Page 13 of Samuel

It’s all I can do not to laugh out loud at her screech. I keep my gaze trained on Daniel. He shakes his head. I’m pretty sure he sees how much I want to laugh.

“Why would you want to end the alliance? Do you realize how much support my brother has? He’s nothing like our sperm donor. You should count yourself lucky that he’s even extending the offer!”

“Isabel, enough.”

“Daniel—”

“Enough,” he demands again. I glance in her direction. Her expression is mutinous.

“Fine,” she huffs.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Samuel. I’ll have my attorney draw up the annulment paperwork for your approval. A courier can drop it off sometime tomorrow.”

“I think you and Isabel are both misunderstanding me.”

“We are?”

Isabel becomes very still. My wife is very astute. She probably suspects I’m up to something.

“Yes. I’m not here about the alliance or an annulment.”

“Then, other than bringing that woman back, why are you here?” Daniel asks, interrupting his sister.

“Well, now that I know Isabel, here, ismine.I’m here to claim her and bring her home.”

“Are you insane?”Isabel shrieks.

Daniel pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes as if he’s asking The Man Upstairs for patience. I just lean back,grinning at my wife. She stares at me, plotting my murder. I’m not sure I can remember being happier. It’s confusing, but true.

“Now, Pookie?—”

“Stop with the weird names!” she orders, standing up, her face red. “You arenotclaiming me. I’m not going anywhere with you. Even if we don’t get an annulment—which, mark my words,Sammy,we are! I?—”

“Daniel, can you leave and let me have a moment alone with my wife?” I ask politely, standing up.

“My brother is going nowhere! You are!”

“Daniel?” I prompt.

“I think it’d be best if you calm down, Izzy. The two of you need to speak calmly to decide the best way to bring this situation to an end.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am. Samuel, I’ll give you twenty minutes. Donottry to take my sister—you won’t get out the door. If you hurt her in any way, you won’t be leaving here alive.”

“You’d risk war to protect your sister?”

“In a heartbeat. I amnotmy father. Greed does not rule me. My sister is, and always will be, my priority.”

The man doesn’t blink. My respect for him blossoms. I may have thought little of him in the beginning, but it’s clear I’ve misjudged him—and his father, for that matter. I’m realizing that Juan Navarro was a greedy bastard. Isabel likely thinks I’m the same. There’s a lot that the two of us need to learn about each other.

“Daniel—”

“Talk to him, Isabel. I won’t let you be hurt or railroaded. You know that.” I watch as the man walks over and kisses his sister’s forehead. For a moment, jealousy pushes through me. It comes out of nowhere, blindsiding me. Then I hear him whisper. “Yo siempre te protegeré.”

They probably think that I don’t understand his words—or maybe they just don’t care. I almost feel like an intruder here as they talk. It’s clear that these two are close in a way that I can’t even fathom. Then again, I never had anyone close. I trust my uncles, but I wouldn’t say we had a loving relationship. We have a mutual respect and a trust that has been earned between us.

“Te amo, Daniel.”

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