Page 67 of Born a Queen

Mateo answered her silent question. "It was built last week, while you were touring bakeries and decoration shops with your mothers."

"Yeah, but you think I would've noticed it back here anyway," she said faintly as he pulled her toward a door with a panel in the side.

He punched in a ten-digit long code that Raina immediately memorized. He didn't bother to hide it from her, so she figured he either didn't think she had the capacity to remember a code that long or he wasn't concerned that she could now enter this space.

"I had the building created to certain specifications. The way the land back here is graded, sloping away from the house, made for a perfect location for an underground building. The door is the only partly visible; the rest is under the estate."

As they made their way into the building, which was noticeably much cooler than the air outside, Raina wrapped her robe tighter around herself. Mateo walked at a fast clip, his hand tight enough on her arm that she didn't have a chance to stop and look around. Odd, considering he wanted to show her this building.

As they passed door after door, it started to become clear to Raina what the building might be used for. In Venezuela, on Sotza's estate, similar buildings existed. Raina hadn't been allowed inside them, but the staff gossiped enough that it hadn't taken her long to figure out what they were for.

"A prison." She looked at Mateo as if asking him to negate her words. He remained silent.

"You built a prison in our home?" she demanded incredulously.

She was too surprised to feel angry yet. But she knew the rage would come once the full implications of this building sank in. What it would be used for while she lived in the house only a few yards away.

"This is our backyard, not our home." Mateo’s voice took on a growly quality.

Raina didn't know why he was getting annoyed, he had to know that she wouldn't approve of this addition to the mansion.

"Don't you use semantics with me," she snapped. "This is completely unacceptable. You didn't even talk to me about it."

Mateo stopped in front of another door with another panel. He punched another, separate, ten-digit code. Raina filed this one away too. This door would face the house, and when Mateo opened it Raina was able to see a set of stairs the extended into an even deeper subbasement.

Mateo slid his hand up her arm to grip her bicep. He pulled her down the stairs with him, as though he thought she might try to get away. As angry as she was, Raina was also curious. If he'd managed to build an entire warehouse on their back lawn, what had he done to the original bunker?

Mateo didn't say another word until they completed their descent where the air in the bunker became cooler again. Raina shivered in the darkness. Mateo flipped on a light switch without breaking stride and continued down the path that Raina was now familiar with. She glanced up, as if expecting to see the hole in the floor of the pool house, but the ceiling was smooth and the surrounding area smelled like paint.

She held her breath as they entered the bunker room that had once contained the corpse of Casey's bodyguard.

Raina was surprised to find the room completely renovated. There was now a wall blocking off the room. In the wall was a door with a barred window.

Mateo moved to the door and punched in a third code. Raina heard the click of a lock unlatching.

"Oh my God," she murmured.

It was a bedroom. A woman's bedroom. Well, maybe not, but definitely feminine touches, as though a woman were supposed to find the room comfortable. Which of course, any sane woman wouldn't.

There was a large queen-size bed dominating the middle. A wooden dresser, a mirror, a bookshelf, two nightstands and a mini fridge. On the floor was a huge Oriental rug, a bright splash of colour meant to make the room look homey. There was a door off to the side that Raina would bet led to a bathroom. Whoever was meant to stay in here wasn't meant to stay in discomfort.

Raina turned on Mateo, her eyes narrowed, her fists on her hips. "Who the fuck is this room for?"

Mateo studied her expression. "For you."

A wave of despair swept over Raina as she realized she was going to have to go on the run again. “Not a fucking chance.”

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