Page 19 of Shameless in Vegas

“I killed three men. Eight months ago.” I nod sideways in the direction of the front of the house. “Right there in the great room. But I saved my family’s lives. And more importantly…” I raise my eyebrows. “I gave those mother fuckers the punishment they deserved for what they did to my sister. I don’t regret it. I’m not fuckin’sorry. I would do it again right now if I had to.”

Something flashes in Natalia’s eyes, and her jaw does the tiniest pulse. I’m not sure what’s going through her mind or whether that subtle, indecipherable facial expression is a good thing or not, so I hit her with the part shereallyneeds to know.

“So, because of what I did,” I continue, holding her gaze, “the cartel now has their sights set on me. They sent a threat to my father shortly after that indicating I was gonna get mine at some point, but…” I exhale loudly and shrug. “He implemented a lot of security measures after that and hired these guys to do all kinds of reconnaissance, but they haven’t found anything yet. We don’t know if that means it was an idle threat or if the feds are getting in the way or if they just haven’t done anything about it yet. Because of that, there’s a lot of unknowns in this situation. And because you’re married to me now, there’s a possibility that you’re at risk, too.”

Saying the words out loud hits me over the head with the gravity of the situation I’ve unwittingly put this innocent woman in. I shift away from her, dropping my head backward against the sofa and clutching my temples.

“Holyfuu-uuck,” I groan. “What the fuck have I done to you?”

Natalia takes my hands and removes them from my face, tugging my arms as she forces me toward her, all the way until she’s flat on her back and I’m lying with my head on her breasts.

“Cariño, I will tell you what you’ve done to me.” She combs my hair back, her nails scraping against my scalp in a way that feels fuckingorgasmic. “You have rescued me from a bad situation and a terrible life, and you’ve taken me as your wife, sparing me nothing. Yes, that information is frightening, but my fear is not for myself. My fear is something taking you from me before we have a chance to really know and love each other. This young marriage has so many possibilities, and my hope is that we are able to realize them.”

God. Damn.

Everything about her is a perfect storm of shit that’s begging me to fall completely, hopelessly, and irrevocably in love with her. And as much as it hurts, as terrifying as it is, it’s happening. There’s nothing I can do to stop it.

I turn my face to press a kiss to the satin between her breasts and look up at her. “That’s the best friggin’ thing I’ve ever heard in my whole life.”

Natalia’s full lips spread into a smile, and she strokes her nails over my scalp. “I’m glad.” She glances away long enough to reach for the book and then holds it up, giving it a little shake. “Maybe we can find a solution to thosechicos malosin here.”

“Maybe.” I chuckle heartily and briefly push up to kiss her lips, then lie back down. Her breasts are hands-down the best pillow I’ve ever had, and I could seriously get used to all of this. “It’s kinda funny that you like that book. What else do you like to read?”

She sets down the book and goes back to scratching my scalp, and I growl quietly at the pleasurable, relaxing sensation. “Machiavelli.”

I lift my head and give her an incredulous, amused look. “Damn, baby doll. I don’t think you’re going to have any trouble getting along with my papá if you’re into that kinda stuff.”

She winks at me. “Here’s hoping at least.”

SIX

NATALIA

X Reyes: u found it?

Natalia Esposito: in his private study. plain sight

X Reyes: good. Get to work.

ROLLING MY EYES, I ease open the lid to Ernesto’s personal laptop, and I wonder why, for a guy who made a fortune investing mass communications, he doesn’t take this thing with him when he travels. My only guess is that when you’re at the top of the food chain like he is, you no longer have to toil in peon activities such as getting your hands dirty with your own technology.

Typing with the pads of my fingers to avoid my nails tapping the keys, I launch the advanced boot options, enter safe mode, then log in as an administrator, and change the password to something basic. Before entering it, I rack my brain for the process of decoding the original password to avoid leaving evidence of the laptop being tampered with, but then I realize I don’t have that information.

Then I recall why I don’t have that information.

NINE YEARS AFTER THEY first put me in The Room, I was given a textbook and a laptop with no internet access. The previous books they’d given me were all about wielding power over one’s enemies. Books such as Machiavelli’sThe Prince,The Art of War, the Marquis de Sade’sJuliette, and others. The purpose was to strip me of any sense that morality, remorse, love, God, et cetera had any kind of value. The textbook on basic computer science was the first book they’d given me that seemed neutral, and still clinging to a semblance of my humanity, I devoured it.

It had been a span of time since they gave it to me, and I’d worked my way through about one quarter of it. In the process of practicing a basic administrative function of deciphering a forgotten password, the lights in The Room were shut off, and the door swung open, smacking loudly on the wall behind it.

I froze, bracing, my mind clinging to the single mental picture I had of my mother’s face, her patching up my knees; the only light that existed in my world of darkness.

On went the blindfold.

On went the shackles.

Off came the collar chained to the wall.

And off I went for my latest task.

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