Page 50 of Dark Reunion

“Ya basta,” Ava snarled with more venom than Yasmine knew she had in her. She lifted her chin. “No la toques! No los toques!”

The courtyard went still. Servants stared, wide-eyed. Guards shifted uneasily as Ava told Carlos to leave them alone.

Carlos’s face twisted in shock, then fury. “You dare talk to me like that?”

His hand lashed out, backhanding Ava across the face.

The crack of the blow rang through the courtyard. Ava hit the stone pathway hard, a sharp cry tearing from her throat as blood bloomed on her lip.

The children screamed louder. Yasmine jerked her wrist out of Carlos’s grasp and dropped beside Ava, pushing the boys behind her. “Look out for you sister,” she ordered to get them away from Carlos.

She held Andrés, thankful he remained asleep, and comforted Ava. Yasmine’s heart thundered, rage and fear colliding. Yasmine was seconds from throwing herself at Carlos, from clawing at him, wanting to tear his heart from his chest.

“Don.”

The single, firm word from Matteo, sliced through the chaos.

Carlos moved to strike again, this time aiming for Yasmine. Matteo stepped forward, catching Carlos’s arm and stopping the strike. Matteo’s voice dropped, audible only to the few of them.

“There are too many witnesses,” Matteo whispered, then glanced at Yasmine, his eyes saying sorry.

Carlos froze.

Only then did he look around. The servants stared with horror. The guards shifted uncomfortably. There was blood on Ava’s face and the children sobbed against their mother. He had almost struck the wife of his son and heir to the family.

His jaw worked, a muscle ticking and Yasmine saw him warring with the fury and paranoia inside of him. Then, slowly he laughed.

It was a cold, mocking sound. “A lesson in loyalty and obedience,” he announced, straightening his jacket as though nothing had happened. “That is all.” He gestured toward Ava, bleeding on the ground. “Learn from her mistake.”

Carlos turned and strode out, Matteo gave Yasmine one last look before following. Silence weighed heavy in the courtyard until the echo of his shoes faded. Yasmine clutched the children to her, heart hammering, her arm curled protectively around Ava.

The girl trembled, but her voice shook with steel when she whispered, “he will not break me again.”

A servant that worked in the kitchens walked over as Yasmine rose, eyes darting to the shadows where Carlos had disappeared.

“Many of us saw, it will bring more hearts and loyalty toward Señor Mercurio,” the woman murmured. “Carlos is losing control and knows it. Be very careful, there is nothing more dangerous than a man like Carlos, who has nothing to lose.”

“Thank you, I will.”

Yasmine helped Ava to stand and then consoled the boys and Isabella, but kept glancing toward the empty archway. Did she dare tell Dean about this? She wanted out of here, but not at the cost of her children or husband. Not knowing what the right thing to do was…it was so difficult.

She felt like she was walking a tightrope with a pit of venomous snakes below her.