Page 39 of Born a Queen

Raina stared blankly at him, the gears of her mind working hard as she tried to piece together what she knew of the Miami underground scene. She only got bits and pieces from Mateo, Sotza, Vee and some of the men. Then it hit her, this was the mansion that Casey Reyes used to live in.

Mateo answered her unspoken question. "Señora Reyes lived here with her former husband prior to his death."

Though Raina had never met Casey Reyes, nor her formidable husband, she’d heard enough about the woman to feel a closeness to her.

Now, Raina was inhabiting her old home, the place where Casey’s first husband had died in a brutal takeover. Raina wondered how Casey felt about the house now. If she would come visit some time or if she preferred the structure be burnt to the ground.

After breakfast, Raina went back to her bedroom and gathered a pen and a pad of paper. With new determination she wandered the halls, counting bedrooms, cataloguing furnishings and artwork and taking note of outdated styles. She wrote down several pages of notes.

She didn’t know exactly why she was doing it. She never cared about interior decorating in the past. Maybe it was because she was bored, or maybe because her life had spun out of control and making what changes she could helped her feel like she was back in control. Whatever it was, she thoroughly enjoyed the work. It gave her a feeling of purpose.

She’d been exploring the second floor for nearly an hour and was on her seventh bedroom when she wandered into the room that Mateo had claimed. She knew right away, without anyone telling her. It smelled like him; like man, sunshine and ocean.

She backed up and nearly left, but then curiosity and a sense of purpose drove her inside. She was here for a reason. She needed to take inventory before she could start work on her redecorating plan. As far as she knew she hadn’t been banned from any part of the house.

Raina wandered around the heavily masculine room, touching a large armoire, a desk, chair, bed. The bed would have dominated the room, since it was a California king plus, but the room itself was pretty damn big. The more she looked at it, the more she realized it must be the master bedroom. It was bigger than all the other rooms, including hers, and the furnishings looked slightly more used.

She wandered to the window and pulled the heavy wine-coloured curtains aside. They looked expensive, but oppressive. She made a note to get rid of them.

She sank down onto the bed, testing the mattress when the door opened and Mateo strode inside. He was distracted, a leather portfolio in one hand, his eyes distant. Then his gaze landed on her and a flash of surprise crossed his features before it was replaced with a cross between pleased and predator.

“Didn’t think I’d see you in my bedroom this quickly,” he drawled, walking slowly toward her.

She shrugged. “I was bored.”

“And you found your way in here? I’m flattered.” He raised a thick dark eyebrow.

She rolled her eyes at him. “No, gangster. I wanted to take inventory of the mansion’s furnishings so I can start redecorating.”

“Redecorating?” He sounded surprised.

“Yes,” she said firmly. “If I’m going to be forced to live here, then I want a say in what it looks like.”

“No one’s forcing you,” he pointed out.

“Oh really?” She stepped closer to him, hands on her hips. “What do you call the choices you gave me? Can I leave? Continue on my path of self-discovery and independence?”

“Of course not. You can stay here or go home to Venezuela… for a while.”

“That’s not a choice!” Her voice was sharp with annoyance. “If I live on the side of a mountain in Venezuela I’m as trapped as if I was in prison.”

He shrugged his indifference. “You exaggerate. You’re being given a choice, you don’t like it, therefore you choose Miami. You choose me.”

She suspected he was toying with her since she was positive that he wouldn’t allow her to leave, even if she chose Venezuela.

“Narrowing my choices down to one isn’t a choice, Mateo. You need to go back to school.”

“Never went to school,” he said, crossing to set his leather portfolio on his desk.

She gaped at him. “How did you never go to school?”

“My family was too poor. I had to help bring in money so we could survive.”

“But….” She was floored by this information. In a few succinct sentences she learned more about Mateo than she had in the two years prior. “You’re so well spoken. You can read and write. You’re smart!”

He gave her a dark stare. “Don’t need school to be smart. I taught myself how to read and write; Sotza had a tutor available to any of his people that wanted more education. When I wasn’t too busy, I’d avail myself of the tutor’s services. I also enjoy reading and do it as often as I can. Usually every night before bed.”

Raina was seeing Mateo in a whole different light and she didn’t know what to think. His determination to seek education after having been denied it as a child was an admirable trait.

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