Page 23 of Making the King

After tidying the empty containers and all traces of our food orgy, I brush my teeth at the kitchen sink and quickly get changed. It feels weird to be out of my leather, and I still haven’t decided if that’s good or bad.

Lying down on the couch, I pull the laptop on top of my stomach and begin rifling through the files. It’s mostly to have something to do since I already know there isn’t any new work for me to keep myself occupied.

My eyes grow heavy, and I swallow down a yawn as I quickly reply to some of Cain’s comments on my last notes. Once that’s done, I’m blurry-eyed from exhaustion and the battle to stay awake is becoming harder.

Rocco might be as long as another half hour in the shower. I never know with him. So I make the snap decision of catching a speed nap while he’s getting ready for bed.

I turn to my side so I’m facing the room and close my eyes, letting the waves crashing on the rocks across the road, and the water from Rocco’s shower lull me to sleep.

“Cara.”

I groan, annoyed to be woken up, and blink to get used to the darkness.

“Be quiet and don’t fucking move.” Rocco hisses, his mouth so close to my ear I can feel his hot breath on my skin.

I open my mouth to answer, and stiffen when I realize his hand is clamped around my mouth and his weight is crushing me to the couch.

That motherfucker. I let my guard down, and now… and now… I buck, trying to get him off me, but he doesn’t budge.

“Whatever you think I’m doing, this is not it. Listen,” Rocco whispers urgently.

That’s when I hear it, someone is jiggling the door handle and it sounds like they’re trying to get inside. As soon as the realization hits me, I stop fighting him and become completely still.”

“Mija, I know you’re in there!”

I stiffen as I hear the endearment only my mom has ever used. It’s not a woman’s voice, though, and I already know who it belongs to.

“Don’t be a coward, Cara. Come out and play.”

Fuck. Mateo. My twin.

“You know who it is?”

I nod.

“Your family?” Rocco whispers directly into my ear.

I nod again.

He curses low enough that my brother shouldn’t be able to hear him, and then he reaches for his phone. The light is so harsh I close my eyes, shielding my irises.

Why the hell is Mateo here? I don’t belong to him. Rocco bought me, so my family doesn’t have a claim on me anymore.

“Caraaaaa,” Mateo shouts gleefully. “Why are you hiding from me, sister? Is it because your husband hasn’t claimed you yet?”

His words bring forth a memory of a conversation I overheard between my dad and Julietta’s husband. Basically, dad was saying that until the buyer fucked my sister, the deal wasn’t complete even if money had changed hands.

Fuck.

Rocco hasn’t done… that. Does he know about this? Is he wanting me to go back to my family?

Sweat coats my forehead as I struggle to breathe.

I can’t go back, not after killing my dad. I’d sooner fucking die myself.

“Are you okay?” Rocco murmurs. “Gray and Gunner are on their way. Don’t worry, no one’s going to lay a hand on you.”

Right now, I’m glad for the darkness. With how perceptive Rocco is, he’d see the panic written all over my face within seconds.

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