Eternally His

Fear gripped my insides, and I glanced past him, expecting to see Rafael tearing into the shop. Rows of gemstone-colored gowns obscured my view out the front window, and he was nowhere in sight. But surely, Rafael must’ve seen Morales enter?

I took a hasty step back, but Morales boldly stepped into my personal space, speaking with low urgency. “I’ve been patrolling around your house when I can to see if I can meet with you,” he said. “We weren’t able to arrest Guerrero, but you must know more. Give me an official statement, and we can put these bastards behind bars.”

“I can’t be seen talking to you.” My voice hitched on the rushed words, and I tried to dart past him. He stepped in front of me, blocking my path to the door.

Anxiety knotted my stomach. “Please. I have to leave.”

He snagged my wrist, his clammy fingers cuffing me to his side. His thin moustache bristled on a frown. “You’re afraid. You don’t have to be scared anymore, Isabel. If you tell me what you know, I’ll protect you.”

A crazy flicker of hope sparked in my chest. I could be free. Free from Sebastián. Free from the cartel. If I went with Morales and told him everything I knew, they’d be able to make several arrests. Or at least start investigations that would lead to arrests.

My gaze swept Morales’ pockmarked face, searching for the truth. “You can really protect me?” The man had proved that he was ambitious, but also a little reckless. He must’ve been determined to get more intel from me if he’d been patrolling near my house so he could follow me into a public space. He wanted glory, a big promotion. He wanted to be responsible for toppling the cartel.

His fingers flexed around my wrist, tugging me closer. “I swear.”

I swallowed hard. “I can’t talk here. I can’t be seen with you.”

His grip turned almost bruising, refusing to release me now that I’d teased at offering the information that he so badly desired. “Come with me, then. We’ll go somewhere safe.”

Safe? Nowhere was safe from the cartel. Not if I betrayed them again.

Sebastián keeps me safe, a traitorous little voice whispered in my mind. He’d been forced into this marriage because he’d protected me on the night of the coup. Stefano had deemed that I was now Sebastián’s responsibility. And if I betrayed the cartel again, I wouldn’t be the only one to suffer. Even if Morales could somehow protect me, he wouldn’t protect Sebastián.

“If it makes you feel safer, your bodyguard can come with us,” Morales offered.

My throat tightened. “He’s not my bodyguard.” I tried to wrench my hand free from his clutching grip. “Please, you have to leave me alone. I can’t talk to you.”

His eyes narrowed. “Because you’re afraid. Don’t be a coward, Isabel.”

I shook my head. This wasn’t only about me. This was about Sebastián’s safety too. And Morales wouldn’t lose any sleep over the cartel enforcer’s death. I didn’t want to be married to him, but I didn’t want him dead, either. Especially not because of me.

“You don’t understand. I—”

The shop door burst open, rattling against the wall with the force of Rafael’s entry. Silken gowns were shoved aside as he barreled toward us. “Come on. We’re leaving.”

Morales turned to face Rafael, but as soon as he noted my guard’s massive muscles, he released me and reeled back.

The coward wouldn’t have protected me. He would’ve taken any information he could get from me, and then he would’ve thrown me to the wolves.

“Miss Vera and I are old friends,” he stammered, making a lame excuse for being near me.

Rafael grasped my elbow and hauled me away from the cowering policeman. “Mrs. Castillo isn’t your friend.” He hissed my new name, declaring Sebastián’s ownership of me. “Don’t talk to her ever again.”

With that, he dragged me out of the boutique. “I gave you three minutes, and you’re already talking to the nearest cop?” he seethed. “Don’t say a word! I don’t want to hear it,” he cut me off before I could offer excuses.

Despite his sharp command, I pleaded with him on the drive back to my house, but he remained as silent as a statue, as though he couldn’t hear my pleas. He was taking me to Sebastián. My husband would discipline me for this. My chest hollowed out as the awful truth settled over me. He was going to beat me. The man I’d thought of as my avenging angel would finally snap and hit me.

CHAPTER 12

ISABEL

“She was talking to a cop,” Rafael told my husband with the weight of condemnation.

“No!” I burst out. “He was talking to me. I didn’t say anything.”

Sebastián’s dark eyes narrowed on my face, searching for the truth. I squirmed, and he seemed to read a hint of a lie in my expression. I hadn’t said anything, not really. But I’d been tempted. For a minute, I’d wanted to go with Morales, to free myself from the cartel. From this marriage.