Violent Delights (White Monarch 1)

“Yes. That’s the betrayal I mean.” Diego glanced away. “My brother has no loyalty. He never has. It’s what I’ve been trying to tell Costa. I can’t trust him . . . but I can trust a man’s motivations.”

“What are his motivations?” I asked. My mind raced as this new door opened. Could this help reconcile any holes in my past? “Why is he back? I thought it was to avenge his parents’ death, but if he caused it, then Papá was right. He’s not here for revenge. So what does he want?”

Diego searched the night sky as if it might hold the answers we needed. “By this time tomorrow, the Maldonado deal will either be done or it won’t,” he said. “I don’t know why Cristiano is here. But I suspect we’ll find out soon enough.”

14

Natalia

My mother would sometimes braid her hair into a thick, black arrow she wore over one shoulder. It was that way now, but tonight was the first time it twinkled with stars. They winked at me as she held my hand and led me to my bed.

“It’s time to sleep, Natasha,” she said.

“Natalia,” I corrected as I got under the covers.

She kneeled next to me. Heavy bracelets clinked on her wrists as she touched my forehead, chest, and each shoulder. “You’re old enough to know better now,” she said.

“I’m only nine.”

“The truth is in you like a heart. Like blood in your veins. Like bones.” She smiled. “Kiss me goodnight.”

I sat up and hugged her neck, resting my head on her shoulder. Somewhere on the compound a shot rang out.

“Mami?”

“It’s okay, mariposita.” She laid me back on the bed. When she drew back, blood covered my nightgown. With another shot, she fell over me.

I couldn’t breathe. From somewhere in the house, my father screamed at me to get down, but I was stuck under her body. I curled up under the bedspread and hid from the next round of shots. This time, they kept coming, an endless rat-a-tat-tat.

“Natalia!”

Jolted out of my dream, I launched forward, gasping for breath, as if someone had been sitting on my chest.

The sky was lightening from black to indigo. Sweat trickled down my temple. I was still in Diego’s jacket . . . on the roof. We’d fallen asleep. My father would be looking for us, and—

“Get down.” Diego shoved me over the side of the chaise, and I landed on my shoulder on the concrete.

I hadn’t dreamed the shots. With another round, I covered my ears and moved my head under the chair. Most everyone I’d known had heard the echoes of a turf war at some point, but this wasn’t happening somewhere. These shots were being fired right underneath us.

“Stay here.” Diego crawled to the side of the roof, rose to his knees, and looked over. “Fuck.” He ran both hands through his hair and made two fists. “Fuck.”

“What?” I cried just as the shots stopped.

“Shh.” He motioned for me to be quiet before slinking back. “The warehouse is under attack. Stay up here.”

“What?” My heart beat hard enough to shake my whole body. I reached under the chair to grab his elbow. “Don’t leave me.”

“They’re trying to steal what’s left, Tali. You know I can’t let them. I can’t, or else—” He inhaled a breath. “That product down there is the difference between life or death for me.”

“They could shoot you.”

“I won’t let that happen.” He dragged himself close enough to kiss me. “It’ll be okay.”

“Diego,” I said shakily. “Let me come with you.”

“Talia, you must hide under here. Give me the keys. Listen. Are you listening?” He took the keys from my shaky hands. “Do you have your phone?”

I nodded quickly. “Yes.”

“If I don’t make it back, stay hidden.” His words were soothing, but I heard the crack in his voice. When more shots sounded, he flinched. “Don’t come looking for me. Text Barto—he’ll find you. I’ll be back for you in no time.”

I clung to his arm, tears blurring my vision. Was this what I’d been warned of? I see pain. I see betrayal and violence. And much death. What were the chances Diego would go downstairs and never return? They weren’t odds I wanted to take. I choked back a sob. “Don’t go.”

“I have to, princesa.”

My hair fell over my right eye, but I refused to release him. “I’ll come with you.”

“It’s too dangerous. It’s for your own protection, and those are my men down there. I can’t leave them stranded.”

“But I need you.” My heart had already been irreparably damaged losing one person—I couldn’t say good-bye to another. I wouldn’t abandon Diego. “You can’t die. You can’t.”

“I’m not dying today, Talia. No way in hell.” He lifted the black veil of my hair and settled it over my shoulder. “When I go, you’ll be my side, okay? I’m with you, life or death.”