Page 21

CHAPTER TWENTY

Enzo

I know I’m speeding too much when I notice Lenny’s white-knuckle grip on the door handle. I glance in the rearview mirror, and even Alfonso looks a bit pale.

“Sorry.” I chuckle, playing off my nervousness. I ease my foot off the gas a bit. “Just excited to see what we find.”

“Let’s make it there alive first,” Alfonso mutters, but he goes back to studying the map we marked up with the directions. “The turnoff is soon. Look for a sign that says Sevilla Cabins and Camp.”

Lenny spots it first, pointing it out amid the dense pine trees lining the country road. I swing the truck off the pavement, and we bump and rattle down a rocky dirt path.

We pull into a clearing that likely doubles as a parking area in the summer.

We stop at the giant welcome sign and spot the sedan hidden behind it, just like Jack said it would be. I suck in a breath and slip my gun out of the holster, just in case.

“Careful,” I warn. “There might have been a tracker on it. Keep an eye out for anyone coming back to claim the evidence.”

We climb out and fan out across the clearing, checking every nook and cranny. When we confirm we’re alone, Lenny shows off her impressive skills and breaks into the car using just a bobby pin she pulls out of her hair.

“Nice job, kid.” I smile at her. She winks at me, throwing her hair over her shoulder saucily.

“Sorry to interrupt your flirting,” Alfonso calls, crawling out of the backseat, “but we have a phone.”

“A phone!” Valentina cheers, throwing her arms around him. “It’s really happening! We’re going to find her!”

“The phone is probably being tracked,” I say, trying to stay focused. Valentina’s beaming smile is very distracting, though. “I don’t want to risk bringing it back to Rafael’s place, but let’s see if we can reach her here.”

Alfonso passes it over, and I scroll through the call log, noticing the same repeating number. It can only be her. It has to be her.

My thumb shakes as I press the number and put it on speaker. We stand huddled in a circle, staring at the ringing phone, holding our breaths.

After a few rings, I almost give up, when suddenly, Alexandra’s rich melodic voice breaks the silence.

You finally found me, Enzo. Just wait till I find you.

The pre-recorded message beeps and clicks off. I instantly redial.

You finally found me, Enzo. Just wait till I find you.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I growl, launching the phone into a snowbank. Lenny slumps against the car, sinking into the front seat.

“Looks like she won’t be found until she wants to be,” Alfonso mutters, stalking back to our car.

I glance at Valentina and extend my hand. She grabs it, and I pull her out of the car. She gets caught on the door and curses.

“What’s wrong?” I call, already halfway to our car.

“Ugh, probably just this stupid zipper again,” she calls back, yanking her jacket and slamming the car door closed.

She climbs in beside me and we head back to the house, much quieter on the journey back than we were coming here.

She won’t be found until she wants to be. That’s what I’m afraid of—how far will she go before she reveals herself?

As we near Rafael’s house, I slow down and glance around, double-checking.

“No one took anything from the car, right?” I ask. Alfonso and Valentina both shake their heads, and I breathe a little easier.

The last thing I want is that crazy bitch finding us here.

I peek into the bathroom to see if Valentina is almost ready, but the vision in front of me grounds me in my spot. She’s brushing out her long, silky hair in front of the bathroom mirror, a towel wrapped loosely around her.

I step into the steamy little room, and her eyes meet mine in the mirror.

“Hey, you.” She smiles. “I’m almost ready.”

I slide in behind her, wrapping my arms around her middle. She tries to squirm out of my grip, laughing and complaining about being late.

On Matilda’s request, Lux threw together a “fairy garden dinner party” tonight ahead of her real birthday celebrations tomorrow.

“We can be fashionably late,” I growl into her ear, pressing her against the sink with my hips.

She smirks at me in the mirror and continues brushing her hair, feigning indifference. I grind my quickly hardening cock into her and a soft moan escapes her lips.

“Enzo, there’s no time.” She tries to brush me off, but her eyes burn in the reflection.

“Someone’s a little wet for me.” I laugh darkly, licking a stray drop of water from her shoulder. She smacks my arm but my fingers find their way under her towel, and I smack her ass harder.

“I’m busy,” she protests, but her back arches, pushing her ass harder into me. “Can’t you see?”

“Nope,” I say, whipping off her towel and grinning. “But now I can.”

I trail soft kisses down her neck, biting gently on her shoulder. My hands rove over her curves, unable to ever get enough of her.

She moans softly, leaning into my body and letting her head fall back. I keep my eyes on the steamy mirror—a perfect view.

She watches as my hand slides down her body, slipping between her legs.

“Do what you need to do,” I whisper in her ear. “But keep those legs open for me.”

