Page 29 of In the Dark

“When’s the shareholder meeting of Fuerte Firearms?”

“Ten months from now. And then annually.”

“Then, two years still stands. I’d like to attend a few meetings with the family. I’m sure in that time, I can pry whatever information from Jasmina I need. New paperwork will be sent soon,” I replied. “The wedding is in one week. Make sure she’s prepared.”

I left them standing there dumbfounded. They had a funeral to attend, and I had a brother to inform about a new sister-in-law.

6

Jasmina

“DID HE WATERBOARD YOU?” My aunt stared at me, my hair still wet and my body still a bit cold.

Callahan had nearly attempted to kill me, then saved me, then almost fucked me, only to tell me he didn’t want that before he dropped me like a sack of potatoes in front of my aunt and uncle only to tell them I would be his bride in a week.

A week? My stomach rolled, and my mind reworked that amount of time.

“Jasmina, are you okay?” Perla touched my cheek. “What did he do to you?”

I closed my eyes at her extravagant imagination. “Well, not so much him, okay? I sort of stabbed him and pushed him off Midnight’s Edge. We almost drowned. I was trying to … I thought we could run if he disappeared,” I admitted and realized that sounded ten times worse.

“Ay.” She kissed that red rosary of hers and closed her eyes. “You fought him and burned his building? We can’t run, mija. Where? They’d find us.”

I sighed dejectedly. She took a deep breath and barked out orders to my cousins. Poor Maribel and Annarose were told to come over and pray over me. They both met my eyes with reluctant acceptance and prayed with their momma.

Then they took me to the upstairs shower, turning it on high, rushing to their closet to get me another dress. I stripped off the sweats and stepped under the water, letting it wash away the cold, the day, and the salt from the ocean along with the desire I still unfortunately felt for the man who was going to ruin my life.

“Jas,” Maribel whispered while she sat down on the porcelain toilet lid on the other side of the curtain, “are you sure you don’t want me to talk to Mother for you? I’ll do it.”

“Do what?” Annarose came into the bathroom too. They didn’t have any reservations about nudity or privacy. We’d known each other too long for that.

“Marry him,” Maribel whispered as if Annarose was stupid.

“Oh, please. Don’t fall on the sword too quickly.” Annarose scoffed. “How about I marry him and ride off into the sunset? You know he’s worth billions?”

“No.” I turned off the shower, ripped the curtain back, and grabbed a towel. My tone left no room for argument, so Maribel and Annarose held up their hands when they heard how much ice my voice had in it. They feared me when I got like this. And perhaps they should.

I was the one who stood in the line of fire with Paolo while they went to school. I was the one who endured training with Paolo while they curated Instagram feeds and painted their nails.

They were normal. And I loved that about them, I did. They were spoiled because that’s how children were supposed to be raised, and they treated me like I was just as they were … until I wasn’t. Until I reminded them I could be as ruthless as Paolo.

I grabbed panties and a bra and put them on while Maribel tried to be consoling. “I just think it wouldn’t be that bad, and I don’t want you to have to do it when I know you don’t want to.”

I took my thigh holster and slid the blade up before putting on a flowy black dress that matched theirs. Neither of them said a thing, but they both stared at the blade. It was the stark difference between my world and theirs.

“Would it be that bad?” Annarose had no filter and tried to lighten the mood. “I’d fuck that man twenty different ways to hell if Momma would let me.”

“He had a hand in Tío Paolo’s death,” Maribel hissed at her.

“And?” Annarose narrowed her eyes at her. “I won’t cry for Paolo, Maribel, and you won’t either.”

“Jesus.” I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“Anyway”—she turned to me as if done with the conversation about Paolo—“did Callahan actually almost drown you, or what happened? I want details … like every detail, please.” Annarose was only twenty-one, and I swear she was more experienced in sleeping with men than all of us. Her kinks were not something she hid well. “Did he choke you out too? Was it bad?”

I leaned my head against the cold tile, closing my eyes. They didn’t understand. They’d been pampered in that their biggest tragedy had been experiencing a broken heart or a bad grade. They didn’t understand that Callahan would break them … or me.

Neither of them had dealt with any sort of crime. Or real pain.