The Vargas Cartel Trilogy (Vargas Cartel #1-3)(147)

His lips quirked up, and he kissed the tip of my nose. “We’ve got this, Hattie. We’re going to fix this.” I stared into his eyes and drank in his too sexy smile. “I love you. You’re safe. I’m safe. The baby’s safe now, and I’m going to do everything to keep it that way. That’s all that matters.”





Chapter Sixteen




Ryker



I closed the door behind us and wandered to the pool with Hattie. I hated summer in the Yucatan. The wet air licked every exposed inch of skin, and the sun felt close enough to touch, almost like standing next to a brick oven. Each step outside was like drudging through a steam shower fully clothed.

“Are you going to start this conversation or are you waiting for me?” Hattie asked as we circled the pool for the second time.

I halted mid-stride near the tree line framing the edge of the pool area. I tipped up my head, squinting at the bright blue sky above us. The birds chirped. The bees buzzed. The jets in the pool hummed. A rare breeze shuffled her hair, and individual strands danced around her face like flames. The scent of chlorine tickled my nose, but I froze. Every time I opened my mouth, the words wouldn’t come out. I didn’t know where to begin. My mind was as blank as the day I was born. Words were my enemy.

She squeezed my hand tighter, and I found the courage to move forward. I cleared my throat. “Let’s sit here,” I said, pointing to the bench beneath a row of palm trees.

Her eyes searched my face, and the corners of her lips turned down. “Just say what you need to say. You’re scaring me.”

I rubbed my free hand down the side of my face. “You have to go home. The sooner, the better. Maybe I could find a flight for you tonight, but no later than tomorrow morning,” I blurted out.

“No.”

I arched a brow. “It’s non-negotiable.”

She ripped her hand out of my grasp and straightened the hem of her dress. “Wait. I’m confused. We’re back to that?” Betrayal bled from her words. “I can’t believe this. All those pretty words and promises you fed me a few minutes ago were nothing more than a pile of meaningless syllables strung together to appease me. I don’t get. Why’d you bother?”

I rubbed my palms along the sides of my thighs. “Hold on, Hattie. You’re jumping to conclusions. It’s not what you think.”

She pressed her hand to her chest like she wanted to stop her heart from breaking. “Then tell me what I should be thinking right now because all I’m hearing is that you want me out of your life as soon as possible. I can’t believe that after everything we’ve been through, you’re ready to throw us away without fighting for us. For me. For our baby.” She shook her head and sucked in a few monster breaths. She tried to act strong, but I heard the tremor in her voice. I hated hurting her.

“Okay. Okay,” I said, holding up my hands in mock surrender. “Let’s start from the beginning. I’m not trying to throw anything away.”

“You thought about it. You admitted it,” she accused, her voice laced with contempt.

“My main concern is your safety, and if sacrificing our relationship is the only way to keep you safe, then I will do it.”

Sadness haunted her face, and she closed her eyes for a beat. “So that’s it? You made up your mind,” she said, her lips trembling.

“No.” I dragged a hand through my hair. “If you still want me, I’m going to fight for us.”

She sighed, and her brows lifted, prompting me to continue. “Okay. That’s what I wanted to hear. That’s how you should’ve started this conversation.”

I laughed. “Good to know.”

She perched on the edge of the gray concrete bench and crossed her ankles. “Go ahead and explain what you’re thinking.”

With my hands deep in my front pockets, I paced back and forth in front of her for a few seconds, considering my words. Then I crouched down in front of her. “Ignacio already told you I agreed to help him with the cartel if he helped me rescue you.”

She angled her chin to the side, and her eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch. “Ignacio said as much, but I didn’t know whether I should believe him. I don’t trust him.”

“It’s the truth. He’s planning to groom me to be his successor.”

She dropped her head into her hands, and a fractured breath wheezed through her lips. “Oh God, Ryker. Why would you agree to that? What were you thinking?”

I gently brushed the hair away from her face. “I was thinking about you. I didn’t have any options, and there was no way in hell I would let you rot in that safe house begging for Juan Alvarez’s mercy while I came up with an alternative.”

“I appreciate what you did, but you don’t want this.” She puckered her lips, and her cheeks hollowed. “You hate this place. You hate everything the Vargas Cartel stands for.”

I squeezed her knee. “You’re right. I do, but it was the only thing I had to offer Ignacio.”

“So what now?”

“I need you to leave. I don’t want Ignacio or anyone else to use you as leverage against me. When this is over, I’ll find you.” I curled my hands into the hem of her dress, struggling to calm my racing heart. The thought of either Ignacio or that piece shit Juan Alvarez getting near Hattie or threatening her made me crazy.