Page 61 of Bound By Betrayal

I couldn’t help the smile that drew from my lips. “I don’t believe those words came out of my mouth.”

She scoffed. “Listen, I’m used to people thinking I’m—”

“Evangelina, I heard what you did for my mother. Kai told me you saved her life, and I could never thank you enough. So whatever you’re about to say, I don’t think that at all. And I didn’t think it before, either. You just caught me at a bad moment. Besides, you’re Derek Cain’s wife, for fuck’s sake.” Thatearned me a laugh. “But let’s spare ourselves a sappy goodbye. I’ll see you when I see you.”

She put a hand on my arm. “Take care of yourself. And take care of Kai for me.” Eva nuzzled her daughter’s cheek. “Someone also wanted to say goodbye and thank you for the hospitality. We’re about to head out, too.” When she leaned forward, Valentina raised her arms and reached for me. This kid was probably the happiest baby I’d ever seen.

“Pórtate bien, chiquita.” (Be good, little one.) I kissed her forehead, and we said our goodbyes. No sooner had Eva walked back inside, I heard an engine revving from around the corner.

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ll take my car.”

Kai pulled off his helmet. “As sweet a ride as that Hellcat is, I want you to ride with me, vicious.”

“Are you sure you andGloriadon’t need some alone time?”

He laughed and leaned over the front of his bike, looking so damn good I might have licked my lips. “The only woman I want alone time with is you.”

“Oh, so you admit she’s a woman?”

“She was.”

“Was? Who? A lost love?”

“I killed her.”

I’d seen more death than any one person should in a lifetime, many of those by my hand, but somehow, his admission sent a small shock wave through my body. He’d said it so casually, I almost doubted I’d heard it.

“You killed Gloria?”

“How about you hop on my bike? I’ll tell you the whole story when we get to where we’re going. And we should hurry. I want to get there before the sun.”

I placed my hands on my hips. “You just admitted you murdered a woman who was significant enough for you to nameyour bike after, and you expect me to just ride with you into the sunset to some mystery location.”

“Wrong. Sunrise, not sunset.”

“Kai Cain, you better start talking.”

“I thought you said you trusted me,” he said with amusement.

“I did, up until three minutes ago.” Kai tipped his head back and laughed. “I fail to see the humor here.”

He extended a helmet to me. “Come on. We’re already married. No backing out now.”

Eyeing the black helmet, I huffed as I snatched it. “Kai, don’t crash this goddamn bike, and don’t kill me and hide my body in the woods.”

“Never.”

26

Amalia’sarms were wound tight around my waist, and I reveled in the feeling of her body flush with mine. She was warm, and her head rested on my back. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d shared a ride with anyone. It had possibly been years ago when Leni and I had our thing.

But this—her—I could get used to this. The thought was terrifying because I felt it. The way I was becoming attached. How I craved to be near her all the fucking time. The fear I felt when I thought she’d been captured, or worse—killed.

I shook those thoughts from my head.

“Cain, where the hell are we going?”

Amalia’s voice filtered into my helmet through the speaker.