Eternally His

“What will you do with your time now that the party is over?” he asked, trying to engage me again.

The warmth in my chest pulsed hotter, even though the thought of the awful party should’ve soured my mood.

“I don’t want to plan another one,” I admitted. “I really think I’ve lost all my friends.”

Except for Marisol, maybe. She’d been kind to me when everyone else had been cruel.

“I’m sorry,” he rumbled. “I’m sure they’ll come around. Just give it some time.”

“I’m not sure if I want them to come around. I don’t think they were truly my friends to begin with.” I would miss them, though. My family had always been cold and distant. My only time in pleasant company had been with my friends. Now, I really was alone.

Except for the man sitting across from me. My husband. We would be expected to spend the rest our lives together. The prospect no longer made me totally queasy.

“You’ll make new friends, then,” he said with complete confidence. “If they aren’t loyal to you, then they don’t deserve you.”

Loyalty would be everything to Sebastián. I understood that about him now; I understood why he was loyal to the cartel. And why he trusted Rafael to watch me above anyone else.

Irritation pricked me at the thought of my guard, but I willfully ignored it. I didn’t want to argue with Sebastián about my restrictions right now. He’d said that I would earn my freedom once he knew he could trust me. If we could learn to get along, then he’d give my phone back and call off his guards.

“What are you planning to do this evening?” he asked, surprising me again. “It’s Friday night. You said you like to go out dancing, but I’m guessing your friends won’t go out with you.”

I flinched at the blunt statement, but he was right. There was no point pretending otherwise.

“I thought I might read,” I said, swallowing my resentment that he was still keeping my e-reader locked away. I’d bought more paperbacks in town last week, so I had plenty of new books.

“I’m going to watch a film,” he announced before pausing.

I blinked at him, confused that he was offering the information when I hadn’t asked. It was a simple thing, but I wasn’t used to him telling me anything about his plans.

“You have that huge media room,” he continued, speaking so slowly that he sounded almost reluctant. “Do you want to watch something with me?”

“You want to watch a movie with me?” I blurted in shock. He’d spent weeks avoiding me. Dinner was one thing; he was asking me to spend his private time with him. “Why?”

He shifted in his chair, as though he was deeply uncomfortable with this entire conversation. “You don’t have to be lonely, Isabel.”

The kind words pierced my heart. I’d always been alone, but I’d felt more isolated than ever since I’d been forced to marry Sebastián.

“Okay,” I agreed softly. “Thank you.”

Alone had always felt safest, even if it was lonely. But Sebastián had promised to keep me safe. Maybe I could learn to trust in him, after all.

“Damn it,” Sebastián muttered when he turned on the TV.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, tucking my feet beneath me and trying to assume a relaxed position on the couch.

“Nothing. I just forgot that the game is on.”

“Oh. We can watch it if you prefer?” I’d never really followed football because it’d been deemed a man’s pastime.

He glanced over at me. “You want to watch the game? Who do you support?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. My father and brother never let me watch with them.” They’d bonded over it, and I’d been left out, as usual. “But I don’t want you to miss the game,” I added, knowing how serious men could be about their sports. “I really don’t mind watching it.”

In fact, I kind of liked the idea. This was my house now, not my father’s. I had to share it with Sebastián, but that didn’t have to be so bad. I could watch football. I could do whatever I wanted. Sebastián had promised that I could live my life as I wished, even if I was temporarily under guard.

“I want to watch it,” I amended. “Who’s playing?”

A hint of a smile tilted his lips, and I grinned at the small sign of his pleasure. He never smiled. It looked good on him.

“Cruz Azul versus América,” he replied.

That meant nothing to me. “Okay. Who do you support?” I wanted to make sure to cheer for the right team.

He settled down on the couch beside me, putting several feet of distance between us. “Cruz Azul. Do you know anything about the league?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know anything about the game at all. Can you explain what’s happening?”

He tipped his head in agreement. “All right.”