“Enzo, what…”

Before she can finish her question, I drop to my knees behind her. She stares down at me over her shoulder, a devious little smile spreading across her face.

“Well?” she huffs when I make no move to touch her.

“Well?” I repeat, grinning like the devil. “I thought you were so busy .”

She scoffs and picks up the little makeup bag Lux lent her. “Happy?”

“That’s my good girl.” I smirk at her. “Let’s not be late now.”

She shakes her head and leans forward to apply her makeup, giving me the most beautiful view of her glistening pussy. All I want to do is bury my face in it, but teasing Lenny is the best part of being with her.

When she gets desperate and she’s begging me for release, that’s what sets my soul on fire.

I slowly slide my hands up her legs, stopping to massage her inner thighs. She squirms against my touch, leaning forward more.

Her forehead’s nearly pressed against the mirror, I notice, chuckling quietly to myself. Desperate.

With the lightest feather-soft touch, I slide my finger through her folds, and she whimpers a needy little whimper.

“All done with your makeup?” I ask, slipping the finger between my lips and sucking it as she glares down at me.

“Enzo,” she moans. “Why are you the biggest tease in the world?”

I laugh at her desperation and repeat the action. This time, when she glares down at me, I slide my fingers inside her, and she moans, deep and low, falling forward onto the sink. I start up a steady rhythm as my other hand reaches around her and finds her clit, circling it slowly.

She’s trapped between my hands, writhing with pleasure against the sink, and it’s the most beautiful thing I think I’ve ever seen. My lips trail across her hips, thighs, and ass as she gets closer to finishing.

“Faster,” she begs, meeting my eyes in the mirror. Her cheeks are flushed, her neatly brushed hair curling around her face now from the heat. “Harder, please.”

I pick up my pace as her moans get louder. She’s screaming my name, moaning and thrashing against the counter, and I can’t take it anymore.

I pull my hands away and she curses my name, but my fingers are quickly replaced by my cock slipping into her.

She’s so sensitive now, teetering on the edge, and I’m drowning in a lust-filled haze. It doesn’t take long for both of us to finish, collapsing on the counter together.

“You fucker,” she gasps, her pussy spasming and clenching around me still. “We’re definitely late.”

“You get to explain why,” I cackle, pulling out of her and covering her back with kisses. “Wanna cuddle?”

“Enzo, get the hell out of here,” she hollers, but there’s laughter in her eyes.

“Funny,” I say, my voice dripping with false misery. “Just two seconds ago, it was ‘Enzo, harder’ and ‘Enzo, more.’”

“God, I love you.” She laughs, spinning around to throw her arms around me.

We both freeze, unsure of how to handle this. It’s not like it’s the first time—we said our I love yous six years ago.

“I love you, too,” I whisper shyly, burying my face in her hair. “Always have, always will.”

She squeezes me extra-hard, grateful that I didn’t make it weird, I’m sure.

“Now, will you please, for the love of god, get out of here?” she begs, shaking me and trying not to laugh.

“Aye-aye, captain,” I whisper, planting a final tiny kiss on her nose and slipping out of the bathroom. I hear her sigh heavily, but when I glance over my shoulder, she has a dreamy, happy look on her face.

Lux intercepts us on the way to the main house. She’s balancing a gigantic tray of cupcakes decorated beautifully with icing flowers.

“This way!” she calls, pointing to the greenhouse. We change our course and climb through the wet snow, following in Lux’s footsteps.

When we step inside, I’m shocked—and a little jealous that I was never a six-year-old girl getting a fairy garden birthday dinner.

“This is insane,” I whisper as Valentina gazes around starry-eyed. Lux managed to transform the greenhouse into a magical place.

Steam covers the windows, giving the structure a cozy feeling. String lights hang from the ceiling, sparkling and swaying slightly above the army of exotic plants Lux has gathered.

In the middle stands a long table that Rafael undoubtedly hauled through the snow from the big house. The table is scattered with candles, flowers, plates of colorful pastel desserts, and mismatched glasses full of something pink and fizzy.

Matilda sits at the head of the table, a tiara on her head, grinning from ear to ear.

“Lux, this is too much,” Valentina whispers, her voice cracking with emotion.

I squeeze her hand a few times and lead her to the table. Alfonso and Rafael are already there, tiaras on their heads, looking unimpressed—okay, secretly impressed.

“This?” Lux laughs, scooping rainbow ice cream into tiny bowls full of edible glitter. “It’s only the beginning.”

We spend the night eating way too much sugar, playing games, and giggling like kids. Valentina’s happiness shows on her face, her eyes shining and dancing every time I look at her. She looks so alive again, like she did back when I first met her.

This is the life she deserves. The life I need to give her.