Page 151 of Dex

“She told me not to say a word, but she’s out with him,” her father says, voice heavy.“Oscar Ramos.A private dinner.Somewhere quiet.Exclusive.Just the two of them.

My blood pressure spikes.“Where?”I grind out.

“Brisa.”He sighs.“The restaurant at the top, with a rooftop view of the city.”

Perfect.

Just public enough for a scene.Just private enough for a declaration.I turn to leave, but he catches my arm.

“She told us she was doing this to fix everything,” he says, eyes glassy.“I know you’re working on something, too, Dexter, but you have to run.She can’t marry that monster.I don’t care what happens to my company.Let it burn.Let it rot.I can’t watch my daughter marry a man like that.”

I stare at him, stunned.“You won’t lose the company, sir.Everything’s going to plan.”

“My daughter.Save my daughter from him.”

“I will.”

“Go quickly,” his wife pleads.“If you love Daniela, go.Stop her from throwing her life away.”

I nod once.

Then I run.

***

It’s a fancy restaurant.I’ll give him that.

It’s the sort of place I’d like to take Daniela myself.Perched on the edge of the skyline, candlelit and sleek, where two people in love can just be.Stare into each other’s eyes and plan their evening, their future, their life.

Soft jazz plays alongside the clink of silverware and the muted conversations of São Paulo’s elite.Amid this quiet tranquility, I storm past the hostess before she can stop me.

And then I see her.

Daniela.

My wife.

Ex-wife.

There’s a pang in my chest, and the realization that she divorced me, sits heavy atop the pile of regret.She’s sitting across from Ramos, wearing a black silk dress that makes her look like something untouchable.Her posture tense, her smile, forced, her makeup minimal.She’s not in the least bit made up, like she was on the night of the charity gala.She doesn’t look happy, and that makes me happy, as twisted as that is.

Soon, I’ll rescue her from this.From him.I stride across.She’s looking down at the table, while Ramos lifts a champagne flute and smiles at her.“To our future—”

“No fucking way,” I growl.

He flinches and her eyes snap to mine, wide, stunned.Her long eyelashes fluttering as she blinks a few times, as if she can’t believe what she’s seeing.

“Dexter,” she murmurs, my name falling from her lips like a prayer.I can’t live without her.I can’t breathe without her.She gives my life meaning.

Ramos stands up defiantly, his face darkening.“You have five seconds to get out.”

I ignore him.“Don’t do this, Daniela.Please.”

“I have to,” she says, her brow creasing.“You don’t understand—”

“I do.More than you know.”

I step towards her, my heart in my throat.My life in her hands.“You think this is your only option, but it’s not.You don’t need to do something you’ll regret.”

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