Page 83 of Dangerous Games (Tempting SEALs 2)

Two of his men moved into the room silently, their hard eyes sweeping over her before ascertaining that she had no company. She had known better than to have company. She had no desire to lose another lover to the games Diego liked to play.

Seconds later, Diego stepped into the room. He had aged much more than she had in the last two years. Gray marred the thick black hair; his brows were shaggy; his once-trim body sagged. Carmelita was no longer around to

make certain he maintained the image she had demanded.

Without her, Diego was a mess. Trina hoped soon he would be a dead mess. She doubted she would be around to enjoy be sight.

"Good afternoon, Diego." She kept the smooth confidence in her voice, noting the narrowing of his eyes.

He expected her to be nervous, to show her guilt. She wasn't the fool he thought she was, and she found that she wasn't as afraid of dying as she had once been.

"Tri

na." The dark rasp of his voice sent a chill up her spine. "My prey escaped your home last night. My men reported that it appeared perhaps my prey had been warned of their arrival. Could this be true?"

The silky menace in his tone wasn't lost on her.

She shrugged negligently. "One moment he appeared to be heading for a bedroom to screw his little whore; the next minute your men told me he had fled. He's not a predictable man, Diego. If he were, I could have killed him myself a year ago."

"Hmmm." He came farther into the room, the silk of his clothes rippling over his gaunt body as she wished she had kept her heels on. They gave her confidence.

She watched, fighting her nervousness as he paced across the expensive cream carpeting toward her, his black eyes glittering with a maniacal anger.

"He and his whore escaped from my hold, Trina. I needed to know how far Santos had betrayed me, and the very people who could tell me have now flown," he sighed, the malevolent light in his eyes sparkling with pure evil. "I will not tolerate failure from those who owe me their loyalty."

He stopped beside her, taller only because she was sitting down, but she knew better than to stand. Only by sheer force of will did she keep from flinching as he ran his hands over her thick black hair, picking up a few strands and allowing it to cascade from his fingers.

"You were Carmelita's most treasured playmate," he sighed. "She often bragged about your loyalty to her. She loved you above all others, even her family."

Only because Trina had, at one time, cherished life. She had played the game better than the others, had assured Carmelita of her loyalty with acts that even now made Trina's soul cringe. Life didn't seem as important anymore when faced with the same choices.

"I loved Carmelita." She forced a whisper of regret into her voice. "Seeing her murderers pay means everything to me."

She stared up at him, allowing the facade of submission to enter her voice as well as her gaze. Carmelita had taught her the best way to deal with Diego's fanaticism. His insanity.

"You failed me tonight," he murmured.

Fear burned in her gut as his hand tightened in her hair, holding her head back, forcing her to meet his gaze.

"McIntyre fooled me." She swallowed tightly. "I didn't expect him to leave the house. He must have seen your men drive up-"

He reached out with his other hand to caress her cheek. "I have considered this." He smiled, the false gentleness in the curve of his lips assuring her that death would not come easy. If it came. The maniacal genius Carmelita had been successful in harnessing burned in his gaze now. Sometimes .death didn't come. Diego understood that often death wasn't the greatest punishment.

"Diego, I did as you ordered," Trina whispered, hating the possible reprisals that came to mind as he towered over her.

"I have considered this as well." He released her slowly as he lifted his hand, a beckoning gesture of his fingers toward his men causing her to glance across the room.

The guards stepped from the doorway, allowing several other men to enter. Trina fought to control her breathing, her fear.

"Diego ... please. I did as you ordered."

'You did not do it well enough, and now you must be punished." He stepped from her as the three men advanced. Carmelita loved you, Trina; for this I will not kill you. But she also told me once how much you hated to be raped. To be held down, to be forced."

She stood to her feet, staring back at him in horror.

"I did as you ordered," she cried out furiously. "There's no reason to punish me."

There was no escape. Her eyes went around the room frantically, noticing the placement of his men, the lust glittering in their eyes.

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