Page 96 of Cartel King

He gestures between us when he says we. If only it were that simple. But I appreciate how convinced of himself he is. He grabs my hips and pulls me forward.

“Whatever you’re not telling me has to do with that—not putting yourself ahead of my family. I’m doing my best not to lose my mind because I haven’t seen these photos that were dire enough for you to call me and leave a message while I was on a mission. I’m trying to keep calm and greet you properly, but you’re making it awfully hard, little one.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy, but I’m still struggling with whether I should say anything.”

I’m unprepared for him to unfasten my capris’ waistband and hoists me enough for me to have no choice but to lift my legs and move them as he lays me flat over his lap. He pulls my pants down, and his hand lands across both cheeks. He creates a steady rhythm, alternating sides. I kick my feet because it stings so much.

“Enrique, please!”

He ignores me, and just as the sting turns into a burn, he alters the pattern. Now two spanks on each side before moving on. He covers my ass, including my horizontal crack.

“Enrique, I’ll tell you.Pleasestop. It hurts.”

“I know it hurts. It’s supposed to. And I believe you’ll tell me. This wasn’t about getting an answer out of you. This is about you understanding I donotplay games with your safety. I expect you to tell me anything that’s even remotely questionable. If you even think twice about it, then you will tell me about it. Ellie, with your background, you can figure out and accept a lot that might intimidate the average person. If it’s enough to bother you this much after it happened, then it’s significant. You will tell me right now.”

He lands an extra hard smack across both cheeks, then across my upper thighs. I howl with pain.

“It was something Catalina said to Matías. I couldn’t hear it, but it just made me feel funny after Matías didn’t walk up with me.”

I burst into tears and sob. He rubs his hand over my ass, and it’s so soothing. But I’m still upset. I continue to cry as he helps me to sit on his lap, his legs open with my ass between his thighs, so they don’t press against me. But that isn’t what either of us needs. We reach for his cargo pants at the same time. He unfastens them, and I pull his boxer briefs out of the way. He brings me down on his cock, and our gazes lock. We’ve resolved nothing, but things just got a little better.

“What do you mean Catalina said something to Matías?”

“I don’t know. Luciana seemed pretty accepting of me when she said one day she’d tell me what happened to her husband. That was after she said you and I look like we’ve been together far longer than we have. That there’s natural intimacy between us most couples don’t share unless they’ve been together for a while. Catalina called me ‘sister’ when she explained I should ask Matías for anything I need, but now I don’t know what to make of it. None of them really gave me any assurance they welcome me into their family.”

“They will.”

I shake my head.

“When Matías arrived, he went to say hello to Catalina. They both looked over at me before they whispered something to each other. It was while Luciana was talking to me. I just assumed it was a husband and a wife talking. I know it probably was, but I doubted it once we arrived. And then, when I found the envelope it made me suspicious all over again. Your men swept the house, so why didn’t they spot the envelope? If someone placed it on the table while Hunt was here, then they should’ve been in place to see anybody sneak onto my property.”

“I’m sorry,chiquita. I will find out what’s going on. I know Catalina. I don’t believe she had anything to do with this. I don’t believe Matías would either. But I trust my sister more than I do him. I won’t get angry at you for telling me this. I’m worried, too. You don’t know them yet. Just like you have to build their trust, it’s understandable they have to build yours. It doesn’t come naturally in this world. I will find out what’s going on.”

“Please don’t say anything to your sister about me doubting them.”

“I won’t, but I will find out why none of the men walked from the car to the door with you. Be honest with me, Ellie. If you went in through the garage, they would’ve closed the garage door behind you. How scared were you to be in there with those men?”

I don’t want to meet his gaze. I feel like a coward considering all I’ve done. Yet, it spooked me being alone with them.

“I had a knife in my purse, but I didn’t have my gun, Enrique. I had my keys out because I considered going in through the front door before I got out of the town car. They were in my pocket. If it had taken a moment longer for Matías to go in the house with Pedro or if Diego stepped away from the garage door, I would’ve gotten in and locked the car door. If any of them got any closer, I would’ve left.”

“Ellie, that’s a big deal, too. If you were apprehensive enough to plan an escape, something was seriously off.”

“I should show you the photos.”

“Yeah.”

I stand, neither of us liking it, but I have to show him. I don’t bother pulling up my pants. Instead, I kick them free. The last thing I want is that cotton rubbing against my skin. Since he doesn’t insist I wear them, I step around them. He slides his hand into mine as we walk into my office. He sees both testing kits on my desk and pulls me to a stop.

“Did you find anything with the contaminant test?”

“No, they were clean. There’s nothing on any of them, but I found fingerprints. I just don’t have a way to run them.”

“I’ll get them over to Joaquin. He can take care of it and let me know. Are you okay with him coming over, or do you want to go to my place instead?”

“I can’t leave Constantine here.”

“I didn’t think that you would. Wherever you go, your beast comes too.”

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