Page 9 of Cartel Viper (The Cartel Brotherhood #2)

I only have to wait another two minutes before her car appears. She backs into the spot like I did and looks over at me. I climb out of my car, and she opens her door.

“No.”

She hears me and looks over again as I walk around the hood of my car and approach her. Her door is ajar, so I open it. However, I block her from getting out.

“From now on, you don’t get out unless I open the door or give you a signal that it’s safe.”

“A signal or open it for me? You’re supposed to be a ghost. You can’t come near me without someone noticing, and if you’re hidden, I won’t see any signal.”

“Do not get out of the car again until I let you know it’s safe, Maddy.”

I step aside, and she climbs out. She opens her mouth to disagree, but when I shake my head, she snaps it shut. She pushes the car door hard enough to slam it, but I catch it, closing it with barely a sound. She turns toward some tables, but I open my passenger door.

“Until I know what’s going on, I consider this is a safe place, but it’s still exposed. We can talk in my car.”

She narrows her eyes.

“For Pete’s sake, Maddy. I know you have horrible memories of being in a car alone with a guy here, but do you really think I’m here to harm you? That’s insulting.”

She looks duly chagrined. “I’m sorry.”

She gets in, and I close the door. I hurry back to my side and climb in.

I watch her from the corner of my eye. I’ve pushed—shoved—as hard as I dare.

Now, I have to let her open up to me. If I do more, I’ll be nothing short of a bully.

She won’t trust me, and she’ll either lie or omit a shit ton.

I don’t want her to feel like I’m interrogating her just with my eyes. I’ve been told my stare can be intense.

“Javi, I won’t give you any specifics. Know that now.

You won’t convince me to, so don’t try. I was dating a guy who got rough with me a few times.

I was dumb enough to forgive him the first time it happened because he was drunk.

I believed him when he said he thought I was someone else and shouldn’t have walked up behind him. ”

She didn’t believe him, and I can tell. The bastard knew who she was and hurt her, anyway. But I remain quiet.

“It happened a couple more times, and I felt trapped. He has money and connections, so I got scared he would track me down. I decided an alias would be better.”

“An alias that must have a driver’s license, a credit card, and car registration. That’s not just breaking up and moving home.”

Those were observations, not questions. But from the mulish set of her jaw, I can tell she took them as accusations.

“I wanted to disappear for a bit.”

“So, you went to your parents?”

“Not my fault your uncle decided to get married this week and invited my entire family to the reception.”

Once upon a time, they would have been at the wedding too. Maybe not Laura and Maks, but she and her parents would’ve been. Maks might’ve waited outside the church for Laura. Now that wasn’t even a remote possibility.

“When did you tell your parents you’re headed back up to Albany?”

“After lunch.”

“Today?”

“Yeah. They think I need to get back to work.”

“But you quit.”

She remains silent.

“Last I heard, you were with the same guy for a few years. Drew something or other.”

“I’m not with him anymore.”

“Because of this?”

“Our relationship ended when there just wasn’t anything left between us.”

“Maddy, being evasive doesn’t mean I can’t read between the lines. Don’t treat me like I’m too dumb to get the subtext.”

“I don’t think you’re dumb.”

“But you are being evasive.”

“I told you I would be from the start. I won’t give you details.”

I twist in my seat, so I can look at her more easily. She’s reluctant, but she turns toward me. Her hands are knotted in her lap, and her left thumb rubs the back of her right. It’s an obvious tell, but it’s been hers since we were teens. I reach out and cover her hands with mine.

“I can learn everything about the guy in five minutes if I want to. You can force me to dig, or you can just tell me. Either way, I’ll know.”

“Please, just leave it alone. If anyone you doubt comes near me, then do something. Otherwise, just fade into the background like you did when we were kids.”

“I worried about you back then. Now I fear for you, chiquita . The guy back then was a teen like us. He was a brute, but he didn’t have the experience an adult man has.

He didn’t have the resources an adult man has.

It’s not the same. The danger was significant back then.

Be reasonable about how much worse it is now.

I’ll protect you no matter what, but it would make my job exponentially easier if you told me everything. ”

“If it’s that hard, then quit this job .”

The venom in her voice tells me something about that word cuts deeper than I can guess.

