Page 85 of Dex

Daniela looks uncomfortable.

I don’t like it.Ireallydon’t fucking like it.I lean towards her, possessively, taking her hand out of his, as if I own her.As if she’s mine.And she is.For now.

“That’s enough.”My eyes cut into the man’s face.My voice comes out sharper than I expect, cutting through the music and chatter.

He doesn’t react immediately, but looks at me, then, and just smiles, as if he’s enjoying himself, as if he knows something I don’t.“Oscar Ramos,” he says, giving me a sickly smile.“A pleasure, Mr.Knight.Congratulations are in order, I believe.”

I believe?I don’t shake his hand, or reply.Instead, I weave my fingers with Daniela’s, her hand secure in mine.

A flicker of amusement crosses his face as he stares at my wife again.“I see you’ve done well for yourself,” the man continues, his tone sweet as honey.“But then you were always full of surprises, Daniela.”

Her shoulders stiffen.There’s something in the way he says it.Something laced with meaning.A veiled threat, hidden beneath politeness.I lean forward slightly, keeping my voice measured, firm.“I don’t like the way you’re talking to my wife.”

The man’s lips curve, as if my words amuse him.“I didn’t mean anything by it.”His gaze flicks back to Daniela, slower than I like.“I only hope, my dear, that you got exactly what you wanted.”

Daniela’s jaw moves as she swallows.I feel her tension, and graze the fingers of my other hand lightly over her bare arms, a movement the slimy old snake observes pointedly.

“You’re cold, meu amor,” I say to her.She turns to me, her face flushed, but I feel her relief as her gaze melds with mine.She’s scared.Or nervous.Clearly, there’s more going on here than I know but I intend to find out.

The man steps back with a final nod, which I see from the periphery of my vision, even though my eyes are fixed firmly on Daniela.“A long and happy marriage to you both,” he says, but neither of us acknowledge him and he leaves as quickly as he arrived.

Daniela exhales.It’s quiet, barely noticeable.I watch the way her fingers press into her lap, the way she tries to wriggle her hand entwined with mine, the way her shoulders are still too tight, too tense.

“You know him.”It’s not a question.She nods, but doesn’t elaborate.I don’t like this.“Who is he?”

“No one important.”She clasps her hands in her lap.

Lie.

I tilt my head.“Try again.”

She hesitates, for a nano-second, before pasting on a bright, practiced smile.

“Let’s not do this now, Dexter.”

But she’s clearly rattled.I see it.I feel it.And I don’t fucking like it.I should let it go.Should remind myself that this isn’t real, that she’s just another piece of this game I’m playing against my father.

But something about the way she looked just now, nervous, guarded and vulnerable, burrows into my skin like an infestation.Something gnarly and unwanted that I need to root out.

And I realize something.I don’t wantanyonemaking her feel like that.

Ever.

Not Oscar Ramos.

Not anyone.

“I’ve got you,” I whisper.Her eyes moisten, and it hits me hard.Like a punch to my jaw.“Did he hurt you?”I hiss, under my breath.She gives a subtle nod, then looks down.

I reach for her face, my thumb stroking over her skin, and I feel something I haven’t in a long time; I feel possessive over a woman.A woman I care about.A woman I would die for and kill for.

A woman I barely know.

Chapter 21

DEX

We get through the rest of the evening without any more drama, though I look around for signs of that entitled prick, but I don’t see him.

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