Page 109 of Faded Gray Lines

“Did Mateo Cortes kill Hector Diaz? Is he part of the Carrera Cartel?”

The barrage of rapid fire questions came out of nowhere, but I remained calm. “I can’t comment on that. A wife can’t be coerced into saying anything incriminating about her husband.”

A gasp rushed over the crowd. “Husband?”

“Yes,” I answered, keeping my answer concise. “I’m married to Mateo Cortes.” I held up my left hand and flashed my ring. Behind me, my mother let out an Oscar-worthy cry.

A morning show anchor pushed her way to the front. “Are you saying the mayor’s daughter is the wife of an alleged cartel member?”

“No, my mother has nothing to do with the fact that I’ve been in love with Mateo Cortes since I was eighteen.”

The same blonde focused on my mother. “Why have you never mentioned you had a granddaughter, Mayor Donovan?”

I stepped back, happy to let her tap dance her way out of this one alone. Maybe if she hadn’t been so quick to believe her abusive husband over her own child, I would’ve given her a chance to know her granddaughter—hell, even given her a chance to realize she had one.

“Well, as you all know, my daughter and I were slightly estranged...” she explained, stumbling over her words.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Mateo’s eyes filled with fierce pride as I walked toward him.

“Leighton, can you explain why your daughter, Estella James, has been missing for over a week? According to our sources, no one has seen her. Has she become a victim of the cartel as well?”

Fuck. If anyone found out where she was, there would be a witch hunt, and everything would unravel. I turned around with fire in my eyes. “My daughter is in San Marcos visiting her grandparents. Get your fucking facts straight.”

“Leighton!” My mother called after me repeatedly, but Mateo wrapped an arm around my waist and led me around the side of the building and toward the Tahoe.

A few yards away, sharp nails dug into my arm and spun me around. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

I waved my gold band in her face again. “I’m celebrating the sanctity of marriage. You shouldn’t frown, Mother. It causes wrinkles.”

She smacked my hand away. “These people killed your father, and now Finn is missing. If you’re trying to get back at me for being an overprotective mother, that’s fine, but ruining our family isn’t the way to do it.”

I took one look in her selfish face and laughed.

“I don’t see anything funny about this situation,” she hissed, grabbing my arm.

Stiffening, Mateo stepped forward, but I stopped him with a shake of my head. The last thing I wanted was to give her a reason to have him arrested again. Besides, I could handle her.

“I know, Mother,” I said, jerking out of her hold. “It’s because you honestly think everything is about you, but marrying Mateo has nothing to do with you.”

“Lower your voice.”

“Right.” Crossing my arms, I drew a tired breath. “Wouldn’t want the fact that I actually lovemyhusband to make headlines, would we?”

Her shrill laugh echoed in the empty street. “If you think you know all his secrets, you’re a fool,” she warned. “He stole your innocence by staining your hands with blood.”

A radiating numbness spread through my body. “How do you know that?”

“Oh, please, Leighton. I know what you’ve done. I’m the mayor. I have access to all police reports.”

Which would be fine. If Alex had ever filed one.

Turning my back, I power walked the rest of the way to the Tahoe. Mateo kept up with me, wisely not speaking. I had no tears for what just happened. Tears made me feel weak, and I needed the strength of an army.

Just as I reached for the passenger’s side door, Mateo spun me around and held my face in his hands. “Did you mean what you said?”

“I said a lot of things.”