The opulence of the estate barely registered; I was accustomed to grandiose homes bought by dizzying wealth. Rather than wonder, despair washed over me. We were far enough away from civilization that no one would hear me scream. Everyone admitted onto Adrián’s property would be loyal to him, and my chances at manipulating someone to help me out of my plight were slim.
Adrián opened the car door for me, but he didn’t take my hand to help me out.
I ignored the pang in my gut and the way my hand twitched toward his. I smoothed my skirt into place and followed him into the house.
We stepped into a marble-floored foyer, with high ceilings featuring exposed wooden beams. The overall impression of the interior of the home was even larger than the exterior, the open-plan design revealing glimpses of the rooms beyond, which were framed by wide, arched thresholds.
“This way.” I wouldn’t have known Adrián was speaking to me, were it not for the fact that I was the only one standing close to him. Mateo was still outside, parking the car. That meant Adrián must be addressing me, even though he didn’t turn to so much as glance in my direction.
I followed where he led, walking through a massive living room and past a billiards room to reach a longer hall in the east wing of the house. Adrián opened a door to our right, revealing a spacious bedroom, which was made to seem even larger by the cream and ivory color scheme. A huge window provided a view of the city in the distance, and a marble fireplace could offer warmth on a chillier evening.
“This is your room,” Adrián said, still not looking at me. “I’m sure you want to freshen up before dinner. Stefano had some new clothes packed for you, but we can get more tomorrow.”
“My room?” I asked, confused. Surely, Adrián would want me to sleep in his bed, where he could keep me trapped with him. Where he could touch me and use my body however he wanted.
Just the thought made my blood heat. I remembered how powerful and hungry he’d looked on the boat in San Blas, towering over me as he rubbed his cum into my sex.
The thought of him staying in some distant part of the massive house made something sink in my stomach. Over the last several days, I’d become accustomed to his steady heat, his strong arms. I was very aware of cool air on my skin in the absence of his warmth, and I shivered.
He simply nodded, still not making eye contact. He started to walk away, and words tumbled out of my mouth before I could hold them back.
“Why do you hate me?”
He froze, his huge frame stiff. For several heartbeats, he remained silent and tense.
“I don’t hate you,” he rasped.
“You do,” I countered. “You’ve been tormenting me for days, punishing me. You didn’t come back for me.” The last came out on a strangled whisper.
He spun toward me, his glowing eyes finally clashing with mine. “Vicente told me he’d kill you!” he shouted, the sharp lines of his face drawn with anguish. “When my father found out I loved you, when he found out we’d been together for years… You were supposed to be saved for him, but I claimed you instead. So, he sent me away. I fought for you, but I couldn’t…” His muscles rippled with suppressed violence. “He told me he’d kill you if I ever tried to come back for you.
“But I wasn’t going to stop trying,” he seethed, his eyes shining with a feverish light. “I was trapped in America. I couldn’t go back to Colombia, not without risking you. So, I challenged Caesar for control of Los Angeles. I fought him, and I won. I gathered enough power, enough men. I was going to come back for you. I was going to take down my father and that fucker Hugo. It killed me, knowing Vicente had forced you to marry him. I’d seen how Hugo watched you when you were just a girl. He always wanted you, but you were mine.
“For a year, there was nothing I could do. I had to make sure I had the power and money behind me to take on Vicente and Hugo. But then, my father sent me that video.” His lips twisted with disgust. “I thought you were happy with Hugo,” he said bitterly. “I thought you’d chosen him. I had no idea what he…” His fingers curled to fists at his sides. “I should have fucking killed him. I should have done it years ago.”
He took a step toward me, his hands closing around my upper arms as he jerked me close. “You’ve always been mine. I won’t let him have you. I won’t force myself on you, but I won’t let you go. Not ever.”