Page 52 of Deceptive Vows

“Were there any problems I should be aware of?”

“No.”

I didn’t think so.

I ordered my men to burn Raul’s house to the ground once they’d removed all the important things. The same way leaders of the past sent a message to the people by burning what they revered, I wanted that house torched as a reminder to all in the alliance of Raul’s downfall, and a threat not to cross me. Ever.

Everything should be ashes in the wind now.

“That’s good. Everyone seems on board.”

“They are.”

I give him a crude smile, and he shuffles nervously in his seat.

The man is right to be nervous because he’s not sure yet if I’m going to allow him to live past the next hour. I haven’t given him a guarantee either.

He knows I don’t trust him. He hasn’t done anything yet to even begin to earn anything like that from me, and he knows he walks the thin line between life and death.

Now that we’re on to phase two—managing the cartel—I need to decide what more I’ll need him for. Since nothing has been resolved in relation to who was working with Raul, and I won’t be able to focus completely on the cartel until it has, I might still need him for something, so he’s safe for now.

He wouldn’t like to know thatvaguepossibility of needing his ass is the only thing keeping him alive. And the only thing that’s kept him alive up until this point.

Seeing him face to face now makes me want to kill him because I’m not exactly sure I believe he knew nothing of the assassination plot. It doesn’t make sense that he wouldn’t know.

His two black eyes and broken nose, however, are reminders of how I tortured him, yet he couldn’t tell me anything. He already knows Adriana is safe with me, so he has nobody to save but himself.

But I also want to kill him because I’m jealous over whatever feelings Adriana might have for him—no matter what they are. I know it’s absurd because she clearly sees him as a father figure, but I don’t want her having any heartfelt emotions toward anybody who worked for Raul.

It’s harder for me because obsession is taking over my mind. I can feel it working its way into every cell in my body. Like poison.

That kiss earlier was supposed to be a taste.

I wanted to taste her purity. The thing that was out of reach to a devil like me.

I got my taste, and she was the most delicious thing I ever tasted.

Then I saw that look in her eyes. The look of the same desire I felt begging me to take more. So, I took more than my fair share, and she left me starving for more.

She left me starving and wanting.

I know it’s because I haven’t fucked her yet. All I’ve achieved is fanning the flames of fantasy.

“Raul’s files are also in order for you to further investigate,” he states, cutting into my thoughts.

“And you goteverything,right?” I’m double checking. I had my men keep a close eye on him, but there’s every chance he could have concealed stuff. I felt if there were ever going to be any clues, they would be in the house.

“I did. I also downloaded all of Raul’s files from his computers at work and at home. When I checked, there was nothing in there in relation to what happened to you and your family. I presume you’ve already looked at them, but I still got them in case anything was missed.”

“That’s fine. It has been looked at, but we can keep them for reference.” The investigation team hacked the system before I went to Mexico and found nothing. I’m sure Eric will want to take another look at them because he’s thorough.

“Everything else we brought over was physical, like the contracts he’d signed with the allies. It’s all in the storage unit downstairs.”

Sounds like he did a good job and I do have everything. I’ll personally go through the files, then contact Eric if I find anything. Sebastian will be on the street if I need him to check anything out. I just hope all of this won’t take too long. It’s never good to be left in the dark when your enemies have a head start.

“All right. That’s sufficient for now.”

“Is there anything else you’d like me to do?” he asks, eyeing me with that caution again.