The Vargas Cartel Trilogy (Vargas Cartel #1-3)(152)

Chapter Eighteen




Ryker



I pushed Hattie’s hair away from her face and pressed a kiss to her trembling lips. “Are you ready to do this?”

She licked her lips. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

I lifted her hand, slid the ring I gave her last night from her finger and placed it in her open palm. “Put this somewhere safe until you’re on the airplane.”

She slipped it in her pocket and closed her eyes. Her lashes cast shadows on her cheekbones. “Are you sure we have to do this?” A quiet desperation colored her words, turning my stomach inside out.

“Look at me,” I whispered as I curled my hand around the side of her face. “It’s just for show. Everything I say once we walk out this door doesn’t mean anything.”

Last night, we agreed to stage a fight so everyone believed we were no longer together. I didn’t like the idea of the last words we’d share for weeks or longer being filled with hatred, but I needed to do everything possible to keep her safe. That meant explicitly showing everyone I didn’t want her any longer.

“I know, but that doesn’t mean it won’t hurt,” she said, her voice cracking.

“They’re just words. Don’t give them the power to hurt you. You know how I feel about you. What I say out there won’t change anything.”

I leaned in and kissed her one more time—maybe the last time if things exploded in my face. Her lips were soft and inviting. She tasted like mint and Hattie, the elixir of love and life. My tongue teased as it slid inside of her mouth, stoking my flame of never-ending desire for her. I tunneled my hands into her hair, deepening our kiss. A low moan slipped from her lips, and I swallowed it, burying it inside of me for later. I wanted to pull her into me. I wanted more time, but it wasn’t possible. At least not today.

“Better?”

“Yes,” she said quietly.

“I love you.”

She smiled. “I love you, too.”

I nodded and flung the door open.

“Get the f*ck out of this house,” I yelled as I stalked down the hall.

“Why are you doing this?” Hattie said, her voice small.

“Because we’re over. You need to leave.”

Her suitcase rumbled over the tile floor behind her as she followed me down the hall. “So that’s it. After everything you put me through, don’t you think you owe me a better explanation?”

I halted in the foyer by the front door. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Noah, Ignacio, and Emanuel sitting in the living room just as Noah and I agreed.

“Fuck, Hattie.” I jerked my hand through the strands of my disheveled hair. “Do you want me to spell it out for you?”

She angled her chin to the side. “Yes.”

“We had fun together. You were a good diversion, but I’m just not interested in you anymore. Being with you feels more like work than fun, and I don’t want to work that hard.”

She flinched, then her shoulders slouched. She looked so f*cking defeated. I hated hurting her even if it wasn’t real. I hated Ignacio. I hated the Vargas Cartel. I wished I could wrap her up in my arms and carry her away from this place. Instead, I dug my fingernails into my palms to stop myself from folding her into my arms.

“You said you loved me,” she said, her voice trembling.

“I lied.”

The color drained from her face. “What about the baby?”

I snorted as I whipped the front door open. “Oh please, Hattie. You don’t even know if it’s mine. It could be Evan’s.”

She stared at me for a long second, and my heart thudded wildly in my chest.

I love you. I love you. I love you. I willed her to see the truth in my eyes and stay strong.

“I guess you’ll never know,” she said softly.

“I guess not.” I pulled her plane ticket from my pocket and held it out in front of me. “Here.”

“What’s that?”

“A plane ticket. Noah is going to accompany you home to make sure I don’t have to waste any more time or resources rescuing you again.”

“Wow.” A bitter laugh tumbled from her lips as she shook her head. “You really can’t wait to get rid of me.”

Noah crossed the room and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He whispered something in her ear as he steered her toward the open door. I wanted to rip his lips off his face.

I folded my arms across my chest. “Go home, Hattie. Go back to Evan or whoever.”

She whipped her head around, pinning me with her glassy eyes. “I f*cking hate you. I wish I never met you. You ruined my life.”

“Yeah, well, the feeling’s mutual. Get her out of here, Noah.”

She shrugged his arm off her shoulder. “I’m going. I don’t need your lapdog to escort me out the door.”

Then the door slammed shut, and she was gone.

“Ryker,” Ignacio said as he walked across the room.

“I don’t want to talk right now.”

He patted me on the arm. “I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but you did the right thing. Juan will go after her again. Sending her away is the only way she’ll be safe.”

I shrugged. “I was ready to move on.”