“That’s bullshit,” I seethe, not backing down. Getting in his face right back. “Youaretreating me like a fucktoy, Ivory. Andif you want me to think differently, maybe let me out of this fucking cage.”
His black eyes are narrowed to slits, the wrath in them purely sinister. “You don’t deserve to be let out of this cage yet.”
I scoff of disbelief gusts from my lips. “Excuse me?? What does that even mean?”
I’m expecting one of his standard growly responses about how Ibelong to him, andhe’s in charge. But that’s not what I get.
“You know, I became aware of the intruder a while back,” he hums, deathly quiet. “There was much going on at the time… Really, this island has been crumbling since long before the storm. I wasdistractedby cartel business, prison business, guard dog…problems.” He snarls out that last bit, and I gulp, thinking about Velle. “I was too busy searching for you… And you were right here all along. Distracting me from getting to you.”
He huffs, an unamused sound of amusement, shaking his head.
“I eventually remembered,” the bite is back in his tone. “The girl I’d seen lurking. I saw the footage…”
My spine stiffens. Fast. As I’ve been zapped with realization.
Oh… fuck.
Here we go…
He steps forward, into me. I back up.
“Thebadgirl… misbehaving all over my island.” His dark gaze has narrowed into slits. “Of course, I didn’t know it was you at the time. If I had, well… We might not even be standing here right now.” I gulp, backing up as he advances toward me. “I might have very well burned this whole goddamn place to the ground myself.”
My pulse is racing, palms sweating.
Shit…
Fuck fuck fuck, this isn’t good.
“D-diablo…” I stammer.
“All the things she was doing…” He pauses to gulp, and my forehead lines. “Thepeopleshe was doing… were really being done byyou.”
He finishes the accusation I knew was coming, and now I’m highly concerned.
He has the potential to kill me over this. He’s that possessive.
It doesn’t make sene, but I guess when you’re Manuel Blanco, things don’t have to make sense.Especially where your little bird is concerned.
“Diablo, por favor.” I shake my head. “Just hear me out—”
He backs me up into the bars, and I jump.
“Mipajarito! It wasyou, Angel!” In a flash, his volume raises until he’s shouting in my face. And it doesn’t go back down. “Youwere on your knees?! Face down, ass up, getting railed by strangers!That’swhat you were doing here??” He looks and sounds like he’s hanging on by a thread. “Angelito came here to play the part of a desperate little whore, to,what?Push my buttons??Estás en serio?!”
“I… n-no, I…” My words aren’t coming out. I’m too afraid. He has me backed into a wall, literally, and I can feel him shaking like he’s about to rage out of his skin.
“That’s insane, pajarito. Fuckingloca,” he grunts, grabbing the bars by my head. “Tú padre se avergonzaría.”
Your father would be ashamed.
That snaps me out of it.
Hearing him referencing my father lights the fuse. All of my fear dissipates, and my vision swims with the deepest red I’ve ever seen.
“Myfather would be ashamed?” I hiss, deadly quiet as I growl, “What about yours?”
His eyes widen, lips falling agape. I almost grin.
