Page 2 of Savage Assassin

It’s meant to be reassurance, but somehow hearing my father say that he’s scared, lumping himself in with thewe all are,makes this all feel a hundred thousand times worse. I can see it on his face, as I get to my feet slowly, dusting myself off. His expression is as composed as ever, but I can see the fear in his eyes, lurking there.

Throughout all my life, my father has always been the steadfast rock, the one I knew could keep us safe from anything. I always felt secure that he loved Isabella and me, that he would protect us, and I knew we were lucky in that regard. In our world, daughters could be nothing more than a means to make alliances. They are only valuable because they could be used as a bargaining chip.

I knew our father had never seen us like that. Even when he’d felt forced to promise Isabella to Diego Gonzalez, it hadn’t been because he’d wanted it. It hadn’t been because he’d thought that was herpurpose.

And now, he’s trying to protect me from the same thing.

“Lupé, go upstairs.” His voice is colder than I’ve ever heard speaking to my mother. “Let’s take some time to cool down. We’ll talk about this later.”

I see her mouth tighten angrily. She hates when my father orders her around; I’ve always known that. But surprisingly, she doesn’t argue.

“Are you alright?” He brushes off my arms, looking at me with clear concern. “How much did you hear?”

I press my lips together, feeling a little sheepish now that he’s caught me eavesdropping–but I’m also still terrified. “Everything,” I admit quietly, looking up at him. “Is Diego really going to–”

“No,” he says sharply, cutting me off as he pulls me in for a hug, wrapping his arms around me in the embrace that I’ve always found so comforting, all my life. “I’m not going to let that happen, Elena. I’ll keep you and your mother safe. I promise.”

“But–what can you do to get him to stop? You said he won’t–”

“I know what I said.” My father lets out a sigh, reaching up to stroke my hair as he looks at me ruefully. “I wish you and your sister never had to grow up, you know? It was so much easier when you were children. No one wanted to take you from me. Isabella was still willful–but you were always good. You both would listen better, then. There was less for you to fear. More for you to dream of–”

He lets out a sigh, running one hand through his hair as he looks down at me, his face taut with worry now. “I can’t blame your sister for trying to escape him. Idoblame her for the mess of things that she made with that Irishman, but she’s safe with him in Boston now, so perhaps she knew what she was doing all along.”

“ButMamafeels like she left us to pick up the pieces.” I bite my lower lip. “Is that how you feel, too?”

“Your sister should never have had to shoulder the responsibility of keeping this family safe. It’s unfair that she should ever have had to do so. I don’t want the same to happen to you.”

“I don’t want to marry Diego.” I feel a cold shudder go through me just at the thought. “He won’t be kind to me, no matter what you make him promise–”

“I know. He’ll take his anger at Isabella out on you. That’s why he wants you. And that’s why I won’t allow it.”

Gently, my father reaches for my upper arm, steering me towards the stairs that lead up to the floor where my bedroom is. “I think it’s better if you’re upstairs in your room for now, though, Elena. I have work to do, and I’ll feel better if I know where you are, with José patrolling.”

“Diego isn’t going to come here–”

“I hope not.” My father catches the expression on my face and winces. “I shouldn’t be so honest with you. I don’t want to frighten you.”

“I’m twenty years old.” I look up at him, wrinkling my nose. “I’m not a child for you to keep secrets from anymore.”

He laughs ruefully. “Twenty is still a child, Elena. You’ll understand that one day. And you’re still mine to protect, for now. So I intend to do that.”

José is coming around the corner as we walk up, making his rounds of the upper floor. He catches sight of me and my father, and stops, inclining his head respectfully. “SeñorSantiago. Is there something you need?”

“Just for Elena to stay in her room for tonight. I have business to take care of, and I’ll feel better if I know she’s here, safe and sound.”

“Of course.”

José looks at me with an unfathomable expression on his face, something darker than I’m accustomed to seeing from him. Not so long ago, when Isabella was still here, he was always in a lighter mood, teasing us and mildly flirting with my sister. However, he was always quick to shut it down when she pushed it too far. We’d both always had a bit of a crush on him–it was hard not to. He’s extraordinarily handsome, deeply tanned with buzz-cut black hair, dark eyes, a strong jaw, and a muscled body that his fatigued cargo pants and tech shirt cling to more tightly than they really have any right to.

But recently, he’s been quieter, more sullen. He nods tightly to my father, who smiles at me as he pushes my door open. “Goodnight, Elena,” my father says pointedly, letting me know that he expects me to stay put, as he said.

Where would I go, anyway?It’s not as if I have the nerve to leave the compound in search of adventure or an escape the way my sister did. It’s not as if I could go anywhere at all. The most I might do is wander to the library upstairs or go out to the garden, and it’s not a terrible loss to be unable to do that tonight. I can curl up in bed with one of my books and float far away from here, into some kind of adventure that I’ll never be able to live in real life.

I’m about to close the door when José’s arm pushes against it, stopping me as he glares down at me with a bitter expression on his face. “Don’t make me have to chase you down,” José says irritably, once my father is out of earshot. “Just stay in your room like a good girl, alright? Don’t make my life any fucking harder than it already is.”

“I hadn’t planned on it.” I can hear a bite to my own words that isn’t usually there–it’s been a long and scary night, and I don’t quite understand why he’s been like this recently. “Is there something you want to tell me, José? It’s not as if we haven’t known each other for a long time.”

“Why would I want to tell you anything?” he asks irritably. “It’s my job to keep you safe, not talk to you.”

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