Page 48 of Devil's Claim

“Why is it all bad guys say stupid shit like that?” I was well educated. I’d excelled at English. However, my ability to form rational, coherent, and intelligent sentences around him had faltered more than once.

His eyes flashed and I wasn’t certain whether it was from amusement or boosted irritation. “Christine. What I’m trying to tell you is that your life is now in danger. There are people whowill attempt to use you against me. I won’t allow that to happen, but I can only control the situation is if you’re with me. I can’t stay in Miami. I’m certain you can understand the reasons why.”

“What if I’d prefer to take my chances?”

Another sigh meant the irritation was turning to anger.

Tough.

“Then you’ll be dead or worse by this time tomorrow night.”

Or worse.

“You’re in the mafia. Right?”

Now he laughed. “The less you know, the better. Go pack. We leave as soon as I return.”

“When I arrived in Miami to accept the teaching position, I didn’t know anyone other than Chloe. Making friends didn’t seem to be something anyone else wanted to do, including the teachers I worked with. Even though my best friend did everything in her power to introduce me to her friends, I’d never felt so alone in my life. I loved my job and the children, but at night everything was different.”

I stopped talking long enough to see if he was rolling his eyes or worse.

He wasn’t.

“Times were tough and I had almost nothing, but little by little, things started to get better. One day when I was out for a walk on a rare day off, I literally ran into Malcolm, spilling coffee all over his shirt. We’d been acquaintances years before. We laughed and I offered to pay his dry-cleaning bill. In turn, he offered to buy me a cup of coffee. That led to a long lunch and wine at sunset.One thing led to another and we started dating. He was always busy with his work but made time for us to be together. At least in the first few months.”

Maybe there were dozens of aches a person could feel, but I realized that for all the times I’d thought I’d missed Malcolm, I’d just been hungering for human contact. Any human contact.

“Suddenly, he started calling and texting less and less. His visits became infrequent. Of course, there was always an excuse. I was busy as well so that was fine. Then I started hearing rumors he was seeing someone else. Although I had no idea it was Tonya. Was I stupid or just the ugly duckling? With her connections, he could have been king of Miami.”

“You are beautiful and brilliant, Christine. Any man who thinks otherwise is a sorry excuse for a human being. Never forget that.”

Wow.

Don’t do it. Don’t you dare cry in front of him.

Why was it when I finally convinced myself he was an unhinged asshole with a God complex, he could suddenly be so sweet? He had no idea how much I needed to hear those words, especially after the way Malcolm had gloated, looking down at me as if I was nothing but a deformed, wounded animal.

“I didn’t tell you the complete truth about everything and I’m not certain why I am right now. What the hell? Anyway, one night he surprised me by discussing marriage. It wasn’t a marriage proposal, mind you, but a discussion. That was the day I’d found out I was pregnant. You’d have thought I’d told him I had some communicable deadly disease. That was the first real argument we’d had and he stormed out. A week turned into two, then four.Finally, he stopped by to tell me he didn’t want to see me any longer. He even had the nerve to say if I kept the baby, he’d have nothing to do with him. Would you believe his father tried to buy me off? Here’s twenty thousand if you’ll forget my son is the baby’s father. I laughed in his face.”

I noticed Kruz’s fist was clenched, his eyes hooded as I’d seen them just before he’d punched Malcolm in the face.

“I’d decided to keep the baby with the full understanding Malcolm wanted nothing to do with his own flesh and blood. Trust me in that I didn’t want Malcolm to have anything to do with my unborn child. Out of the blue after the baby was born, he came to the hospital to see the two of us. I realized later, he was attempting to convince me not to give our child his last name. Maybe I should say threatening me. He’s clever in how he does that. By then, I’d wanted nothing to do with Malcolm and certainly had no intention of saddling my child with the man’s last name.”

The fact Kruz was remaining silent was both comforting and unnerving.

“For the first two years, I wasn’t bothered by Malcolm or any of his family members. Something changed because this time last year, he had his attorney contact me. Malcolm wanted to see his little boy. After much consideration and about a half case of wine and bouts of anger, I allowed the visitation. That was also based on the recommendation of an attorney I’d spoken with, Malcolm being his father and all. I thought maybe just maybe Malcolm had changed his mind. At least for his own son. But I was wrong. The single visit wasn’t repeated. Until six months later. That’s where the nightmare began. He made demands, wanting equal custody. I laughed at first until I found myself in court. Of coursethe first attorney I’d hired wanted nothing to do with going up against the Worthington family.”

“Let me guess,” he gritted out.

“Whatever you’re guessing, my bet is you’re right. I didn’t have money for another attorney and thought the family court judge would see things my way. He didn’t. It took me a little while to figure out Malcolm and his daddy dearest had the judge in their pockets. Things went downhill from there. Shit about my past was dredged up, horrible things used against me. I had no ammunition to fight them, but I tried. Every last dollar of my savings, as meager as it was, went into hiring a worthless attorney Chloe helped me find, but at least it was something.”

Kruz’s breathing was as labored as mine. Perhaps more so.

“Anyway, the only reason I’m bothering to tell you this is that Maverick is my entire world. My family. My only family thanks to my father. I know what it’s like to be abandoned and I do not plan on allowing my child to think his mother doesn’t love or want him. I don’t know how, but I will stop at nothing to keep that from happening. Hell, I’ll resort to criminal activity if necessary. Maybe you can give me some pointers before you leave. I’m not leaving my son.”

I was spinning, maybe a little out of control. Maybe a lot toward a break in my psyche. I just didn’t care. I’d meant every word I’d said to him. And he wasn’t going to stand in my way.

“Who are your parents, Christine?” He narrowed his eyes. Why did I have a feeling he wasn’t prepared to take no for an answer?

---