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“Goodnight, Itzel.”
“You, too,mija.”
CHAPTER 16
duke
Ihadn’t meant to eavesdrop.
I’d been walking toward the kitchen to get some water when I heard Elena.
“No. I…want to leave.”
I stood still, closed my eyes, and snapped them right open when Itzel said,“I think it must be very hard to watch the man you love with another woman.”
Her words settled heavily in my chest. Elena loved me. No surprise there, or was it? I’d orchestrated that little scene with Fiona to get a reaction, to make her feel something—because I knew she loved me. And I knew that becauseIstillloved her.
I stood and listened, excitedly gleaning all I could about the grown-up Elena, the one who didn’t give me the time of day.
“Who takes care of you,mija?”
Even back then, Elena was the giver. She took care of everyone around her, but I never saw anyone takecare of her—except me. And when I wasn’t there, had anyone else stepped up? Hunt? Maverick Fucking Kincaid?
I already knew the answer. She wouldn’t have let them, not after a point.
Elena was careful about who she let in, and once, I’d been the one to slip past all her defenses. When I turned on her, I could only imagine how much higher and stronger she’d built those walls.
I heard them say goodnight, and that’s when I stepped into the kitchen.
Elena and Itzel both looked up, and I saw the moment Elena’s expression shut down. It was like watching a fortress lock itself down—gates slamming, guards on high alert, alarms blaring:intruder.
“Can I get you anything, Duke?” Itzel asked politely.
I shook my head and walked to the fridge. “Just wanted some water.” I watched as Elena reached the back door, and I couldn’t stand not talking more with her about what I’d overheard. “Elena, can you step into my office for a minute?
“Now?”
“Is that a problem?” I filled my glass with water from the fridge filter.
She didn’t answer right away, just stared at me for a beat, then finally, to my relief, said, “No problem.”
I followed Elena to my office. I liked watching her walk. That ass I’d cupped so many times was still nice and big but not as juicy as it used to be. It looked firmer. Came from sitting on a saddle for half theday.
I ran a hand down my face in embarrassment that I was ogling Elena.
“Sit,” I instructed, pointing to the client chair in Nash’s office. I went around the desk and sat where I realized, all of a sudden, she used to. This used to be her domain, from where she saved the ranch time and again. I’d seen the evidence.
She sat comfortably in almost a slouch, like Hunt did, like Nash did, like a freaking cowboy, relaxed in her skin. She held her hat in her hands as it rested on her lap.
She waited for me to speak. This Elena didn’t talk much. The girl I knew wouldn’t shut up. I used to love that about her. Chirpy and fun, always ready to share a story that made me laugh.
Where did all your stories go, baby?
“I want to talk to you about Fiona.”
Her head bobbed in acknowledgment.
“She—” I forced the words out—“shouldn’t have spoken to you the way she did. Or to anyone else at the paddock this morning.”