Page 145 of Deceptive Vows

“You are. You are mine, so if I love you the way I say I do, it’s for me to take care of you. It’s my responsibility as your husband to make sure you have the life you deserve, even if it’s not with me. I’m not a good person, Natalia.” He cups my face. “Staying with me will always mean possible captivity and danger. You should be free of the cartel, and the Bratva, too. You know I’m right.”

He kisses my lips and sets me down on the bench.

I’m so numb I can’t move.

One more kiss is placed on my forehead before he leaves, and as I watch him walk away, he looks back at me then continues through the door.

* * *

“Hi,” José says when he walks up to me.

“Hi.”

I didn’t think I was going to see him today, but it makes sense after that conversation I had with Mikhail this morning that he’d come by.

He joins me on the little bench by the lakeside, and I look over the bruises on his face.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“Yeah, I’m an old, tough fool. These are just scratches.” He chuckles. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay.”

He sighs and leans forward onto his elbows. “We’ve had one hell of a ride, you and I, haven’t we?”

“We have.”

“Mikhail spoke to me earlier. After I finish my work at the shipping company tonight, he wants me here full time as your bodyguard. Until we leave.”

“He said that?”

“He did. He said he spoke to you about leaving. I had a feeling you wouldn’t be feeling all that thrilled about leaving him, whenever that might be, so I thought I’d come by and check how you were.”

“I’m not okay with it. I should be thrilled. But I’m not.” I blink a few times and shake my head. “How did I get here, José? I’m supposed to be happy. It worked out in the end for both of us. Look how far we’ve come and what’s happened to us. How could I not want freedom?”

“It’s not that you don’t want freedom, mija. That’s not the problem at all. The problem is love lost. The sacrifice and what freedom costs.” He nods with conviction. “Mi amor, Mikhail is right, though. You’ll be safer away from here for several reasons. I don’t know the full details about what’s going on with his brother or what Mikhail plans to do to him, but if he fails, then neither of us wants you anywhere near here or the Bratva. You specifically can’t be. His brother has his eye on you, mi amor. That’s not good.”

It’s not.

And that’s a problem I’ll have no matter what my name is.

41

Mikhail

Eric looks at me cautiously as I enter his hotel room.

He has one more night here before he heads back to L.A., then he’ll be back again next week.

He asked me to stop by after work. Just to talk.

Fuck knows I need to talk, but I’m also tired.

It’s been a long fucking day, and I can’t wait to see the back of it. I just have one more stop after this. I need to check in with José at the docks before I head home.

“Feeling better, old friend?” he asks, motioning for me to sit.

I lower myself to the chair and shake my head. “I don’t know.”