“Ah… jefe?” My second looks to me for help.
“Evie, this is Paz. He works for me. Anything you need, he’ll make sure you have it,” I tell her.
“Good, I need a new plane ticket home and your number,Paz. I have all this built-up sexual energy I could use your help getting out,” she says in a sugary-sweet southern accent.
Paz’s face visibly pales, and he takes a step backwards.
“He will get you anything but that,” I say before dropping my mouth closer to her ear. “Don’t make me kill my most-trusted man because you have the hots for him, mi alma. I don’t share.”
“First, I’m not yours. And second…” Evie smiles wide at me. “You couldn’t possibly kill all the men I want to jump because there’s a lot of them, Emmanuel. Like a lot, a lot. I have an entire to-do list.”
My jaw clenches. She’s fucking with me. I know she’s trying to get a reaction, and it’s fucking working.
“We’re going.” My hand wraps around hers. When she tries to get away, I tighten my grip and glare at her. “Do not test my patience,” I warn. “There is only so much I will tolerate.”
“Guess you best be killing me now then. I mean, that’s what you’ll do eventually anyway. Why drag it out.”
Her words hit me hard and sharp. Each one digging a knife into wounds I buried a long time ago. She’s right. I will end up killing her. It’s what happened to the last girl I took an interest in.
No. I shake my head. I’m not going to kill her. My father isn’t here to tell me I can’t have her and noone else is gonna tell me shit either. Including the woman herself.
“I’m not going to kill you. I want to talk.” I keep my expression neutral.
She narrows her eyes at me. “Talk? About what?”
“You. You have the answers I want to know,” I say. I can’t get the sound of her scream out of my head.
Surprisingly, Evie got into the back of my car without a fight. I don’t think she wants to make a spectacle of herself. She’s been quiet the entire drive back to the Lopez Estate. I don’t come here often, but I want her to myself so staying off the Strip it is.
I don’t miss the way Evie’s face pales as we drive through the gates, her eyes landing on the men holding them open for our small convoy—more specifically, their rifles.
“Tell them to keep weapons out of sight while she’s here,” I tell Paz in Spanish. He’s sitting in the front passenger seat.
“On it, jefe.” He nods as the car stops in front of the house.
“What is this place?” Evie asks.
“The compound,” I tell her. “Come on, I’ll give you a tour.” I hold out a hand, waiting for her to get out of the car.
“The only thing I need to see is the exit,” she grumbles.
“Sure, it’s that way.” I point back at the gates while suppressing my grin.
“Are they going to shoot me if I leave?” She looks at the men in the guard shack.
“No one here will ever hurt you, Evie,” I tell her. “And no one is stopping you from leaving.”
“Good. I’ll catch you… never then,” she says as she starts walking towards the gate. A few long strides and I’m right beside her. “What are you doing?”
“I said I wouldn’t stop you from leaving, not that I wouldn’t follow you wherever you went,” I tell her.
Evie stops in her tracks. “What the hell do you want?”
“You,” I repeat.
“Nobody wants me, Emmanuel. You don’t even know me.”
“I can guarantee you every man in this compound would want you if it didn’t cost them their lives,” I say. “I want you, and you’re here so I can get to know you.”
