Page 62 of Entwined

Nicole breezes past me, seemingly unfazed by my confession. “I poured unleaded gas in my ex-husband’s girlfriend’s new one-hundred-thousand-dollar Range Rover. It only runs on diesel. It ruined the car. They had a blow out because he, of course, thought she spaced and put the wrong type of fuel in her tank. I giggled for days. Then, the bill for his hair transplant kept coming to our house after he left. I never forwarded it. It went to collections and dinged his credit. He didn’t get the new house in the Hamptons—oops. And I might’ve moaned all night, thinking of Dimitri while I touched myself in a bed that I know now, belongs to him.”

“He’s not as good as me.”

“You’re just as handsome as him. But for some inexplicable reason, I never wanted you that way.”

“I know. You make me wish I could vanquish the darkness simmering just below the surface. You truly believe I can beat it. But my heart still beats for the women the darkness craves.”

“What a pair we are,” she sighs, kicking up her feet on the couch. “I knew who you were when I came to work for you. My brother is a tech geek. The dark web was full of intel onEl Diablo.I didn’t care. You were a way out from my mundane life and I haven’t regretted a second I’ve spent working for you.”

Security pounds on my door.

We both ignore it.

I take a seat next to her, take a swig from the bottle, then pass it to her.

She scrunches up her cute nose, “You smell like sex and cigars.”

“It was an entertaining evening.”

“Not for me. After you left the Cotillion I got hit on by fat French men with stale breath. I took the car back here, ordered food I didn’t need and watched Netflix. In French.”

The security team kicks the doors open. “Well,cherié. Your night just became more exciting.”

“Mr. Devillo, I’m afraid you are going to have to leave. Mr. Santos, however, insisted Miss Townsend stay.”

“If you’re going. I’m going.”

“That’s going to drive him crazy.Shepicked me over him too.”

“I’m not choosing you. I just refuse to stay one more night under his roof,” she leans closer whispering in my ear, “even if I came to his face at least five times.”

“I’ll reimburse any damages. We’ll be gone in five.” I inform the manager. “And when I own this hotel in a few weeks. You’re fired.” I poke a finger in his chest watching his face turn red as he leaves.

Nicole shakes her head. “You really haven’t changed, have you?”

“I have. Thanks to you. I have… but it’s not me. You want to know my secrets? My biggest one is I miss who I was. I miss beingEl Diablo. BeingEl Salvadorhas helped so many people. And that did feel good. But my true nature is dark; deviant. I enjoy dirty sex. The dirtier the better. I attended orgies. Planned them. I was the king of the underworld, moving in circles people don’t even realize exist.”

She stares at me, I practically see the wheels turning, “Pack. I have an idea. We’re pulling an all-nighter.”

It takes us less than five minutes to gather our things. Nicole is low-maintenance which is another reason working and traveling with her has been easy. I hold the door to the SUV open for her then round to the other side.

“It smells like perfume and heartache in here.”

“Has anyone told you that you have the nose of a bloodhound?”

She smirks, “I’m just finally glad I have something to tease you about.”

“What’s this new plan of yours?”

“Just how dark were you? How deep did it go?”

“Past the depths of hellfire.”

She bites her lip. “Maybe you can be both.El Salvadorby day andEl Diabloby night. But use your darkness for good.”

“I’m not following, Nicole.”

“You’ve done too much good with your new foundation to stop. Millions of people around the world benefit from all the things you’ve done. But channel your darkness, use your brilliant mind to stop the bad guys. The real bad guys. Human traffickers. Arms dealers, drug runners. Shut them down. Start a new cartel. A cartel of angels seeking vengeance against the wicked. And who better to lead them, but the man with a foot in both worlds?”

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