Page 25 of Cartel King

“Do you have children?”

“No.”

“Have you been married before?”

“Yes.”

“Could it be her?”

“No. She died.”

I didn’t expect that. I blink several times before I rest my hands on his heart.

“No,cariño, it’s not what you think. I’m not a widower. The marriage was arranged several years ago, but it didn’t last. We weren’t happily wed, and when the alliance fell through, it was as good a reason as any to end it. She remarried someone back in Colombia and was unfaithful. He found out.”

I swallow, and he shakes his head.

“I told you, I don’t abuse children. I don’t abuse animals. I’ve never raped a woman. I don’t abuse women either. Call me old-fashioned, but women aren’t supposed to be pawns in men’s business. They’re to be protected and kept away from this life as best as we can.”

“But that doesn’t always happen, does it?”

“No. But I’ve never hurt a woman, and I never will. She wasn’t faithful to me either, but she survived our marriage without a hair out of place.”

I nod. Taking in all of this information is a lot to process. I think I’m doing a pretty fucking great job not losing my shit.

“If this car that’s parked across the street and the one that went by tonight are connected to you, what does that mean?”

“That depends on what you want, Ellie. Do you want me to leave you alone?”

“No!”

I blurt that answer, and I don’t have to think twice.

“Enrique, I don’t want you to leave me alone. I want to know how we deal with this together.”

“Chiquita, there’s no dealing with it together. I have to deal with it, and I need you to trust that I can.”

“I don’t doubt for a moment that you can. This isn’t a life I know here, so I’ll take your advice on how to handle everything. But I still want to know what’s going on, Enrique. I don’t want any surprises, and I need to know if a man approaches me, whether he’s somebody to trust or fear. You need to be honest with me about at least that much.”

“I will. I will always tell you as much as I can. I will never lie to you about how I feel and what I want with us. But there are plenty of other things I won’t tell you. Plenty of things I’ll lie about. It’s not just protecting me. It’s protecting you. It’s protecting my family. It’s protecting all the people who rely upon me.”

“And that makes perfect sense to me. But I need you to be forthcoming whenever you can be. I won’t live fearing every stranger I see because I don’t know who to trust.”

“I don’t want that for you. I want a safety detail parked outside. If this isn’t about you, then it won’t matter to whoever this is. If it’s about me, then they’ll know I’m aware.”

He doesn’t need to say anything more than that. If they’re aware, they know he’ll react to anything he perceives is off.

“Won’t that raise suspicion too? You said it’s unusual for someone to park a car on the street. Now there’ll be two.”

“Would you allow them in your driveway?”

I can just imagine what my boys will say if they come over and see a strange man parked in the driveway. Fucking hell.

“What if I said no to the detail?”

“Do you have to answer a question with a question?”

“Do you?” I lift my chin again, my gaze unwavering.

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