Page 277 of Vicious Temptation

I raise the gun and squeeze the trigger. The shot echoes through the garage, and the driver’s-side window explodes outward, scattering shards across the concrete.

It isn’t enough, so I fire again.

The next bullet chews through the driver’s door, leaving a fresh hole in the metal. I fire again, this time into the hood. Then again and again and again until the slide locks back. The sudden silence leaves my ears ringing, my ragged breaths filling the empty garage.

I lower the gun and stare at the ruined truck until it blurs behind my tears.

Whatever was keeping me on my feet disappears. I stagger back until I hit the wall and slide to the floor, pulling my knees to my chest as the Glock falls from my hand. I bury my face in them and finally let myself fall apart.

I’m crying so hard, I don’t hear the garage door open or the footsteps crossing the concrete. When I realize someone is here, I don’t care enough to look.

“Baby girl.”

Papá.

“Go away,” I whisper between sobs.

“Remi.” He crouches in front of me. “Look at me.”

I shake my head. “No. Just...just go. Please.”

His hand closes gently around my chin and lifts my face.

For a long moment, he says nothing. His eyes sweep over my swollen cheeks, then the bruises across my knuckles before dropping to the gun beside me. When his gaze returns to mine something in his expression has changed. The softness he always saves for me is gone.

“Where is he?”

“No. Don’t. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“The hell it doesn’t.”

“Killing him won’t make this stop hurting.”

Some of the anger leaves his face as he brushes his thumb beneath my eye.

“He hurt you, princesa.” His voice lowers. “The day you were born, I held you in my arms and made you a promise that if anyone ever hurt my little girl, I’d make them regret it.” He presses a kiss to my forehead. “I meant it then, and I mean it now.”

“Papi...” I grab the front of his shirt. “It hurts.” Another sob tears out of me, and my fingers bunch in the fabric. “It hurts so fucking much, and I don’t know how to make it stop.”

His arms wrap around me, pulling me against his chest. “You don’t have to know.” He holds me as my cries grow louder. “And you don’t have to carry it alone. I’m here.”

I cling to him and let myself be his daughter, without trying to be strong or figure out what comes next. I just sit there with him and let it all out.

“It was all a lie,” I murmur once I can speak again. “And I was so stupid. So fucking stupid.”

“Don’t say that.” He brushes the damp strands of hair from my face. “You trusted someone you loved. That doesn’t make you stupid.”

I squeeze my eyes shut.

“You love hard, baby.” His fingers stroke gently over the back of my head. “Just like your mother.”

My breathing slowly steadies, and my attention shifts to the ruined truck, riddled with bullet holes and shattered glass.

I stare at the destruction.

For the past several hours, all I’ve been able to think about is Thiago, his lies, his betrayal, and everything he knew about me before I knew anything about him.

My eyes settle on the holes torn through the metal, and a new thought begins to push through the grief.