The Hustle (Irreparable 4)

“Are in insane? He’ll find out.”

“No, he won’t. I’ll have my parents take Javier out to lunch or something with Leticia and Alejandro. If you take me, no one will know. Please, Marco. This is my chance. I have to see him.”

He mumbles about my stupidity but agrees to take me.

“You’re a good man.” I smile.

He doesn’t return my smile as he shoves me out of his room. “No, I’m nothing more than a thug, but I did love someone once and I’d give anything to have her back.”

I stand outside his door, realizing in all the time I’ve known him, that I know nothing about him. “What happened?”

“Go. Make your plans and be ready to go in the morning.”

I accept he isn’t willing to share his story and go to my room. Soon, I’ll be in the arms of the man I love and all will be right.

I land in Monterey at nine and drive to the barn. As I pull over to the side of the rural road, one of the heavy doors slides open and Marco waves me to drive inside next to a black sedan I assume he arrived in. I don’t see Maria and hesitate to pull in, thinking I’ve been played. As I hit the brakes, she steps out of the back seat of the car, sending me a gorgeous and welcoming smile.

Marco closes the barn door behind me. I get out of the car and into the waiting arms of a woman I never thought I’d hold again. She smells like jasmine and powder, and she feels soft and heavenly, like she’s mine and I never want to let her go. I’d make a home in this barn if it meant never being separated from her again.

“I’m going to wait outside,” Marco interrupts my moment. “You have one hour, Maria.”

As Marco leaves, I release her. “Wait. An hour? I thought you said he was gone for days.”

“He is, but I can’t be gone long. He keeps tabs on me and his other men are loyal. They’ll be looking for me soon.”

“An hour isn’t much time.”

“No, it’s not,” she says, pressing her warm lips against my mouth. “But it’s something. I want to spend every second of our time in your arms.”

My mouth opens and the touch of her tongue against mine causes me to feel dizzy. I grip the back of her head tightly as I kiss her with uncontainable passion. I can’t kiss her hard enough or long enough to make up for every minute Eduardo stole from us. I can’t make love to her like I want to, but I can promise her I love her and that we’ll be together soon.

Her being with me now takes away every moment of pain I felt when I lost her. I forget who I was while we were apart. I’ll never have to experience living without her again. She’s mine, and soon, we’ll return to the life we had before.

The hour fades away too quickly and Marco opens the barn door. “We have to go,” he orders, entering the barn.

I cling to her not wanting to let go. She pulls back and I look her in the eyes. “Remember what I told you. The moment I text you, get Javier and get out of the house.”

She nods. “I know. I wish you’d tell me what you’re planning.”

“I can’t tell you everything, but Eduardo invested a large sum of cash with me so he could take you and Javier away. As soon as I decide the best way to alert the cartels about what he’s done, he’ll have to answer, but you need to be gone before that happens.”

She studies me for a moment and I feel her worry. “I will, but why not just call one of the other cartel leaders and tell them? Then we don’t have to wait. I don’t have to go back there. We can be together. ”

“That would be suspicious. They’d know I was involved. It has to be a coincidence.”

A tear falls before she lowers her head to my chest and hugs me. “I hate leaving you.”

“I hate letting you.” I hold her close, professing my love.

She lifts her head and I wipe a tear from her cheek. “I’m afraid to go back. He repulses me. I don’t want him to touch me ever again.” The thought of his hands and lips on her prickles my skin. I have to work quickly to get her away from him for good. “Let’s just go. We can runaway. Let’s get Javier and leave.”

As much as I want to, I have to think about my family. “I would love to run away with you, but he would only find us, or hurt those we love. This is the only way, but I promise it will be over very soon.”

She nods, squeezing me tight around the waist.

I dread letting her leave. It feels like good-bye. As she settles into the back seat of the car, and Marco closes the door, I consider taking her away, running to a place where no one will ever find us. But I can’t sacrifice my family. Eduardo would use them to draw us out.

I place my hand on the window, smiling at her. She frowns as she puts her hand over mine on the glass and mouths that she loves me.