Page 52 of Sinful King

Esmeralda’s dad had been his only heir and they kept a tight circle. Neither expected him to go before Augusto, forcing the title on my friend—a title she didn’t want. If he ever found out I’d been calling some of the shots for the last year, I might have to tag Sean in to save my life.

“I need you to fully take over this route issue and send Esmeralda home, Blair. I’ll have a plane waiting.”

The order gave me pause.

“Is there something I should know?”

He didn’t answer right away and I felt he’d done so on purpose to make me nervous.

I tapped the wall where I stood.

“Nothing of importance,” he finally said. “Have Esmeralda on my doorstep in seventy-two hours or I’ll send for her myself.”

And then it hit me.

Maybe he already knew.

Understanding we had to let this play out, I tucked my phone in the waistband of my skirt.

“Liam, take Esi to the airstrip for her flight back to Miami.”

Their gazes met mine as I approached.

“No fucking until you go home and figure out if your abuelo knows what we’ve been up to.”

She let out a deep huff, like this was such an inconvenience for her.

“How did he find out?” she asked, wiping her skin with the towel Liam handed over.

I watched them move in sync, passing clothing back and forth until she was dry and dressed.

Interesting.

Maybe they really did need to fuck.

“I don’t know but it’s best you go back, while I take care of the route problem.”

Thankfully, doing so meant working closely with Sean.

“What do I say to him, Blair? He’s going to want advice and strategies and that’s your thing. Honestly, I’d rather die than deal with my abuelo.”

Liam mumbled something and walked away before she could address him.

“You’re going home to placate him more than anything,” I said, taking the towel from her hand to help dry her hair with it. “He’d rather I die over this than you anyway.”

She scoffed and turned, those hazel eyes slightly on fire.

“As if I’d let anyone hurt you…” her shoulders dropped and I cheered inside at the defeat. “Fine, I’ll go back. But only after I have a little chat with your husband.”

Her gaze had moved passed me, confirming what I felt to be his arrival.

“I thought you were busy,” I said, turning on the heel of my sneakers to find him already walking toward us.

Sean had dressed to impress this morning, in a Sydell Peterson tailored suit and calf length coat. He’d gotten into mainly rocking Black designers years ago and never looked back.

I loved everything about the way this man wore Black, literally and figuratively.

Esi went to step in front of me and I put my arm out to stop her.

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