Page 18 of Torched

After I found out the truth about our family, I realized that might be exactly why Junior and I have always been close. But it also gave me a lot of resentment, considering the house I grew up in. Junior was the golden boy of Frank. I was the bad daughter of Miguel. He got everything he wanted. I got beaten for breathing. Junior tried to protect me from my father’s wrath, but he couldn’t be around the entire time. He couldn’t see all the ugliness hidden underneath the surface.

Yeah, Junior got the better end of the deal.

I grab his hand, his dark gaze finding mine. It’s like looking into a mirror, his dark eyes the same color as mine, our hair black like a raven. “There is no man who can ever get under my skin, Junior. You know that.” It’s not even a bluff or wishful thinking. I’ll be dead before I let anyone get inside my head like that.

“I know, just checking. I don’t want thosependejoscorrupting my family.”

“Don’t worry. I got this.” Those Carrillo brothers walk around like they are invincible, but they have another thing coming. They might not know yet, but within a few months and with a little investment from my side, we will control the Carrillo empire without anyone brave enough to stop us.

5

LIAM

PRESENT DAY

IdragGenbehindme, keeping her close because I have no desire to run into Cristina. Ever again. But certainly not today.

I felt my heart almost jump out of my chest when I saw the face I’ve been trained to hate for so long. I want to hurt her, seeing red until I locked eyes with the fear in Gen’s. I hated that more than I could ever hate Cristina. It gutted me, sinking my organs straight to my heels.

I resent the fact that Cristina has our backs against the wall, and we need to get back the upper hand. As soon as possible.

With big strides, I march us into the conference room, interrupting Callie and Kane, whose eyes fly to ours in a snap second. There is distress on Callie’s freckled face, even though she keeps her features mostly in check, her hands on her stomach, as if she’s soothing her unborn child, though she’s anything but showing yet. My brother, however? Well, that’s a whole different story. He’s glaring into the room like he’s about to burst out of his skin, the veins in his neck all pumped up from anger.

“She needs to fucking go,” I blurt, letting go of Gen’s hand so I can shut the door. I can’t put it any other way. I don’t care how many favors we need to call in to get Babushka back without trading anything with that she-devil, but whatever happens, she needs to be removed from our lives. The sooner, the better. Preferably six feet under.

“She needs to fucking die!” Kane adds, his temper on full display.

“Not if it puts Babushka in danger!” Callie rebukes while Imogen takes a seat on one of the white leather chairs around the big table. “We are not putting her in danger. She’s all the family I have left, Kane.” The last sentence leaves her soft pink lips a little pleading, and I can instantly see my brother melt under her gaze. A hot breath deflates his broad chest, and he sits at the head of the table, Callie and I following his move until all four of us are all seated.

“I know, baby girl. We won’t let anything happen to your grandmother,” Kane offers.

“Thank you.”

“Where is Jeremy?” I ask when I can’t find him.

“Shutting down the boat and making sure this place isn’t flooded with the biggest criminals in Europe in the next thirty minutes. The last thing we need is to let Cristina make this into a networking event,” Callie explains.

“So,” Gen starts, her blue eyes volleying between the three of us with expectation. “Whatare we going to do, though?”

“Comply.” The word leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but until we have a better plan, there isn’t really any other option.

“Yeah, I’m not on board with that,” Kane says flatly.

“It’s far from ideal, I know that.” I lock eyes with my brother’s stern expression. “Trust me, it’s the last thing I want to do, but we don’t have any other option until we find Babushka.”

“We can’t trusther.” There is judgment in Imogen’s eyes as if there is something unspoken aimed at me. It creates a painful crack in my torso, and I give her a deep frown.

“I will never trust her ever again. I want her gone just as much as any of you do.” My voice is a tad clipped, even though I try to give her a comforting smile, but her gaze falls to the tabletop. A bad feeling creeps up my spine, making it impossible to fixate my focus anywhere but on Imogen’s face.

She doesn’t trust me.

She thinks Cristina can still get a hold of me.

“Okay, so we need the Wolfes. Reign might be able to trace Cristina’s steps and find out where she’s hiding Babushka,” Kane suggests. His gaze is set on mine, burning a hole into my head, but I can’t tear my eyes away from Imogen, willing her to look at me and tell me I’m wrong. That I’m misreading this and that she knows I wouldn’t ever get involved with Cristina ever again. In any kind of way.

Kane clears his throat, and I finally look up at him.

“Yeah, that sounds like a solid plan,” I agree, then look at Callie. “Besides, it’s you. He will do anything for you. But Cristina can’t know we are contacting Reign or she’ll know we’re trying to find your grandmother behind her back. That will take out the deal and put any of us at risk. We can’t have that.”

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