don’t apologize for saving my brother’s life.” She cast a worried glance his way. “What kind of trouble are you going to be in when your boss finds out about this?”

Steve issued a rough grunt. “You let me worry about that.”

“I’m worried about you.” Dina allowed herself to be vulnerable. “This isn’t your fight, Steve.”

“The hell it isn’t.” Steve stopped at the top of the stairs. He reached out as if to touch her face but pulled back at the last moment. His gaze lingered on the dried blood staining his skin. Lifting his hand again, he asked, “Do you see this?”

She nodded mutely, the horror of how close Steve and Beto had come to dying making her stomach churn painfully.

“I could have died tonight. Your brother could have died tonight. It’s personal for me—in more ways than you know.”

Confused by his statement, she frowned up at him. Was there something else he wasn’t telling her? Something about Diego that she didn’t know? Was he hiding a secret?

“Steve, what do you—?”

“Ama?” Camila called out from the hallway behind them. “What’s going on? What was all that noise? Did I see police cars?”

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