Page 31 of Bastard

I can’t listen anymore. Squaring my shoulders, I turn the corner.

The three men straighten in surprise.

“Here you go. The Bastard ordered me to give this to you.” I shove my list into the nearest guard’s chest. “Be sure to tell him to purchase item number twenty-three on the list. Silk and lace lingerie.”

Their eyes go wide and they scramble to read what’s written on the crumpled paper.

I sail by them, easily and without interference.

“Hold up,” one of them orders too late. I’ve already flipped the door handle and pushed inside the office.

“Boss asked you to wait—” The door slams shut with a resounding thud.

I feel his presence before I see him, seated in the dark behind a large desk with a phone raised to his ear.

It’s nearly midnight. Who’s he speaking to?

He doesn’t greet me, but there’s no mistaking he knows I’m here. Back to being ignored, am I?

The rational thing would be to make myself comfortable. To take a seat in a chair across from him and wait for him to complete his business.

I should be asleep at this hour, and not a victim of his whims.

I clear my throat, impatient and withsomuch to say.

He covers the phone with his hand. “Leave and come back when I ask for you.”

His bossy tone cuts deep, and I grind my teeth together. I used to believe he was something special. Now, I’ll treat him like any other chulo.

I stalk around the table, his eyes tracking my movements. Placing a hand on the back of his leather chair, I spin it around so he’s facing me. “Thirty minutes is what you said. It’s my time now.”

“Report in when it’s done.” He ends the call, staring up at me in that same infuriating, nondescript manner. “You were told to wait outside.”

“I’m inside now.”

His eyes flash with warning. “Take a seat.”

How many times have I witnessed men scampering to do his bidding? How many people have seated themselves across from him while he played upon their fear? We’ve played out this very same situation, with him ordering me to sit. I’d stood, and survived to speak of it. Yes, he’s a hardened, unscrupulous killer. Ten times more dangerous than I remember.

And our wedding vows will no longer protect me.

I swipe my hand across his desk, sending papers flying before perching on his desk, legs dangling, arms folded, eyes ripe with challenge.

He clenches his jaw. Very.Much.Affected.

I raise an eyebrow. “In the habit of making your other women wait?”

“So that’s what this is about.” A sharp retort is on the tip of my tongue but his next words silence me. “Only one.”

“One?” I straighten in surprise at him singling her out and am suddenly thunderstruck by a horrible thought. “You ... remarried?” Diego never mentioned it, though my brother rarely discusses anything that Hayden does that’s not business related.

His lips lift, slightly. Infuriating me.

Don’t react, don’t react. Do. Not. React.“Whoever she is,” I backtrack, “she’s none of my business.”

He snorts. “When have you ever minded your business?”

“I was minding my business in Cabo. Little good it did me.”