Page 19 of Corrupted By the Shadow King (Hope Runs Deep #3)

Alex

I am nervous as fuck! I’ve spent twenty minutes choosing the perfect shirt to wear tonight.

A fucking shirt. Why the hell am I putting myself through this?

I have an empire to run and shit to take care of.

Oh, and I can’t forget the dead body that was left for me yesterday.

I want to say it is the Sol Cartel, but even their people aren’t that sloppy.

Angel was right. Whoever killed her is an amateur and doesn’t know what he is doing.

The cut at the throat almost looks like multiple cuts were done, which means she didn’t die quickly.

She suffered. Slowly bled out. Felt every slice he gave her.

But it wasn’t only the throat; the woman had been beaten.

None of them were killing blows from what I could tell.

That does not mean they didn’t incapacitate her, though.

Whoever did this could have picked her up, stood behind her, and sawed at her throat while she was unconscious, but that would have taken someone strong.

It is easier to slit a throat when they aren’t unconscious.

“And where are you going, hermano ?” Angel asks as he enters my room wearing an annoying smirk.

“Out.”

“Out? But you just got home. Shouldn’t we talk about what you found out?”

“I’ve already told Ricky everything. He can tell you.”

“But isn’t Ricky driving you tonight?”

“No, I’m driving myself.”

The cocky grin on his face disappears, and his eyes get comically wide. “I think I misheard you.”

Sighing, I shake my head and roll my eyes. “There is nothing wrong with your hearing. But then again, they do say some age before their time.”

“ Comer mierda !” I love messing with my brother.

Unlike me, he cares about the way he looks and presents himself.

Part of that is because he is gay in a world where that is not readily accepted.

He sometimes feels as if he has to prove himself over and over again, but not to me.

To me, he is the annoying little brother who can be vicious and kill without blinking an eye.

He is deadly, and I love him. He stands beside me and helps run everything.

Without him and Ricky, I would have died a long time ago.

“I’d rather eat?—”

“I can assure you, I don’t want to hear what you would rather get your mouth on.” He stands there staring at me, assessing everything. He never misses anything. “Do you think it’s wise? Sol is here.”

“And they know better than to attack. We can bring their whole organization down.”

“Not without casualties on both sides.”

“Sadly, it is the price of war.”

“And what about your reckless driving? Will pajarito be safe with you?”

Smirking, I say, “I hope not.”

“Not what I meant. Your driving is shit.”

“Yes, papá , I will pay attention to the road and make sure to get her home safe and before her curfew.”

“ Cabrón !” He laughs this time. “Just remember, if you get into an accident, you are leaving me and Ricky in charge.”

That makes my body shiver in fear. “I will not do anything that would leave you alone for too long.” This conversation with Angel puts me at ease, and I feel less nervous about tonight.

“But seriously, are you okay to go out? You are still healing. You just woke up three days ago.”

Nodding, I grab my left arm under the bandage there. “I will not strain it too much, and the pain is bearable now. I’m not sure what she did, but she is a miracle worker.”

“I agree. The doctor said she probably did a better job than him.”

“Then, why do we have him on our payroll? We should just hire her,” I joked. I know if things had been worse, she might not have been able to do much for me.

“We should, but are you ready to tell her about the real you, El Lobo?” Angel asks.

He isn’t trying to be mean. If anything, he is championing this relationship, but he has seen relationships fragment due to lies, and the longer this goes on, the more invested we become, the more it will hurt when she turns away from me after learning the truth.

That feels like a bucket of ice water to my soul.

Is it wrong of me to want something separate from the life I lead?

From the moment I was born, I was groomed for my role as El Lobo.

I killed my first person when I was seven.

Someone broke into my house and was beating my mother.

I didn’t think about what I was doing. I grabbed a knife and stabbed him between his legs.

I caught the femoral artery by sheer luck, and he bled out.

My father and grandfather were both so proud of me that day.

I knew my destiny, and I never feared it or tried to run from it. I embraced it completely. But now, with Nikki, I want to cling to that small slice of happiness that I don’t get from anything else in my life. I want her, and I’ve never wanted anyone like this before.

“I will eventually have to tell her, but not tonight. Tonight is about dreams and pretending.”

“You could play this out for a while and just break up with her. Not tell her.”

“Maybe.” Could I? I don’t know, but that is a problem for another day. “I should be going.”

Angel approaches me and drops his hands on my shoulders.

“Go. Have fun. Be happy. You of all people deserve it.” He grins.

“And above all else, no crashing into buildings, people, barriers, or anything else. Please keep her in one piece. I like pajarito . Not many people do what she did.” That is high praise coming from Angel, and for a moment, I think about what it would be like if she could accept my life and stand beside me. A king is only as good as his queen.