“I’m not…” I swirled my fingers around the bubbles. “Not exactly with you. More with the situation.”
“What does that mean?” He caressed my arm. “I don’t want to see you unhappy.”
“I’m not unhappy with you.” It was difficult for me to articulate what I felt without it seeming as if I was blaming him. “I’m not thrilled with the situation. I know there are things in your business that you can’t tell me. I’m trying to come to terms with that, but when I see how exhausting they are for you and I can’t do anything about it, I get frustrated.”
“I’m sorry.” He rubbed the side of my neck. “You’re so tense.”
“I don’t want you to apologize.” He didn’t do anything wrong. What I was experiencing had more to do with me than it did with him.
“What do you need me to do?” He maneuvered himself to the back of the tub so he could massage my shoulders. “What is going to make being with me and living in this house easier for you?”
“The massage helps.” I sunk into the warm water, resting my head against the cool porcelain. “I’m still adjusting to your way of life. I’ll get there.”
“It shouldn’t be a job.” He kneaded his knuckles into the base of my neck, releasing the tension that caused my headache. “You’re supposed to want to be here.”
“I do,” I whispered. “More than anything.”
“I’m struggling with the package that was delivered tonight.” He pushed his thumb into my shoulder blade as he gently turned my neck to stretch it. “The message was particularly disturbing.”
“Was it from Medina?”
“Yes.” He circled his fingers behind my earlobe, relaxing me even further. “It was a pendant in the shape of a butterfly cocoon.”
“That’s odd.” I tried to think what the meaning behind that could be and what it had to do with me. “Was there a note?”
“There didn’t have to be.” He let up on the massage, switching to long, slow strokes down my back. “The pendant symbolizes being trapped inside that cocoon. No way out. Just like the women he takes against their will.”
“That’s vile,” I said. “And it was addressed to me because he’s threatening me so you’ll give in.”
The whole situation made me feel violated. Not only was Medina using me to get to Milo, but he was insinuating that I was a target in his disgusting operation.
“That’s exactly what he wants me to do.”
“You can’t.” I shifted my body and looked into his eyes. “You have to stop him.”
“We’re trying, but bringing you into the fight changes everything.”
“You can’t let him win.”
“I’m not going to.” He stood. “The water is getting cold. You need to get out.”
He took the towel from the counter and spread it open. I held onto his bicep as I lifted my foot over the tub and folded myselfinto the towel. He wrapped me in the towel, and then circled his arms around me, holding me close to him.
“You should do whatever you have to do to rid this world of Medina,” I said. “I’m not just saying that for myself. You have to stop him before he hurts any more women.”
“I’m going to take care of everything.”
“No matter the consequences.”
TWENTY-ONE
Milo
The coordinated attackson all three cities was a success. It took a few days to organize, and now we had to wait and see where the pieces fell. That news should have brought a sense of relief, but we knew that was only one battle, not the war.
More was headed our way. We anticipated the attacks on our businesses, and the cartels were prepared to step in as soon as we gave the word.
“Your warning has been sent,” I said to my father. “The other families know if they still want to work with Medina their troubles are just beginning.”
