He snorted. “No, I’m burning them.”
Guess she couldn’t blame him. He must have terrible memories of Tierra Caliente. Of her brother’s cruelty.
Guilt for the pain he’d experienced at José’s hands flooded her, but she didn’t want to talk about him, much less remind Xander of the atrocities he must’ve endured.
The washing machine started and she didn’t know what to do next, so she sat at the small kitchen table, watching as Xander washed the wine glasses. He had such nice hands. Large and competent looking. Long, strong fingers. The idea of those big hands on her body made her cross her legs and squeeze her thighs together. In an attempt to control her unruly response to him, she curled her hands into fists beneath the tabletop and pulled in several deep breaths. But try as she might, she couldn’t drag her attention off him as he gathered plates and silverware, then poured them each a glass of red wine. Such mundane activities. But somehow, she was utterly absorbed by his every movement.
“Thank you,” she murmured, taking a sip. “And I mean that sincerely. You got me out of a terrible situation and—” She abruptly stopped talking, remembering she’d never told him about José’s intent to marry her off.
The doorbell rang. Xander eyed her thoughtfully then stood. “Hold that thought.”
While he went to get their food, Essie bit the inside of her cheek. She shouldn’t have said that. If she was smart, she’d keep her mouth shut, eat her dinner and go to bed. Confiding her deepest, darkest secrets to Xander Hawke probably wasn’t her best move. Best to keep things light and easy, or she might unintentionally give him insight into how best to use her in whatever scheme he was plotting when it came to her brother.
When he returned and opened the box, the smell of pepperoni teased her nostrils, and she let out a groan. He chuckled, and they both reached for the same slice, hands brushing. Neither pulled away. He turned his hand over, dragging his knuckles across the top of hers in a slow, deliberate caress, causing her pulse to jump.
“I like bubbles in the crust,” she said, her voice a little breathy. And, geez, how did she also manage to sound like a child?
“Me, too.”
It was the only piece with a bubble in the crust. She started to pull her hand away. It only seemed fair to give it up when he bought it and was helping her in ways she’d never truly be able to pay him back.
“Take it,” he murmured, reaching for another piece. The loss of his touch shocked her back to reality.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” She truly wanted to know. Because she couldn’t fully understand it. Especially after his declaration that he wanted to destroy her family.
“I’m not.” Gruff, suddenly cooler than before, he pulled his consolation slice back with a little more force than necessary. “It’s just a piece of pizza,” he grumbled, then consumed half his slice in one bite.
“No, it’s everything.” She lifted the piece with the bubble and took a big bite. Chewing, savoring, thinking about her enigmatic host. “You’re the most interesting and unpredictable man I’ve ever met.”
He grunted, finished off his piece and reached for another. “Back to your terrible situation,” he said, steering the conversation back to her. “Did your brother hurt you in any way?”
“Not physically,” she admitted. “He mostly ignored me, shuffling me from one hiding spot to another.”
“Why were you so keen on leaving?”
Moment of truth. “Because he planned to marry me off to Manuel or Joaquín Cardenas.”
Xander arched a brow, pausing mid-chew. “They’re vile bastards.”
“Tell me about it. I knew I had to escape.”
“Wise decision.” He appeared thoughtful for a moment, and she wasn’t surprised when he put the pieces together. “He wants to align with them, merge cartels.”
She nodded. “End the Lazaro Cartel’s reign and cement himself firmly as the head of the Barrera Cartel.”
Xander grimaced. And she didn’t think it was because he’d burned the roof of his mouth on the hot cheese.
Fuck.Combining two of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico meant more trouble, chaos and death. Increasing José Barrera’s command and control would lead to nothing good.
Over my dead body.
Xander swallowed back the rest of his wine and poured another glass. Stopping Barrera and getting his vengeance wasimperative. But what the hell was he going to do with his enemy’s sister? How best could he use her to draw out José?
The obvious answer was kill her just like José killed his sister.
But, no. He could never destroy the spirited beauty sitting across from him. The amount of trust and innocence in her dark brown eyes as she looked at him, toying with her gold cross, made something inside him reel. Made the protector in him vow to never let anyone hurt her. Ever.
She looked at him like… Like she needed him.
