Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Please, let me make it up to you. That last date was a disaster.
I stare at the screen in confusion at his persistence. I don’t know why the sudden interest now. Surely, after that trainwreck, he’d cut his losses and run.
“Who is that?” Solana leans over my shoulder to peek at the text.
“He’s a Sovereign Son,” I explain. “I think I really stuck my foot in it with him because I had a lapse in judgment and clearly wasn’t thinking things through when I considered the idea of marrying him just to escape my captivity. Now, it seems he’s still holding on to that hope.”
“Creepy.” Solana shivers. “Tell him hell no.”
I laugh but decide to ignore him too. I already told him no once, and that should be enough.
“We’re done!” Georgie proclaims proudly from the living room.
Solana and I both go to inspect their handiwork, which, as it turns out, isn’t bad at all. When I test the sturdiness of the crib by trying to wiggle the frame, it doesn’t move. A credit I silently give to Drew, the hulking IVI guard with a perpetually stern look on his face.
“Thank you.” I offer them a warm smile. “This is amazing.”
Drew’s phone rings, interrupting the moment, and almost at the same time, the doorbell chimes. He answers his phone as I move to check the door, and then his hand catches my wrist and stops me.
“Wait here, Ms. De La Rosa.” The order is barked with such authority that it really does halt me in my tracks.
Georgie and Solana exchange a glance, and then we all watch as Drew goes to the door, quietly talking into his phone to the other guard outside. When he opens the door, there’s a small box sitting on the step, and a strange shudder crawls down my spine as I realize this wouldn’t be from Judge. There’s no way he’d not deliver something personally, and Drew confirms it when he bends down, carefully lifting the flap of the cardboard. His spine goes rigid, and he hangs up his phone abruptly, glancing at me over his shoulder.
“What is it?” I demand.
His lips flatten like he doesn’t want to answer. “I should talk to Santiago first—”
“Tell me.” I glare at him. “Right now, or I’ll come look myself.”
The crease between his brows intensifies, and he shakes his head, muttering his quiet response.
“It’s a plastic baby doll, chopped into pieces… and a blank invitation for a funeral.”
* * *
“I really don’t like this, Mercedes.” Santi’s jaw clenches as he glances around the space, searching for invisible threats. “It would be better if you came back to the manor.”
I can see how difficult it is for him to make this request, rather than demanding it like he’s used to. So I offer him a small smile, trying my best to sound calm.
“It will be okay. Georgie and Solana are going to stay with me. I can’t let Vincent dictate how I’m going to live my life. That was the whole point of me coming here. And clearly, The Tribunal has no plans to deal with him, so this situation isn’t going away.”
Santi shakes his head in frustration at the observation. He’s not happy with it, but it’s the truth.
“Besides, I have the guards,” I point out.
“And you’ll have more,” he grits out. “I’m calling in two additional. They’ll be here shortly.”
I bite back the urge to tell him that’s overkill. As much as I really dislike having these random guys following me everywhere I go, I know it’s necessary. And, truth be told, it does make me feel safer.
“Thank you, Santi.”
He lingers, his eyes moving to Georgie and Solana on the sofa, and then back to me. “Are you sure you don’t want to come home?”
“This is my home,” I croak even though that’s not exactly true. There’s only one place that feels like home now, and it isn’t here or the manor.
Santiago looks distraught by the idea, as if he’s only just now realizing that he’s losing me. When he sent me away, I’m sure it was in his mind that I’d be back eventually. But now things have changed permanently without any real time to accept it.
“I just want you to be safe,” he says.
“I will,” I assure him. “I’ll be extra careful.”
“And you’ll call me if you need anything,” he adds.
“Of course.”
He nods reluctantly. Then there’s a knock on the door, and everybody tenses. Only, I know before Santi even moves who it is. There is only one person who can knock like that.
“Santi.” I capture my brother’s arm, and he pauses to look at me. “Tell him I’m asleep.”
His brow furrows, but he nods, and I move around to hide behind the door when Santi cracks it open. There’s a moment of tense silence, and then Judge’s acknowledgment of my brother’s presence.