Page 10 of High

“Thio’s men will stop you. Don’t,” I said, when it looked like Papá was going to pull the trigger anyway.

Thio held his breath. His men had guns trained on Papá, and they were all focused on their target. Thio had the clear advantage in this room, even if my father’s men were gathering somewhere outside, and I thought everyone was aware.

“Take me home,” I said loudly, and yeah, I was still not all right, and had no idea what Thio had been doing without me for the last four years, but I knew wherever he was, that was home. This beautiful house would kill me if I didn’t escape.

Even if whatever I wanted to happen between me and Thio never materialized, if Thio had a… a husband or someone… I would rather be free there and suffer through their happiness than completely alone here. Nothing could get better here. My blood ran cold and I tried to shove Thio off, but he held on tight, using his body to shield me.

“Don’t kill him, Thio, please,” I whispered. He hushed me, and we started to slide awkwardly together toward the glass doors that led outside. As we stumbled, his men closed in and merged together into a human shield between us and Papá. I glanced back and couldn’t see him anymore.

We burst through the doors into the sweet, clean night air, and Thio’s men filed out after us. Inside there was a single gunshot, and I flinched against Thio. We flew along the sidewalk that ended when it met the sand.

“He’s not dead,” someone said as they came racing up beside us, but panic settled into my gut again, twisting it into knots. The beach was the only thing this direction. The surf thundered in my ears.

“No,” I moaned. “Whatever is left of Papá’s army will come.” I dragged us to a halt as my toes hit the soft, cool sand, and Thio’s jaw hardened. “Why didn’t you come get me that night?” I knew damned well I didn’t need to be more specific when he flinched away from me as I turned on him, waving my hands. “Why now, when it doesn’t matter anymore?”

Thio let out a dangerous growl. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t it matter?”

I shook my head and laughed, but it came out more like a strangled scream. The breeze on my face was something I’d missed, and I turned until it caught my hair and whipped it around. The waves rolled and smashed against the shore not far away, and I wanted to be under the water, pounded against the sand breaker. It would feel better than this.

“I did what had to be done, Manny. What did you expect?” He wasn’t yelling, but he was loud. I’d never seen him so mad. His nostrils flared. We weren’t close anymore. This was the nail in the coffin. Thio would never yell at me, no matter what I did or said. This stranger with his face wasn’t the man who I’d thought was going to rescue me because he loved me. Maybe that Thio had never existed. It wasn’t like he’d ever said the words. He’d hinted, but that wasn’t the same.

“You didn’t care enough!” I roared, and it felt good. Years of fury exploded out of me. I stepped forward and thumped my fist halfheartedly against his chest. He let me, eyes glittering darkly. “I’m supposed to leave my father, who yes, fucking shot at us, but who I still love. That was always the plan. Me to go with you. I was expected to make that sacrifice all along.” The years alone had given me plenty of time to think about this small fact—I would be expected to lose the last of my family—yet Thio didn’t even bat an eye. His face was immobile. Impassive. No, this wasn’t the man I’d missed all these years. He was a horrible substitute. “You, though, you waited until Tío Luis was gone, so you could stay his fucking favo—”

Thio stole my thunder by snatching me close and dragging me against his body. He tipped his head down, and there was murder in his eyes as he stared into mine, but I didn’t care because I’d been waiting fucking years to say this.

“You didn’t care about me the way I cared about you,” I whispered, and tears spilled free of my eyes and stung the wound on my cheek. The gash must not be bad, but it still ached.

“Thiago, we need to move,” someone said impatiently near me. I didn’t know him. Fuck him. I huffed in the man’s direction and Thio’s mouth twitched, I swore, toward a smile.

Thio slid his hand up my side to my neck and I quaked against him. Was the man who I thought might have loved me gone forever? Was Papá right, and I was about to be killed? All of the crazy things that Papá had beat into my mind—about locking me away for my own good—looped through my brain. I began to struggle, but Thio only brushed my hair softly from my face and leaned down until he pressed his forehead to mine.

“You have to stop.” He leaned closer and a hot flash of electric excitement slammed into my stomach as his breath gusted into my ear. He flexed his hand on my neck and whispered, “You’re mine. You’ve always been mine, in one way or another. Whatever happens, remember that.”

“Why should I believe you?”

“I said stop,” he snarled, low in my ear, and I flinched, but he ran a soothing hand up and down my back in a way only he knew I liked, right along my spine. It felt so fantastic that I froze. Fuck, it had been so long since anyone touched me in a good way.

“Thiago,” Rafael said, and I could hear the urgency in his voice.

He never looked away from me, only caught my gaze and held it. “I’m the jefe now, do you understand? There is a lot riding on the respect my men see everyone give me. You want to yell? Fine.” He knocked his forehead lightly against mine. “But you wait. You wait until we’re in my bedroom with the door locked, and then you can yell all you want. Never in front of the men.” He leaned back, and I hated how he glared, like this really was important. I blinked back more tears, but they just seemed to be flowing now. I shivered. The ocean was so close. I wanted to be in it. I’d missed the water. I’d missed him. I glanced toward the black waves.

“Every good thing in my life ended that day. You were gone and I was here alone. Papá went crazy. Thought everyone was trying to kill him. Kill me.”

“He didn’t go crazy, sadly.”

I gasped. “He needed to lock me up here?”

Thio shook his head impatiently. “No, but you do need protection because he’s made some unsavory friends, and worse enemies, since he split ways with us.”

“The Thio I knew wouldn’t care about a little embarrassment.” I couldn’t help but push at his ridiculous new rule. I hated it. I didn’t want to see him turning into our fathers.

“Things have changed, but none of the important ones. I promise.”

He leaned closer to me and his lips were right there. My heart slammed against my chest and my cheek thrummed with pain. I couldn’t stand it. He seemed like he wanted to kiss me. I leaned in and buried my face against his chest, hugging him tight. I’d dreamed so long about it, but I was so fucking lost right now. My father might be dead inside the house. I wasn’t stupid. If he was only wounded, there would be hell to pay later.

Thio leaned down and brushed his lips to my hurt cheek. I’d had it tilted away because it hurt to press it against him. The rush of pleasure that slammed my chest had me shuddering. I’d gone so long without being touched that anything, even a painful kiss from him, felt good.

“Keep it together just a little longer.” He turned and seemed to be looking toward the water with intent, and that confused me. Seconds later he let out a happy little sound as he scanned his gaze off to the east.