I took a drink. “I don’t…trust you.”
“I wouldn’t trust me either, mi amor.”
We stared at each other over the fake floral arrangement in the middle of the table. At one time, I would have ignored a statement like that, throwing caution to the wind, just as I had ignored all the red flags to be with this man. No more. The pain wasn’t worth the pleasure.
“Does he understand you like I do? What makes you tick? How you yearned to run? I’m the only man who’s ever given you that.”
I knew he was trying to discredit my marriage, but he’d hit closer to my heart than he knew. I might have wanted all of that when I was young, but now I craved stability. If Thunder couldn’t give that to me, I wasn’t sure I even wanted it.
“No more.” I didn’t allow him to release my gaze. “No more games. I never…want to see…a rose on fire.” A beat passed between us. “I would…forgiven you. All of it.” Neither one of us said anything. The words lingered above the table.
He twirled the stem of the water glass between his fingers as he gazed at me. “I don’t need your forgiveness. I’m never going to be saved, mi amor.”
“You burned…banquet center. Grace’s. Personal. Never forgive—“
Alex laughed, shifting toward the back of his chair. His legs spread apart as the tablecloth swayed with the motion. “Gerry should have taught her about trust. You of all people know nothing is permanent. Never be able to call anything yours.”
“She never did…anything.” He hurt her because he could. “This…ends.”
Alex’s nephew flashed his silver dagger, reminding me exactly how this could end, but Twig shifted closer to where he stood, and the dagger suddenly disappeared. It was a reminder that I was psychically safe, just not emotionally.
“This is just the beginning.” Alex quickly leaned forward, his elbows on the table. The movement was so sudden, I jumped in my chair. It only made me angry.
“No. This ends now. You…have no…control.” I took another drink of my water. “You want to speak…to Sabre? You call…like a normal…person. If he wants…to speak…to you. Answer.” I tried to push myself up from the chair, but I didn’t have enough strength. “Op?”
He moved forward, holding his hand out to give me more stability. I stood, patting his arm to let him know I was alright, before he moved the chair back for me to walk. Op was the one in charge. He’d be the one to take the punishment for this.
“We’re done.”
He looped my hand over his arm, guiding me toward the front door. Each time we passed a brother, they fell in line behind us, walking backwards until the next brother took their place.
“Mi amor,” Alex called out. I stopped, but I didn’t give him the benefit of speaking to me directly, keeping my back turned to him. “You’re forgetting something, or should I say someone.” He chuckled. “Pedro.”
My blood boiled underneath my skin, but I pulled my shoulders back. Smoothing out my expression, I patted Op’s hand before I turned, shuffling down the row of brothers, touching each one of their forearms as I passed. We were in this together.
“Peter.”
Alex raised his eyebrow.
“Pe…Pe…Peter.” I took a quick breath. “My son…is dead. You controlled access…Only…way I…survived.”
He said nothing as he stood, leaning against the front of the table, his hands in his pockets. It reminded me of our first date, when I’d shown up to an empty restaurant.
“Your son…prospect for…Iron Shield. Kidnapped me. Planned to sell…to the Lopezes. Your son…dead.”
“No, he’s fulfilling his legacy, just like you will in time.”
“Your son…dead. Strangulation.”
His nose twitched to the side as his eyes narrowed at me, before he quickly smoothed out his features.
“No longer…tied…together.”
Chapter 30
We All Fall Down
Thunder
