Page 119 of Corrupted Deception

“He’s alive, and we’re going to find him,” I continued unperturbed. We were like fire and ice. I cooled her down; she heated me up.

And she was cooling. Her eyes grazed over my face, pausing on my lips, then her gaze slid to the side, focused on the artwork beside us, then back to my jacket.

“How did you know?” she asked after a moment, her eyes slipping to Val, then back to me. “How did you know my dad was still alive?—that she’d…”

“I didn’t. After Aiden’s discovery last night, we discreetly sent Vito to Colombia with one of Nacio’s men, just to take a look. She wasn’t there, and her warehouse was empty. She hadn’t attacked; she’d letLos Cazadores Sangrientosclear it out. And while the call Pablo made was to a Colombian phone number, the tower that picked it up was in New York. It made me think she was close by.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, but the words came out grudging. She didn’t like this part of herself; we’d have to work on that.

“Don’t apologize,”I said, shaking my head. “Not for being a tempest. I would never want to change that part of you.”

“Uh huh. It’s entertaining, right?” she said, rolling her eyes.

I shook my head. “No. Its you. And I told you, I loveyou.”

She was silent; she didn’t trust this part of herself yet, didn’t trust that we could make this last the same way I did.

“Yeah, well, you’re pretty all right yourself,” she replied. The corners of her plump lips twitched, but the grudging smile fell away fast.

“The things she did, Cielo,” she said, her voice little more than a whisper.

“We heard. Aiden installed our own untraceable listening devices last night.”

Her brow furrowed. “While we were sleeping?” she asked. She didn’t look pleased.

I shrugged, then took a chance, stepping closer and sliding my hands onto her hips. She didn’t tense up this time. “If I’d had him do it while you were awake, it might have made you suspicious.”

“You think?” She rolled her eyes, then sobered. Her gaze flickered to Morales, then away. She leaned in closer.

“I didn’t know,” she said, not bothering to hide the hurt and frustration in her tone. “I had no idea what she did, Cielo.” Her voice cracked as she spoke.

“I can hear you,cariño,” Morales said, turning away from Val as Julio dragged the woman up onto her feet, her arms trapped in his hold behind her back. Her makeup was smeared, her clothes were askew, and blood had saturated the shoulder of her shirt, dripping down her arm and the front of the peach-colored fabric.

Charlotte pressed her lips together, then forced her gaze to meet Morales’. She squared her shoulders like she was bravely facing a firing squad.

“I’m sorry, Nacio,” she said. She was a difficult woman to read, but in that moment, the depth of her sorrow and regret was painted clear across her face.

He crossed the room, and she turned in my arms to face him head-on. No cowering away for my tempest. I wasn’t sure she knew how.

“Do not apologize,” Morales demanded, not unkindly. “Not for something that isn’t your fault. You have nothing but my gratitude—you know that. Do not insult me by suggesting it is unfounded.”

She stared back at him, thoughts well-hidden again, then nodded.

“How could she do that?” she whispered.

He sighed. “My father brought evil into her life, and I taught her how to hide it.”

Her brow furrowed. She opened her mouth like she was going to argue with him, but she stopped herself.

“You need to leave now,cariño,” Morales said, then kissed her forehead.

When he turned back to Val and Julio, his hand was idly tracing the tattoo of two angels on his forearm.

“On your knees, Valentina,” he commanded.

Julio loosened his hold on her enough for her to comply.

Her eyes were wide, her whole body shaking as she complied, making her movements jerky. The moment her knees hit the floor, tears spilled over.

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