“Goodnight,” Maria says suddenly, then spins and hurries from the kitchen.
I stare after her for a long time, wondering how the hell this girl managed to pique my interest so intently when a club full of women couldn’t even entice me.
Sliding off the chair, I sigh heavily, shake my head, and pick up the remaining first aid bits and pieces.
I still don’t want the others to find out, so I'd better clean up.
After that, I go to bed, still impressed with how well she handled it and how well she stitched me up.
I wonder what else she’s good at…
Chapter 6 - Joseph
“How’s the weather there in LA?” I ask, smiling into the phone.
“Hot. But I hear you guys are having a heat wave? On the news, it was warning people to be careful and make sure they have water and not to leave pets in the car and stuff,” Leila says. It’s good to hear her voice. I should call her more often.
Lately, things have been a bit crazy, though. I guess things are always crazy, and I always make excuses.
“It’s only six in the morning, and I’m already surprised by the heat.”
“Where are you?”
“Walking around outside in the garden in my swim trunks. The house is a bit crowded at the moment,” I chuckle.
“Oh, who’s there?”
Shit. I’m not ready to tell her about the new alliance or the marriage. I hadn’t intended to mention any of it.
“I have some guests staying for a bit. How are things with your men?” I ask, referring to her husbands.
The main reason I don’t want to tell Leila about the whole thing is that she was once kidnapped and forced into marriage with four Pakhans. The whole thing turned out okay for her in the end—in fact, it turned out better than okay, and she is really happy with her life. But it doesn’t excuse what they did to her in the beginning. It doesn’t excuse her being taken against her will or forced into a marriage she had no say in.
I hate what we did to Maria.
“They’re all good. We’re having a family dinner tonight. It’s been a while since we all sat down together for dinner. Everyone is so busy it’s hard to get us all in the same place. But otherwise, things are great. I’m super happy.” She sounds happy. It warms my heart to know that my sister is in a good place with men who love her dearly.
But I also remember how furious I was with the four of them when I found out what they did to her. And now I’ve done the same damn thing to Maria. I’m such a hypocrite.
“Oh, sorry, Joe, I have to run,” Leila says, then says something in the background to someone near her. “I’ve got a delivery that’s just arrived,” she explains.
“Go ahead, we’ll talk again soon. Love you. Stay safe,” I tell her.
“Love you too! Talk soon!”
After the call, I stand around like a moth in a rainstorm. Out of place…and heavy with guilt.Maria will probably hate us forever. I don’t blame her.
The heat bakes down on my shoulders, and I can barely handle it. I’m wearing black board shorts and no shirt. It was too early to face the thought of putting clothes on, and I thought I might jump in the pool before the day started and do some laps.
Yes, that’s what I should do. A swim will help clear my mind of this guilt.
I turn toward the pool on the other side of the house. We have two pools, one facing the lake and one in the back. The pool out back is a full-length training pool. That’s where I head.
The sound of someone swimming reaches me just as I turn the corner.
Maria.
My chest tightens.
