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“It didn’t seem like nothing. I’ve never seen you that shaken up.”
Adriana glanced up, her mouth twisting into a snide smirk. “You’ve known me for all of four days.”
“I was an attorney, Adriana.” Ignoring her little pretend yawn and eye roll, I poured myself another shot. “My job was to read people the minute they stepped up on the witness stand. I was damn good at what I did.”
I prepared myself for one of her smartass comebacks but looked up to find her staring down at her glass again in silence. Finally, she gave it a spin, scotch spilling over the rim and soaking into the wood. “Do you ever have a feeling that no matter what you do things are going to end badly?”
“Yeah,” I admitted, lifting another shot to my lips. “Every day of my life.”
“Come on, your life can’t be that bad.”
Slamming the glass on the table, I sat back with a bitter smile. “The only girl I ever loved dumped me for the man who kidnapped her, and now I’ve sworn an oath to kiss his ass for the rest of my life. How’s that?”
“You really love throwing pity parties for yourself, don’t you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, boo-hoo,” she whined. “My unrequited love married someone else, and I can’t get over it, so even though the man she married defied tradition and made me, a white man, second in command of an entire cartel, I’m just going to be a little bitch and whine about it.”
“Jesus, what the hell is wrong with you?”
She jumped to her feet, her hands clenched into fists by her side. “Why don’t you try watching the cartel you grew up believing was your destiny implode in front of your face? I ran for my life because I found out what you’d done. Instead of taking what I’d rightfully earned, I was shunned.”
“Adriana…” Not sure what else to do, I stood and held out a hand, unprepared for her to slap it out of her face.
“That was my time to shine, Brody.” Balling her fist, she beat it against her chest. “That was my chance to show everyone that Marisol Muñoz was smart and brave and capable. That was my time, and you cheated me out of it!”
This time, I didn’t back down. If we were doing this, we were going to do it. I was tired of dancing around it. What better place to have a shitty showdown than in a shitty shack in a shitty part of Mexico. Closing the distance between us, I wrapped my hands around her shoulders and pulled her toward me only to have her twist out of my hold.
“Don’t touch me,” she hissed. Swiping the back of her hand across her eyes, she picked up the still full shot glass off the table and stomped into the kitchen. Even from across the room, I could hear her labored breathing as she fought for control. Dumping the contents of the glass down the drain, she tossed it in the sink and braced her hands against the counter. “Hijo de su puta madre.” Son of a bitch. “Everybody causes cracks in me, Brody. Maybe you’ll be the one who finally breaks me.”
I watched her. I listened. And then I finally learned.
Adriana Carrera was a damn liar. She claimed she didn’t want me to touch her, but nothing could be further from the truth. She pushed me away because she used control not only as a weapon but as a shield. But it was breaking her piece by piece until eventually there wouldn’t be anything left but a shell.
Despite our differences. Despite our past. Despite our dislike for each other, there was a magnetic force drawing us together. Energy that left alone was destined for self-destruction, but combined, it ignited a power capable of deadly strength.
Her vulnerability awakened the monster in me.
And he was ready to feast.
Chapter Twenty
Brody
Pouring one more shot, I tossed it back and followed her into the kitchen. I didn’t ask permission. I just placed both hands on her back, feeling her body go rigid and still. Without saying a word, I dragged them down her spine to the small of her back and rounding over the ass that had played a starring role in every single dream since she stormed into my bar. Her broken groan was music to my ears, but I didn’t allow myself to linger. Stepping forward, I grabbed the indentations in her hips.
“I said, don’t touch me,” she rasped, her breath stuttering.
She didn’t mean it. We both knew it, so I pushed her into the counter, grinding against her ass. “Quiet,” I commanded, dipping my nose into her hair. The minute I got a whiff of her sweet licorice scent, my cock swelled. “The rules from the game stand. You have to do what I say, no questions asked.”
Adriana opened her mouth to argue, so I dug my fingers into her hips. As expected, she shut it. Such small power play spoke volumes.
“Look at me.” The minute she tilted her cheek toward me, I traced my lips across her jaw, slowly making my way to her ear. I was treading on dangerous ground, but the high was too addictive not to chase.
“I—” she whispered, trying to turn away, but I cut her off by sliding one hand from her hip up to her throat. I stroked my thumb over her pulse, feeling it dance under my command.
“No questions.”
