Page 93 of Torched

“Look, man.” Dax smiles. “I just want the diamond.”

Cristina barks his way with an incredulous look. “Don’t do this, Dax!”

But he ignores her. “Just give me the diamond, and I’ll be on my way.”

Liam eyes him with suspicion. “You can have that stupid diamond. But she stays here.” He points at Cristina.

“Fine.”

“Dax, NO!” Cristina cries.

“Fuck no!” Kane rumbles.

“Let him go.” Kane’s gaze travels my way.

“That’s a two-million-dollar diamond.”

“We don’t need it, Kane. We need peace and quiet,” I reason with him, giving him a pleading look. “We don’t need another enemy. If he wants the diamond, let him have it. All we need is her.” I point my finger at the girl still enjoying the show from the floor, hoping Kane will listen to me. They already decided to give up the business. To start over for the sake of the baby. To keep our family safe. Callie and the baby will never be safe if we piss off Dax. He can have the diamond. We just want Cristina out of our fucking life. For good.

Kane keeps his eyes fixed on me, thinking over my argument. I get half an eye roll and a clenched jaw, but finally he twists his neck toward Dax.

“You get the diamond. Then take your men out of here, and I never wanna see your face ever again. You got me?”

Dax chuckles, unimpressed. His shoulders are squared, and with his tattooed arms, he could be related to Liam and Kane. He radiates the same unaffected stance and arrogant attitude both brothers possess without effort. After what he told me, I expected him to show more emotion toward Cristina, but instead, he’s standing here, cool as a frog. Clearly feeling no remorse whatsoever to back out of the deal they seem to have. “Don’t worry, Carrillo. I have no interest in you. You don’t cross my path, and I won’t look for yours. We can go our merry little way. Just give me the diamond.”

“If you trick us, it won’t end well.” Liam slowly takes the small box from his pocket, holding it up in the air.

“I know.” Dax snorts, amused. “You’ll burn this island down.” He holds up his hand and Liam waits a few more seconds before he takes a step forward. My chest tightens and without anyone noticing, I pull Kane’s second gun from his waistband to make sure I have something to defend myself if mayhem breaks out again.

The box lands in Dax’s rugged palm, and he smiles through his thick beard, holding it up in the air. “Pleasure doing business with you, gentlemen.”

“Dax, NO! We had a deal!” Cristina yelps, but he just keeps grinning.

“Sorry, love. We could’ve been great together. But you and I both know you’re not much of a team player.”

Guilt washes over her face, the despair etched in her eyes. “No! That’s not true, Dax! It’s different with you!”

Dax doesn’t acknowledge her any longer as he signals his men to retreat and without showing us his back, they leave the chapel with firm steps reverberating through the area while Cristina keeps crying from the floor.

“Dax! You promised! Get back here! We had a deal! GIVE ME WHAT IS MINE!”

“You mean this?” I hold up the pendant, letting it hang on my finger while peering down at her. She shuts up when her eyes fly to the necklace, her lip lifting into a snarl.

“Where did you get that?”

“Your boyfriend forgot he shouldn’t show anything shiny to a pickpocket. I’m guessing you want it?”

“It’s mine! Give it to me!”

“Is it really, though?” I tilt my head. “Because I’ve seen this thing on Callie’s neck when she was little. Frank gave it to her. Said his mother wanted him to give it to his daughter. I bet that hurt, didn’t it?” The blood drains from her face. “Not only did your mother saddle you with an abusive dad that wasn’t even your dad, but your real dad has been raising the little girl you and Junior despised.”

“Callie is not his daughter! It should’ve been mine! It is mine!”

“What the fuck?” Kane mutters behind me. “Frank Reyes wasyourfather?”

Her silence speaks for her.

“Apparently, her mother had a thing for both Reyes brothers. Unfortunately forCrissy,her mother never told him she was pregnant with his child because she was married to his brother. He wasn’t as successful as Frank unless you count his talent to beat up his wife and empty a bottle.” When Dax told me Cristina’s full background, it all clicked. For a minute, I even felt sorry for her. But she made her own choices. She got terrorized by her father when she was young. Callie got terrorized by Junior. Both come from the same family, yet Callie was strong enough to make a different choice. Cristina made hers.

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