Page 47 of Sin of Love

We haven’t spoken since our last argument. In fact, I thought she’d gone back to Los Angeles to keep up with her cover there. Not that her presence changes anything.

What’s that law of thermodynamics? Ah, yes. Everything falls apart. Thanks to me, it’s going to fall apart tonight. There’s nothing Maggie can do to change it or stop it.

“Mi alma,” Julep purrs, his arms slipping around me from behind. “I can’t wait to have you to myself later, now that your little birds are ready to fly.”

I smile as he kisses my cheek. “I think they’ll do well.”

“So do I.” Hands cupping my shoulders, he turns me to face him. He’s grinning, positively glowing. “I have a surprise for you.”

“Oh?”

He nods, boyish in his excitement. “We’re having dinner with my father tonight, you and I, at the resort.”

I almost choke on a swell of saliva.

No…

I gasp, “I can’t meet your father!”

“Nonsense.” He dismisses my statement with a wave. “Besides, don’t you want to keep an eye on the girls their first night? Like the proud mother you are?”

Shock is a guillotine; as I nod, it feels like my head is going to drop off my neck.

His smile grows tender. “This night will be perfect, I know it.”

Before I can comprehend what’s happening or the subtext of his words, Julep takes a step back and lowers to one knee.

Hoots and hollers instantly fill the air. Oxygen abandons me, then there’s too much and I’m hyperventilating. Because the man kneeling before me, smiling so tenderly with such love in his eyes, isn’t Julep.

It’s Marco.

“Marry me, Deirdre. We’ve come so far together. Imagine what we can accomplish as husband and wife.”

I blink dumbly, which he takes as assent. I’m swept into his arms for a kiss that tastes like death.

“I’m so happy,” he whispers, as the cheers continue.

Over his shoulder, I meet Maggie’s stare. Instead of hatred, or jealousy, or fear, there’s nothing. A fixed smile. Clapping hands.

Finally a perfect doll.

The bad feeling from earlier intensifies, but I ignore it. I’ll be dead before dawn, so who cares? A giant diamond now sits on my ring finger, the girls are being ushered into the limo, the courtyard spins, and spins…

Maggie hugs me, her breath warm on my ear. “Tonight is your last and only chance.”

Then she’s gone, her inky braid dwindling in my periphery as Paulo leads me back to my room to get ready for dinner.

“I’m meeting El Jefe tonight,” I tell Paulo.

He ignores me, crossing the room to the tea cabinet.

“Do you think he’ll like me?”

This time, I earn a grunt.

“Yeah, I didn’t think so. Sounds like a bad joke, right? What does the head of the big, bad cartel say when his son wants to marry a whore?” I make finger guns and point them at Paulo’s back. “He says, ‘bang bang, you’re dead.’”

Water gurgles as the electric kettle heats.

“Want to come to the wedding?”

Paulo turns abruptly, his small, black eyes sharp on my face. It might be the first time he’s actually looked at me. Then he speaks—in rapid, gravelly Spanish—and I know it’s the first and last time he will.

“Do whatever you have to do tonight to get away from that crazy motherfucker, do you hear me? If they catch you, you’re dead, but you’ll be dead either way, so you should try. I’ll give you some tea to take with you. You get somewhere safe and taper yourself down. As soon as you can walk without shitting yourself, you get back to California. Now stop staring at me and get dressed. Elise will be here for your hair and makeup in a minute.”

He turns his back to me just as the kettle whistles.

After I process his speech, I murmur, “If they catch me, they’ll find the tea and know you gave it to me.”

He doesn’t respond.

---