Page 58 of Shameless Vows

I raked my hand through my hair as I glanced at her, my eyes roaming over her curvy, naked form as she collected her robe from the floor, and she’d do just fine. She was well-bred, had impeccable social graces, and in private, she was low-key, drama-free, and always up for a romp in the sheets. What more could I possibly want in life?

Well, other than literally everything Ihadand then hadstolenfrom me because Isla was a duplicitous cheater.

“Entirely up to you,” I replied, pulling on my boxer briefs and reclining in the bed.

She shook her long, honey blonde waves as she strode across the suite to the bathroom. “I’ll think on it.”

After she shut the door and started the bath, I picked up my phone to check the messages that had come in.

Unknown Number: Duque Malachi. Una amenaza está llegando a Isla Reyes.

Unknown Number: Si te preocupas por ella, la encontrarás.

My face flushed cold.

Years after studying Spanish because it washernative language, I was still decently fluent in it, and the message was clear.

A threat is coming to Isla Reyes. If you care about her, you will find her.

Who the fuck was this, and why the fuck were they contactingme?

Malachi Sterling: ¿Quién eres tú?

There was a long enough pause for my entire body to go rigid with completely nonsensical anxiety and righteous indignation.

Beyond who the fuck this person was and why they were contactingmeabout this, why the fuck should I care if there was a threat on that cheating whore’s head?

I didn’t know, but here I fucking was.

Actually, Ididknow.

I had spent the first twenty years of my life making the same vow over and over and over again.

I swear on my own life that I will keep you safe forever.

That vow was part of me, and it hadn’t gone away just because Isla stabbed me in both the back and the heart.

Unknown Number: Una pariente.

A relative.

Malachi Sterling: ¿De quien?

Unknown Number: Los primos de Ernesto.

My stomach sank like a fucking brick.

Malachi Sterling: ¿Los Dolorosos?

Unknown Number: Lo son, pero yo no soy parte de ellos.

Unknown Number: Soy dependiente de ellos.

Unknown Number: Y escuché de una amenaza en Isla.

Unknown Number: Te estoy contactando en secreto.

So, this person wasn’t part of the cartel that Ernesto had separated himself from, but was apparently “dependent” upon them. And whoever this person was, they were contacting me in secret. According to them at least.