“Don’t even think about it.”
I snap my eyes back in his direction to find him mere inches from me. In a bid to put some distance between us, I drop back down on the sofa.
“You didn’t answer my question,” he says softly, his eyes staying locked so hard on my face it makes me wonder if he’s having to restrain himself from looking elsewhere.
“I speak to her as often as I can. Please don’t hurt my sister. I’ll do anything to keep her safe.” Tears run down my cheeks. He lifts his hand a few inches from his side as if he’s going to wipe them away, but he drops that hand and goes back to his office chair.
My proclamation hits me like a tidal wave. I may not be willing to sacrifice my safety for just about anyone, but I’ll protect April any way that I can.
“Are you going to hurt my sister?”
“Are you going to answer my question?”
“Any question,” I vow.
“What’s your favorite food?”
Yep, and that’s all the evidence I need to fully believe he’s a sociopath.
I swallow when he grabs his shirt off the corner of his desk and puts it back on.
“Baked Mac and Cheese. My mom used to make it for us when we were kids before she lost her mind and married Charles McKnight.”
“Thank you.”
And then he just turns back around and starts typing away on his computer.
Chapter 16
Thumper
I got that look again from Angel when he swung back by to escort Cara back downstairs, and it doesn’t take long for him to get in my face once he’s done.
“What the actual fuck are you doing? If you think you can fool me, I’ll put a fucking bullet in your head right now.”
I take a deep breath and release it slowly. “Why don’t you tell me what you think you know.”
“You motherfuck—”
“Let me guess, since you’re so hell-bent on keeping everything close to the chest. The kitchen is buzzing with information that I was up here, half-naked with a terrified Cara in my arms. I wasn’t but I imagine the gossip is that I was holding her breast in my hand or maybe they’ve altered the real situation so much that I had her bent over my desk and didn’t bother to stop thrusting into her long enough for Lupe to grab the dishes from lunch?”
He takes a step back. “Something like that.”
“Want to know the truth?”
He nods. “Want to put the gun away so I can explain?”
He keeps the gun aimed at my chest.
“You’re hearing chatter because they think you’re one of them. I have the kitchen bugged, but they don’t often talk in there. Last night, I managed to put another bug out on the back patio where—”
“Miguel goes to smoke,” he finishes, the gun dropping a few inches lower, but still not completely put away.
“The staff is suspicious that I’m treating the women too well. Every person in this house has worked for other traffickers. They’re questioning everything. Why we let them shower daily. Why they get to eat expensive food from the kitchen. Miguel is pissed he hasn’t gotten his cock sucked by anyone other than Lupe’s niece.”
“And he was saying this shit to Lupe?”
“He was on the phone. I only caught the second half because he was already talking when he came around the house. I had to do something to get that chatter to stop. I did some push-ups and sit-ups, and then when I heard Lupe on the stairs, I wrapped myself around her. My shirt was off from working out, but it was intentional. I didn’t let her in on my plan because she thinks I’m a monster and probably wouldn’t believe the truth if she heard it from God’s own lips. I’m sure she looked terrified. My hand was on her ribcage under her breasts. She wasn’t bent over my desk.”
What I don’t tell him is that being near her stirred something inside of me and I had to turn away from her to keep her from seeing just how much she affected me.
She’s getting under my skin, and short of just leaving her in the basement, I don’t know how to control it most days. That’s why I made her hate me more by letting her know I know all about her. All her truths and the lies she wrote on her paperwork came to light today, and in her eyes that makes me a monster.
That’s exactly what I need to be to her, and I know I did a good job. She was in tears when she left the office, and that helped with the story as Angel escorted her through the house with red puffy eyes and wetness on her skin.
“Listen, this entire fucking situation is one slipup, one whisper of gossip a little too close to the truth away from crushing all of us.”