“You know what I meant, Maddy. I don’t see you as an obligation or burden, so don’t make me out to be the villain here.”

“I don’t have to.”

That cuts deep.

She’s throwing who I am and who I have to be in my face. She’s pushing me away because I’ve gotten too close. I get her.

“You’re being awkward for the sake of being awkward. Madeline, you’re one wrong word away from that spanking. I told you I won’t bend to your will when it comes to your protection.”

“Don’t scold me, Javier .”

“I’m sorry, chiquita .”

“How is that any better? I’m not a little girl, Javier .”

“Stop that.” My hand tightens around hers. “I wasn’t scolding you when I used your full name. I didn’t mean for it to sound that way. You’ve always preferred it, and I wanted you to know how serious I am. You’re not a little girl. You’re my little girl.”

That one word— my —reveals more of my feelings than I want, but I can’t ignore the surge of possessiveness and protectiveness that consumes me.

I don’t want to ignore it. I want to devour her.

I want to be inside her. I’m unprepared for how strong this wave of emotion is. I feel like I’m the vulnerable one now.

I lean in, but I won’t kiss her until she lifts her chin. I won’t take advantage of her when we’ve been discussing someone who’s done nothing but take advantage of her, albeit in a different way. She speaks before I can bring my lips to hers.

“I’m not a Little, Javi.”

That makes me pause. I draw back enough to look her in the eyes.

“I’m not a Daddy Dom. Were you someone’s sub, and it got too rough? They didn’t respect your boundaries? Is that what happened?”

“No. You are a Dom, though.”

It’s not a question, but I answer anyway.

“I am.”

She swallows before her gaze drops to my lips. Hers part.

“You’re not a sub, but you want to try, don’t you?”

She remains quiet, so I continue to do the talking. I watch her to gauge whether I’m headed in the right direction.

“You want someone else in control right now. You want someone who’ll take care of you.

Make you feel special, protected, desirable, and deserving of their attention.

You want to obey because you want your only focus to be on your Dom.

You want the freedom to try new things. You want to know that ultimately you decide whether to stop or keep going.

You need that power, even if you don’t want to control the scene.

It’s why each time I threaten to spank you, you get wet. ”

Her nostrils flare. I suspected—hoped—but that confirmed it.

When her cheeks flush a deep red, it’s not desire like I feel.

It’s mortification. She thinks I know how she reacts to me from some embarrassing indicator.

I lean forward and bring my lips to just behind her ear. I let them brush her skin as I speak.

“My dominance might make you wet, but you’ve been keeping me hard since the moment I laid eyes on you in that hotel.”

“Do I have to submit?”

“You already did, chiquita . But I won’t force you to do it completely.

Keep your wall around you—for now—but it’s already crumbled in parts.

You didn’t leave the restroom the moment you found me.

The moment I put my hand on you. The moment I insisted you let me help.

The moment I told you to get in my car. The moment my hand touched yours.

You’ve stayed, so you’ve already submitted. ”

“Javi.”

It’s a breathless whisper as I pull back.

She turns her head, and our lips brush. Immediately, it explodes into more than any first kiss I’ve ever had.

This is all my attraction to her from a decade and a half ago that’s laid dormant along with everything I’ve felt since seeing her.

Recognizing her only opened the vault. From the way she’s kissing me, I think it’s the same for her.

My free hand tunnels into her hair, and she moans.

I fist it, and her tongue thrusts into my mouth.

I let go of her hands to cup her neck, and she fists my shirt.

The fucking center console is in the way, or I think she’d try to pull me over it.

It’s certainly the only thing that’s keeping me from lifting her to straddle my lap.

God, how I want her pussy pressed to my cock.

I want to run my hands over her, but I don’t dare.

As much as I want this—as much as I’m ready for this—she’s not. Maybe the kiss, yes. But more? No. She’s hiding from some man who abused her. I don’t want to frighten her. I don’t want her to think I’m some predator. I don’t want to remind her of him.

“Javi, I know you’re not him.”

She pulled away to say that, and she kisses my cheek when she finishes.

She brings our lips together again, and she’s even more insistent.

I test the waters by tightening my hold on her hair and resting my other hand on her throat.

She moans again and leans into my palm. I press more weight against her throat, but nothing more.

I kiss along her jaw until my lips are back to where they were when I whispered to her before.