Page 43 of Making the King

“Because she’s my daughter and I love her.”

I scoff, right as Cara flies from the bedroom and tugs the door open.

“You don’t love me! How could you? When you love someone, you don’t do the things you did to me. To Julietta.”

For the first time, I see Martina flinch, and even though Cara is inside the house with me, I still position myself a little more between them.

“That was your dad forcing my hand,” Martina cries. “Things are different now.”

Cara laughs but there’s no humor in it. “Things are not different now. Mateo spoke with me and tried to coax me as well, but you know what? He can’t hide his true colors. I know you don’t have good intentions either. What do you have planned for me if you get me back?” Cara sneers. “You gonna sell me again? I’ll fight. No one will get near me. I’ll kill them.”

Martina falls quiet, her expression turning from devastated to sinister.

“When we get you,” she snickers, leaning in a little, “and we will get you, my darling girl. I’ll make sure you are so hooked on coke that you’ll do the most depraved things for your next hit.”

In an instant, the barrel of my gun is pressed against her forehead.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t just shoot you here?”

“Rocco,” Cara whisper-yells, rushing forward to drag my hand down so I’m no longer pressing the gun to her mother’s head. “Company.”

It takes me a second to figure out Cara’s meaning, but then my eyes move past her evil mother to the police cruiser slowly idling by.

“And on that note,” Martina mutters before turning her back on us and quickly darting toward the waiting black car in the driveway.

“Fuck,” I hiss, keeping my gun low so the cops, who are carefully watching as they move slowly past, don’t see me packing.

We both stand in the door waiting for the cops to move on as the black car reverses and speeds off in the opposite direction, before I urge Cara back and slam the door, locking it once again.

“Do you think that’s why she really wants you?” I ask Cara, who is still staring at the door like she can see through the solid wood. “Cara?”

Slowly, she blinks, before directing her gaze to me. “I’m not a virgin anymore, so the only thing I’m useful for is turning me into one of their whores.”

“Jesus.” Not able to hold back, I step forward and pull her to my chest, wrapping one hand around her to hold her to me, while I use the other hand to take out my phone and call Dante.

He’s in the UK with his family, so I hope it’s not like three in the morning there, because I have no fucking clue about all that shit.

“Hello?” His deep voice is loud in my ear, and Cara must hear it, because she pulls back to look at me.

“Dante, I’ve just had a visit from Martina Rodríguez. She was in a black car. Get your tech team to hack into my security cameras and get her plates.”

“Why would she be dumb enough to visit you?” Dante asks in confusion, because it’s not the typical MO in this sort of situation.

“She thought she could buy her back, and that I’d fucking say yes.”

“She’s either really stupid, or she has a back-up plan.” Dante points out before he turns his attention to something going on in the background. “Come on, give her back the glue. You both need to learn to share. Fucking girls are relentless today.” The last part is muttered so low I think I’m the only one to hear it.

“I’m leaning toward the latter.” I admit after he apologizes and turns his attention back to me before cursing.

“Okay. I’ll put more men on the streets. Someone has to know where they are hiding.”

“Thanks. Let me know if you find anything.” I suggest and Dante agrees.

“Of course. You’ll be the first person I call.”

Ending the call, Cara moves away from me and starts pacing.

She’s angry.

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