Page 19 of Bound By Betrayal

“That makes two of us,” Amalia muttered quietly from between her teeth.

“My brother and me, were out having the time of our lives, just tearing up the town. You know how that goes.” It was mostly true. “Derek was meeting his wife, but there was a communication issue, and they lost contact. So, while we were trying to locate her, that’s when we ran into my girl here.” I scooted her chair closer, and she pinched my thigh under the table. But I played it off and looped my arm around her shoulders. “You two have been together for a while, so you know that feeling when you see someone for the first time, and they take your breath away.”

Amalia was staring at me, intrigue written all over her face.

“She is stunning, isn’t she?” Rocco said from behind his glass.

Leaning over, I kissed the corner of her lips and watched her slowly close her eyes at the contact. “The most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

Gio snorted from his seat, suppressing a laugh into his glass of water.

“So, how did you find your sister-in-law?”

Amalia cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, Kai, tell her what happened.”

“Amalia. She saved the day.”

“The hero, huh?” Rocco chuckled darkly.

“Sure was,” I said, kissing her temple. “It took me a while to come back into her life, but I’m glad I did.”

“Oh, ¡que belleza!” Isabel proposed a toast, and we all joined in, clinking our glasses together, with the exception of fucking Rocco.

“Amalia, I found this gorgeous little boutique—”

“Sorry, I need to get some air.” Amalia hurried out of her chair and left the dining room. My smug grin was gone. The point had been to mess with Rocco, not to upset her.

9

Islammed my glass on the metal workbench and braced myself against the edge, letting the whiskey slide down my throat, hoping to ease my nerves. I wasn’t a big drinker, but if there was ever a time that called for a buzz and temporary amnesia, this was it. Kai was messing with my head, my parents and their expectations, the death of Cassie, Alba, and Felipe, hell, even Derek and Eva.

It was almost too much.

Sighing a heavy breath, I refilled my cup and brought it to my lips.

“Celebrating alone?” Kai’s voice rattled me, and it made me want to chuck my drink at him, especially when I glanced up to find him leaning against the doorframe of the garage, looking too good to be so damn infuriating.

“Keyword, alone.”

He snickered, his full attention now on my car as he stepped inside.

“Hellcat Widebody. Sexy,” he said, as he ran a hand along the sleek black hood.

“You into cars?”

“Who doesn’t love a Charger, but I’m into another type of ride.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course you are.”

Kai’s laughter shook his chest. “I didn’t mean that. Not that that’s not a favorite of mine, but—”

“I don’t care,” I said, throwing back another sip.

“Tell me, vicious, what’s got you bailing on dinner and out here alone drinking your feelings?

“Leave.”

“No,” he said, then pulled up a chair next to me, taking a seat.