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“Listen to yourself,” he says, flinging his keys on the island with such force they slide off the other side. “What you’re saying is that he’s jealous of his wife. Jealous of her success.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.” Not exactly. “Men care a lot about the size of their dicks, and money and power are the measurements they use. I hear what you’re saying, and maybe it’s true. Maybe he’s a petty son of a bitch. But he’s her petty son of a bitch, and she loves him. Until she says something different, we all need to respect that.”
When he came in, all I felt was sorry, but the anger is rising. He hasn’t taken any responsibility for his part. Instead, he dumped all the blame on me.
“Don’t tell me who or what I need to respect,” he hisses. “I respect those who deserve my respect.”
Rafael stalks around the island and grabs me by the arms. There’s such rage in his expression that I’m almost frightened. “You eavesdropped on my conversation. That’s the only way you could have known a fucking thing.”
I don’t deny eavesdropping. I tried to listen, although I didn’t hear anything of substance.
“When Antonio retires, I’ll be taking over Huntsman Industries with a responsibility not just to the company, but to the Port industry and the entire region. Can you imagine what it would be like if your father couldn’t take a phone call or confide in your mother about anything without her betraying him at the drop of a hat? Can you imagine?” he sneers.
No. I can’t imagine. But I don’t utter a word.
“You’re not only reckless, you’re a liar and a traitor.”
Traitor. My blood runs cold.
Maybe in some corners of the universe, the word traitor is just an insult people toss around in anger. Where I come from—and where Rafael comes from—it’s the most serious accusation one can level against another. It’s a grave charge, more serious than murder, and punishable by death. There are no second chances for traitors.
“Let go of me,” I snarl, the fury twisting in my chest. He clenches my arms tighter before he finally lets go.
I lift my chin. “You’re calling me a traitor?”
He doesn’t even have the good graces to flinch.
“That’s exactly what you are.”
“Should I be afraid to close my eyes tonight?” I ask not with fear, but with contempt.
He doesn’t answer. His expression is stony, and there’s an ugliness to him that I saw leveled at the traffickers in Sirena. I should be unnerved, but this asshole isn’t getting my fear, and he’s not getting another damn apology from me.
“Here,” I say, holding out my wrists to him. “Cuff me, and toss me in a cell to await torture and execution.”
He doesn’t utter a word or make a move.
“Imprison me, or shut your fucking mouth, because I won’t stand here and be accused of treason by the likes of you.”
His jaw is ticcing, madly, and his gaze is scathing. I’ve had enough of being the scapegoat.
“Do you know what betrayal is, Rafael? It’s when you go behind someone’s back and haul their husband in for questioning. It’s when you storm in and hurl accusations at a woman who’s been sharing your bed before asking a single question.”
“Don’t you dare lecture me about betrayal. You’ve done nothing but lie to me since you arrived at Sirena.”
“Oh yes, I forgot. I’m not allowed to have opinions because I’m reckless. Have you looked in a mirror recently?”
“Don’t push me, Lexie. You won’t like what you get.”
Don’t you dare boss me, Rafael Huntsman. You have lost that privilege.
“You know what’s funny?” I ask, ignoring his warning, because he’s going to hear everything I have to say. “The other night, after you fucked with Valentina’s marriage, you came to me like a man possessed. Yet, despite your mood, you expected me to play with you—or rather, to let you play with me, however you chose. You wanted my trust. You needed it, and I gave it to you, without hesitation, even though I knew it could get out of hand because you seemed so on edge.” I draw a breath to calm my pounding heart.
“Not one time,” I continue, “not once, before, during, or after, did you accuse me of being reckless with my safety. You never mentioned it. Not once. Do you know why? Because the risk I took benefited you. It made your dick hard and your balls tight. And that’s all you cared about.”
“You have no idea what I care about,” he spews, like venom. “You’re selfish and untrustworthy, and I knew I’d come to rue the day I let you into my life.”
The poison lands so deep, and it hurts so much, I can barely stand. But I will not give him a single damn tear. He moves away from me with the ease of a man with too much power.
