Redeemed (Dirty Air #4)(16)
Santiago’s arms tighten around me in a way that says don’t confess our lie or else I’ll kill you. At least, that’s what I assume from the way his body tenses behind me. I go along with it because I honestly wouldn’t put it past him to have a graveyard somewhere on this property.
“Sure. I can just meet up with my friend later,” I offer.
Maya’s face brightens again. She forces Santiago to let me go and wraps her arms around me in a hug. “I’m beyond excited to spend some time with you! I didn’t realize Santiago was creating a life over here.”
I freeze, unused to this kind of affection from someone I barely know. Actually, I’m unaccustomed to this affection from people I do know. She releases me after one last squeeze.
She and Noah say good night and retreat upstairs with Marko.
I wait for them to disappear before I turn and stare Santiago down. “Girlfriend?!” I whisper-shout.
He shrugs. “It was the best thing I could come up with under pressure. It sounded better than calling you my little criminal, or was I wrong?”
I want to ignore the possessiveness of his nickname for me. It shouldn’t get me all tingly in my chest, but here I am. Now is not the time to realize I’ve got a thing for killers and creeps. I want to blame binging too many episodes of Dexter at a young impressionable age, but there’s no use denying the pull I have toward Santiago.
I clear my throat, recovering. “Of course that’s better. But now I need to have breakfast with your family and pretend I know who the hell you are.”
He rolls his eyes. “You can stop pretending. The innocent act was cute in front of them, but you can give it up now.”
“I’m sorry, what? An innocent act? You’re the one who’s acting, forcing me into pretending I recognize some Hollywood actor and his wife. It’s not like I’m exactly the type to flip through People Magazine, seeing as I have to work all the time.”
Santiago’s eyebrows draw together. “Hollywood actor?”
“Yes. Noah. The guy we ‘watch on TV together.’” I offer with air quotes. “I’ve never seen that man on any show before. So, is he a D-list actor or something?”
Santiago’s frown turns into a smug smile. “Or something like that.”
The way his eyes glow with something unknown has me bristling. “You’re up to something.”
“That’s funny coming from the woman who broke into my house.”
I can’t stop the laugh that bubbles out of me. It’s hard to remain serious based on the ridiculousness of our situation. Seriously. What the hell has my life become? Here I am arguing with a man I met less than a day ago about a fake relationship.
Santiago stares at me with such intensity, my stomach muscles clench. “Well, you better get some rest before breakfast tomorrow.” He opens the front door for me.
My jaw drops. “Wait. What about my phone?”
“You’ll get it tomorrow after breakfast. Consider it collateral.”
“You really are a psycho.” I huff under my breath.
“Funny, I’d say the same about someone who would trespass not once, but twice on the same person’s property. Speaking of—which window did you break to get inside? I’m assuming you won’t cover the bill based on the state of your clothing.” He runs a finger down the ripped back of my shirt. His touch sets off a bodily reaction I have no time to comprehend. I can only describe it as fireworks shooting off my skin, forcing every cell inside of me into overdrive.
I suck in a breath and turn on my heel, facing him in all his handsome glory. “I’m more talented than that.”
“I apologize for underestimating your abilities after yesterday’s shitty display of sneaking around.”
I rub my heart like his words hurt me. “One: I wasn’t sneaking around. And two: I don’t like you.”
“Okay. Sure.” He scoffs. “I don’t need you to like me. I just need you to show up and pretend for a little longer. See you in the morning.” He shoots me a tight smile before shutting the door in my face with a soft thud.
The audacity of this man. I want to hate it, but I end up respecting him for acting unapologetically himself.
Santiago whatever-his-last-name-is seems like the kind of man to trap people into giving him what he wants. And like an idiot, I willingly fly straight into his web of lies.
7
Santiago
I’ve made a handful of stupid decisions over the past twenty-four hours. After my accident, I swore off impulsivity like the plague. Reckless choices ruined everything I had set up for my life, and I refused to fall into the same trap again. Yet here I am, making stupid decision after stupid decision ever since Chloe entered my life forty-eight hours ago.
I didn’t anticipate Chloe breaking into my house while we took Marko for a walk by the lake. She has turned out to be a rather unexpected whirlwind in my painfully mundane life. I don’t like it one bit. The simplicity of repetition means I can’t fuck up my life anymore. My days usually include waking up, exercising, cooking, and working on whatever car I decide to restore next. As long as I’m not sinking into the dark place of my mind, I push myself to keep busy.
Chloe threw everything to hell once my sister laid eyes on her. Her breaking and entering forced me to make up a lie that has Maya practically foaming at the mouth in excitement. So much so, Maya woke up at the same time as me to question me about Chloe. I entertain her curiosity because she has had enough shit happen to her lately. If this conversation makes her happy, I’ll give it to her.