Page 51 of Kade

“Home?” Mateo tilted his head. “This is my home.”

“And it will remain your home.” Tomás stood and brushed off his pants. “Whether your mother remains here is yet to be determined. There is a price to be paid for all the care I gave you while she was away.”

Price? Her entire body froze. She expected the torture to begin, but not so soon.

“Mateo, you know sometimes I have to do bad things, even to the people I love. Things I don’t want to do, but I have to.”

The little boy nodded solemnly.

“It hurts me to do these things to those I love.” He walked over to the desk and took out a knife from one of the desk drawers. “But I must to keep my place as head of our business. Come here, child.”

Mateo’s eyes went dead. The same way they’d been that day she’d saved him in New York. He understood what was coming and blanked it out. It was his coping mechanism.

Fury unlike anything she’d ever felt snaked through every cell in her body. She was on her feet and shoving her son behind her. “I will kill you with my bare hands before I let you hurt him.”

“You had best think carefully, my beauty. Do you really want your punishment to begin earlier than necessary?”

“If it saves my son, I will take whatever you want to throw at me.”

He smiled, and the evil glowing in that smile made her shudder away from it. “You are going to entertain my guards tonight. If I remember, you were quite the dancer. My men will appreciate a show and then taking turns with you. If you survive it, you are welcome to stay and be a mother to Mateo.”

He planned on letting his men rape her all night? She had no idea if Kade would be able to find her before then. If not, she’d endure it for Matthew. She had to.

“Like I said, if it means my son is safe, I will handle it.”

Tomás studied her for a long moment. “You are magnificent. I hope you remain that way after tonight. As long as you don’t fight us, I will not cut the boy. The film of my men having a go at you will cost Kincaid more in the long run.”

Angel kept her body from shaking by sheer force of will. “I mean it, Tomás. You ever harm a hair on my son’s head, and I will kill you with my own hands.”

“I believe you would try.” Tomás nodded and looked at Mateo. “You see? Your mama loves you. She will protect you with a fierceness unlike any you will ever know. No one will love you like your mother.”

Angel glanced down at the little boy who was staring at her with something akin to wonder and awe. It broke her heart that no one had shown him this kind of love. He might love Tomás, but it was a guarded love that came with conditions.

“No one will ever hurt you again. I promise.”

The little boy nodded and gave her a small smile, his eyes still wary.

“Now, my beauty. You will need to rest after such a long journey and prepare for tonight. I have had a costume taken to your room. Lie down and rest for bit. The alarm is set to go off with enough time to allow you a bath before tonight’s festivities. Mateo will be waiting for you in the morning. Now, Mateo, I want you to go to your room and stay there the rest of the night. You and your mother can get acquainted in the morning.”

“Sí, Tío.”

“Give your mother a hug and kiss, and then go on.”

The child did as he was bid and wrapped his little arms around Angel. She choked back a sob and dropped to her knees to hold him close. Her baby boy. Her tears wouldn’t stop when his wet, sloppy kiss hit her cheek.

“No llores, Mama.” His eyes were so sad, like he knew something bad was going to happen to her.

Don’t cry, Mama. That was what he’d said to her, and she made up her mind to show no weakness in front of him. He needed her to be strong and withstand what was coming. He needed his mother.

“They’re happy tears.” She hugged him to her. “I’m just so happy to have found you, baby boy. I love you so much.”

He gave her a small smile then disentangled himself from her and collected his lemon cakes before doing as he was told.

“You see? He is perfectly safe. And he will remain that way as long as you don’t fight us tonight. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” She hated him more than she’d ever hated anyone in her life. Not for what he was going to make her do tonight, but for what he’d done to her son. He’d made that child love him, but Matthew understood and accepted that Tomás could and would hurt him. A child should never think being harmed by the person they loved most was okay.

“Here is Maria. She will show you to your room, my beauty. Get some rest. You will need it.”

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