Page 80 of Violent Attraction

The first time that I met Emilio, I noticed the tattoo. Something about the way he held his hands made me remember the intricate pattern that was placed on it. For a second I even thought it was pretty but the design didn’t suit him. That type of tattoo was made for someone who could own it. Like my brother or Santos.

The way he was standing in that room that day, would have made his hands only visible to me. That is until he…

Holy crap.

Until he came up to me and grabbed my hand to place a kiss on my knuckles.

Santos would have seen the tattoo then.

“Until you saw him in my father’s office. The day he announced the arrangement with the Castros.” I finish his thought process.

There’s a second of hesitation, but soon he’s nodding.

Fuck.

Who is my father making me marry?

“Does anyone else know?” Surely if my father knew that Emilio was the one that gunned down Cristiano, one of his most loyal men, then he would call off this fucked up arrangement, right?

Right?

Santos shakes his head. “You are the first person I’ve told.”

Holy. Shit.

I can think of at least one other person he could have told first besides me and that’s my brother. He would have known how to deal with this. Me on the other hand, I’m trying really hard not to hyperventilate right now.

Breathe, Isabella.

Take a deep breath and try to center yourself.

“I think you should tell Leo.” I mutter out, tightening the hand on the wrist that is up and still cupping my face.

“I know, but before I went your brother, I had to tell you. So that you could know why I’m doing what I’m doing.”

He leans forward and places his forehead against mine. This is the closest we have been to each other in months.

I watch him as he closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath. His hands travel to my waist and bring my body closer to his.

This is something that I’ve missed.

The proximity.

I’ve missed being this close to him. I’ve missed his hands on me and being able to take in his scent.

I’ve missed it all when it comes to this man.

I want to get lost in the feeling of his hands on my body and forget about all the shit that I have been through these last couple weeks. But we aren’t done talking.

“What are you planning on doing?”

A feeling that he has been up to something has been stuck in the pit of my stomach for weeks. This is finally my chance to know what it is.

Santos keeps his forehead against mine, with his eyes closed, until he finally pulls away, his forehead showing signs that my makeup rubbed off on him.

He doesn’t care though, he just looks at me. The way he’s eyes are studying me, isn’t in a sweet way. It isn’t a look that I’m used to seeing.

Then I realize why it looks different.

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