Page 51 of Corrupted Deception

“It’s a long story,cariño. But I intend to see her later today. I’ll let her know to be expecting you,” he said in a tone that implied he wasn’t really making a suggestion here. “I imagine Cielo can give you directions to her new home.”

Cait? And Nic?“As in Gabe Costa’s fiancée and son?” I asked.

Morales nodded.

Well fuck.

“The world just keeps getting smaller and smaller, doesn’t it?” I said, shaking my head. Really fucking small.

Chapter Fifteen

Cielo Luciano

“I know how much you want to find him,cariño,” Nacio said as he put his arms around Charlotte, hugging her goodbye as he watched me like he was gauging my response. “But you must be careful.” He leaned away to look her in the eyes. “I do not want to have to step in here. ¿Sabes?”

She had her lips pressed together, but eventually, she nodded. “Si,” she replied.

No fight? No argument? It was like she’d shoved the fighter into the closet for these men.

Nacio stepped back, and Julio took his place, pulling Charlotte into his embrace, though his gaze remained fixed on the SUV’s right front tire.

When he released her, he turned to face me.

“I imagineSeñorLuciano will be leaving as well?” he asked, eyeing me expectantly.

“No,” I replied bluntly. Fuck putting the man at ease. He was just lucky I wasn’t pissing a circle around her or cutting off his hands.

Charlotte rolled her eyes. “It’s fine, Julio. ‘Just couldn’t stay away’, remember?”

Julio’s brow furrowed, his narrowed eyes still fixed on me. “I think I like your brother more,hermano,” he said flatly, though the corners of his lips twitched with amusement.

A moment later, the black SUV was pulling out of the warehouse’s lot while the puzzle pieces flew around inside my brain.

Charlotte stared, silent, long after the car had disappeared up the street and around a corner.

Eventually, she shook her head and let out a heavy sigh. “Not now, Cielo,” she said like she’d read the questions in my mind.

Ray took off toward the side of the lot, next to the warehouse, and Charlotte followed, hopping up on the edge of the picnic table while Ray investigated the spindly bushes at the lot’s edge.

Charlotte’s spine wasn’t stiff like the last time I’d seen her sitting there. Her shoulders were slumped, and she stared down at her shoe-clad toes like she couldn’t quite muster the strength to hold her head up.

The sight pulled on something inside my chest, an uncomfortable sensation that left me grappling with how to proceed. She’d put the brakes on fucking, and she had no more intel that would be useful to me. Every logical part of me was saying it was time to make my exit, but that damn pull kept my feet rooted in place.

“So, you know Val, huh?” she said without looking up, kicking her feet back and forth a little.

“Si,” I said, walking toward her. “She’s a business contact.”

She scoff-laughed, but she looked up as I stopped in front of her, and her lips curved up in a soft smile. “She and my dad go at it like rabbits every time we’re in Colombia.”

I sat down next to her on the table top, resisting the urge to touch her, to drag her onto my lap, to lay her out on the table and show her exactly why we should be fucking, not talking.

“How do you know Morales?” I asked as Ray ran over, nudged her hand for a pet, then scampered off again.

“My dad,” she said on another tired sigh.

She looked at me, contemplating something, then nodded. “He was a Navy SEAL—joined the military right out of high school. Somehow, he ended up crossing paths with Julio, who was aSargento Primeroin theFuerza de Infantería de Marina,” she explained, the words rolling off her tongue, “and a man named Aiden who was a CIA operative. I don’t know much about it—Dad never talked about it—but something happened that left him disillusioned. He retired—they all did. Julio took on the role of Nacio’s second-in-command, but Aiden and my dad, they took a different route. Though, I suppose it all equals the same in the end.”

“What does?” I asked as Ray returned, circling the picnic table.

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