Page 37 of Violent Attraction

I can’t go back and change it now.

“I know.”

12

I know the pain that comes with losing a parent. It’s one of the most unbearable things that someone can go through. Especially if the parent was taken away in such a gruesome fashion.

When I finally digested the words that Camila sobbed through the phone about Cristiano’s murder, I drove down to San Pedro right away.

I could have stayed in Austin, but every part of me needed to see how Santos was doing. Not only him though, but his mom as well.

After my mother died, Amelia Reyes stepped up as a mother figure for me and Camila. She was there in those moments where we really needed a mother. She guided us in a way that my father never would have. We spent countless hours and days with her, that it felt like we were her children at times.

It was during that time that I saw just how much love Amelia had for her husband and how much her husband cared for her.

Cristiano treated her like a queen and my first thought after thinking about how her son was doing with this, was how hard did the news hit her.

She loved that man more than her heart would allow and I couldn’t imagine what she was going through.

My relationship with Cristiano was something similar the one I had with Amelia. He was like a second father to me and my siblings. When my father wasn’t around, he was. He always made sure we were getting taken care of and being protected and never looked at us just as his boss’s kids. He also treated us like we were his and showed us what a father’s love should feel like without being our father.

The whole ride to San Pedro, all I could do was think about a conversation I had with Cristiano when I decided to move to Austin.

“Austin va a estar bien para ti.” Cristiano’s voice fills the room as I fold the last of my T-shirts.

I turn to find the man leaning against the door frame, as if he doesn’t have any other important things to do.

“Do you really think that? That Austin would be a good fit?”

I’ve been having my doubts all week. Austin is a big city, and I can’t help but think this move is a mistake.

Cristiano nods before giving me a smile. “I do. You’re too big of a force to be held in place here in San Pedro. You need something better and bigger, and I think Austin will be able to give you that.”

I smile at his words.

Finally, someone that supports this decision. Leo and my dad haven’t been seeing the bigger picture of it all, they just complain and complain about the whole thing.

“Thank you. I really needed to hear.” I give him a smile as I put a folded T-shirt in the suitcase.

He nods and looks like he is about to leave but he surprises when he steps into the room, comes over to me and places a hand on my shoulder.

“Build yourself to be the person you want to be, Isabella. Don’t let any person, any man, even my son, bring you down.” Another squeeze to my shoulder and Cristiano steps back to leave the room.

I’m left standing there in shock.

How…?

“H-how did you know about…?”

Did Santiago tell his father that we were together for one night?

That has to be the only way he knows, right?

Cristiano stops at the doorway and looks back to me, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

“I’ve seen the way that my son has looked at you for a few years now, Isabella. I’m not blind. I also might have seen the two of you sneak off the night of your party. It didn’t take much to put the two things together when I saw him the next morning and why you decided to leave. Mis disculpas por sus acciones.”

He’s apologizing for his son.

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