I slid into the passenger seat of the first vehicle as Kai revved his engine and pulled out in front of us.
“What’s wrong?” Holly peeled out, her attention shifting toward me. “You look like you’re a thousand miles from here. And that’s not a good place to be with where we’re heading.”
Leaning my head against the seat, I scoffed. “You doubt me?”
“Of course not, babe. But that man has you all kinds of twisted.”
I let out a small bark of a laugh. “You’re delusional.”
“Oh, am I the delusional one? You think I missed the two of you after the incident with Fernando’s men? The tension was thick, okay. And he gave you a pet name, Amalia.” Her eyebrow quirked as she glanced my way. “Maybe not the sweetest of pet names. But it was the way he said it!” Squealing, her hands gripped the steering wheel tighter.
“He’s unbearable, crude—”
“Hot, fuckable, and he rides a bike, for fuck’s sake! What else do you need?”
“That’s just it. I don’tneedanything. I hate that I’m bound to this man over some archaic, misogynist clause on a piece of paper, as if I’ve needed him all this time. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. And if I accept it, then they’ll win. I can’t lose the last shred of dignity I have left.”
Holly was quiet momentarily, chewing on her lip as she turned over my words.
“Listen, I hear what you’re saying, I do. But choosing to be miserable for the next three years isn’t exactly winning, either. One thousand ninety-five days is alotof days, babe. A lot of lonely days tempted by that hot piece of man candy.”
“Did you just do that math in your head just now, or is that some random fact you already knew?”
She snorted a laugh as we came up behind Kai at a red light. “Don’t change the subject. Look.” She motioned forward with her chin. “Look at his shoulders, those legs. That man will break you in the best way.”
I couldn’t help the smirk crawling across my mouth as the memory of Kai between my legs sent a shudder through my body and all the way down to my toes.
In my peripheral, I saw her double-take. “You fucked him. I see that look on your face.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Amalia Isabel Montesinos, there are no secrets between us. Spill! I could die tonight and, trust me, I’ll come back and haunt your ass if you leave me in suspense.”
My smile grew bigger, and I turned away, eyes on the side mirror, the other cars in view. “It was the other night. I felt confused and vulnerable…so I went to his room.”
“Oh, so you took the pussy to him?’
We broke into laughter.
“I didn’t plan it. It just happened.”
“Stop being so fucking cryptic and tell me. What did he do, throw it in your ass, mouth, what?”
“Let’s just say, the man can eat and clean his plate.”
Holly chuckled and shook her head with amusement. “I knew it. I can tell these things, you know?”
“I bet you can.”
We shared another laugh before the cabin grew quiet. My eyes and thoughts were on Kai. I knew Holly was right. Whatwas the point in torturing myself? Why not just enjoy the time we’d spend trapped together? Let the pieces fall where they may—and part ways a bit more experienced and a hell of a lot more limber. Getting under Kai’s skin was entertaining and all, but gettingunderKai promised to be a whole other level of fun.
15
Thecompound's basement floor was flooded with about two inches of water. We sloshed forward in the dark and damp hallway, trusting the facility’s security footage was on a loop, courtesy of one of Amalia’s girls who had set up in a van just out of sight. Holly and a taller woman took the lead while Amalia and I brought up the rear.
“How are you holding up, Cain?” she asked, glancing back at me briefly. The glow of red emergency lights above our heads highlighted her profile, and I caught her smirk.
“This is a typical Tuesday for me, baby.”
