That man, the one who invited me on a date, fed me dinner and dessert, laughed and joked with me, commanded over my body—the only person who’s ever truly understood me for who I am, without confusion or question—and allowed me to command over his…
The man who, yes, killed my parents, who has probably killed dozens, maybe hundreds of other people’s parents, families… Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends… And who, indirectly, has harmed thousands more.Like Velle’s mom…
He isn’t defined by those atrocities alone. Who he is, this empire… It’s not all of him.
The Ivorydoesn’t defineManuel Blanco, and I hate that he’s so goddamn stubborn that he refuses to see that.
I fell in love withthatman. The one who woke up in my bed with me just this morning… before he shut it down, as he does, and left me locked in a cage.
It fills me with a vexing fury that has me trembling as I whip the blade out of the knife.Hisknife… not mine.
After all, it’shisfamily heirloom. My family simply stole it… afterkillinghis. The true owner of this knife, the person who made it…Great Aunt Isabella Blanco.
And because of that, I suppose his killing of my family was justified, in a sense.
It’s just… sangre por sangre.
Always just blood for fucking blood.
“Why did you race over here, Diablo?” I ask quietly, attempting to keep my voice steady with all these eyes on me, from every direction. “Why did you stop this war that’s beensoimportant to you for weeks when you found out I’d escaped?”
“My Angel…” he sighs, more exhaustion in those two words than I can even process. “It would be my greatest pleasure to die by your hand, sweet pajarito.”
“Right, because Ibelongto you,” I fight back emotion, forcing a roll of my eyes. “So you’ve said, over and over. And yet here you are, kneeling…Surrendering.” I bend to bring my face in line with his. “Why?”
I witness his throat dip. “This is what I deserve…”
“Tell me… thetruth,” I hiss.
“You want the truth, little bird?” His voice turns seething. “Fine… I never should have caged you.”
My head tilts, confusion lacing my expression.
“I should have let you kill me the first time,” he grumbles. “Or the second… or even the third. I stole whatyoudeserve, Angelito, because you arenotmine. You never have been. But Iwantedyou to be, that’s the difference.”
Those words feel like the knife plunging intomygut. I don’t know why… I’ve been fighting against the notion of being nothing more than his little bird trapped in a cage for weeks. But now that he’sapologizingfor claiming me, it’s pissing me the fuck off.
Because… well…
Who the hell am I if not his??
Straightening, I pin him with a wounded look. “Wait, so you’re saying that all this time was for nothing? That my capture, the cage… it was all a mistake??”
He simply stares up at me. “What did you expect, Angelito? For this to somehow work out? I’ve told you over and over that I amevil, and it won’t stop. Whether I apologize, or surrender makes no difference…” His voice trails until it’s so soft that I think only I can hear him. “I will always be a nightmare that you don’t need, baby…”
My eyes are round, tears behind them threatening to slip out.
It tics his jaw. “Iruinedyourlife, Angel Alvarez. I have ruined so many people’s lives, and for that, youmustkill me.”
“What if I don’t want to…” I mumble in between chewing on my lower lip.
“I don’t fucking care what you want, pajarito,” he hisses. “You must.”
“No…” I whimper.
‘Si!Doit, Angel, this is not a fucking debate,” he snarls. “You willnotthrow your life away loving me, do you understand?? Now take thatfuckingknife and plunge it into mygoddamn heart!”
“No! Shut up,” I sniff, dizzy and struggling not to break down like a baby, but it’spouringdown on me.He knows that I… love him.“You think my killing you would solve anything at this point?? Itwon’t. You’vealreadyruined my life, Diablo! Don’t you see that?? You ruined it when you killed my parents and became my whole fucking world, and then you ruined it all over again when you made me fucking love you!”
