Page 25 of PortCity Killers

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“Fucking Christ,” I muttered.

My hands went to my face as I scrubbed at my eyes. The two men brought him in as he spewed curses, ripping his arms around left and right despite the fact he was bound.

If they had known him well enough, they likely wouldn’t have bothered with binding him, not with his shoulders always popping in and out like they were.

If he had wanted to wiggle his way out of the bindings, he likely could have. They pushed him forward, letting him drop to the floor before exiting, closing the door behind them.

Valentina came up to him. Her steps were slow, the same smile on her face that she had when she’d mentioned how much she liked when people ‘kicked up a fuss’.

Valentina watched as Jaymes scrambled to his feet. As soon as he spotted me he stood between us, as if I hadn’t spent the past hour here right in front of her.

“Your brother is much less charming than you, mi muñequita.”

Jaymes stiffened at that. I stood, pushing him into the chair I had just vacated before he could do anything else to get us both killed.

I didn’t know what to say now that he was here in front of us, but Valentina apparently had no such qualms because she threw her hands out theatrically and bowed to Jaymes where he sat.

“The man of the hour, Jaymes. You seem to have been a very naughty thing, haven’t you?”

Jaymes jerked in the chair like he was going to lunge at Valentina, who looked absolutely rearing for the fight ahead. Don still stood in his place, eyes scrutinizing me rather than Jaymes who’s anger I could feel pulsing at my back.

“Now, now, Jaymes. Your sister was making a very compelling case for you before you interrupted us.” She tsked, looking to Don. Her eyes narrowed at him, following his eyes to me before rolling them.

“Should we continue this conversation without the boys? They seem much too tired to talk business, don’t they,muñequita?”

I swallowed hard, looking between Don and Valentina as she walked past him, patting his chest and whispering something in his ear. He almost smiled then, a slight crack of his lips and a twinkle in his eye. The same one she likely had, promising violence and blood.

I didn’t like that I couldn’t hear what she was saying to him. Jaymes was trying his damnedest to get my attention behind me, but I kept my focus solely on the two in front of me.

Her fingers trailed down further than I thought was appropriate for two people posing as siblings.

My eyes caught the way she curled her fist around the material of his maroon shirt, gripping it with her long fingers, her thumb tracing little circles on the skin just inside the opening.

When they looked over, they were both smiling, eyeing me as if waiting for me to say something, but I didn’t. If they wanted me to acknowledge their squeamishly familiar routine, they would be sadly mistaken.

I wasn’t about to let them know I knew, and if I had thought they were siblings, I wouldn’t have been one to tell them what I thought of the hunger they looked at each other with, so I kept my mouth firmly shut.

Don said something to Valentina, and she nodded, looking back to me under half lidded eyes as she crooked a finger beckoning me to follow her.

I took a step forward, throwing a look to Jaymes when he hissed at me something I couldn’t hear past the rushing in my ears. Valentina waited, her hand gripping the wrought iron railing.

She gave a pointed look up the stairs, her green eyes dancing with more determination than amusement. I tried not to let my heart jump into my throat as I moved forward, aware of the way my dress fluttered behind me, and the lack of material on the thong I wore.

The stairs led to a small landing that opened into a room, the door of which was open. I went inside, my eyes scanning the large studio. It looked lavish if a little sparse, having only a bed, the bathroom to the side, and a wall lined kitchenette.

The room was colder than I expected. I crossed my hands under my chest, wishing I had thought to bring my jackets with me, but I had left them on the chair I’d pushed Jaymes onto.

Rain pelted against the windows and roof, creating a rhythmic sound that nearly rivaled the rough waves as they crashed against the rocks outside.

“Come, sit,” Valentina sat on the bed delicately, patting the spot next to her as she crossed her long legs at the ankles.

I nodded, more to myself than to her in particular as I psyched myself up to be so close and, on a bed, no less.

When I sat down, she scooted closer to me, her eyes wide and bright. Her breathing was a little rough, her chest moving a little too quick and a little too heavily for the number of stairs we’d come up from.

Not for the first time did she surprise me by putting her hand on my thigh right where my dress rode up. I swallowed hard, the feel of her cool, soft fingers making my throat dry.

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