Page 131 of An Inconvenient Marriage
It was a recording of what I’d said to Trent.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit.
I rushed to her. She tried to push me again, but because I was so desperate to hold her, I gripped her shoulders and dragged her to me.
“I didn’t mean it. I swear. I’d never do anything to hurt you. Never. I just wanted him to know what it feels like to lose.”
“Why?” she cried.
“Yes, please enlighten us.” Trent singsonged.
His cheery voice was pissing me off even more.
Locking my jaw, I spat, “Fuck you!”
The bastard bellowed out a laugh while Natalie twisted and pulled until I had no choice but to let her go. At least she didn’t put too much distance between us. If I extended my arm, I’d still be able to touch her.
Which was exactly what I started to do when Trent spoke again.
“You’re not as smart as you think you are.”
My hand stopped mid-air, and I turned my attention to the bastard.
“Zacharias de la Fuente.” He took a step toward us. “Son of Julieta.”
At the sound of my mother’s name, my arm fell limply to my side, and my throat became dry. I swallowed and swallowed again. And a few more times after that, but still no relief.
Trent noticed, and a dark chuckle rumbled through his chest. “Didn’t think I’d figure it out, did you?”
He was so close now, the three of us stood in an awkward circle. My gaze flicked to Natalie, and I saw the pieces slowly click into place for her.
Shit. I should have been the one to tell her.
Still laughing like a maniac, Trent shifted his body to focus on his daughter. “Your dear husband here desperately wants to punish me because he believes I am to blame for his mother’s death.”
“You are!”
Natalie gasped, and Trent smirked over his shoulder at me.
“It’s not my fault your whore of a mother was mentally unstable.”
I clenched my fists. “Shut your fucking mouth.”
More laughter. “Can’t handle the truth, can you?” His attention shifted back to Natalie. “He doesn’t love you, you stupid girl. He was just using you to get back at me.”
Her eyes met mine, shining bright with hurt and betrayal. “He’sthe American?” Tears spilled over her lids and rolled down her cheeks. “You were lying to me the entire time just to get revenge?”
“Yes… No… Natalie… Fuck!”
“See,” Trent interrupted. “He doesn’t care about you. Now come back to where you belong, and maybe I’ll forget this ever happened—”
“I don’t belong to you!” Natalie yelled. “I don’t belong to anyone.”
It happened so fast. One moment Natalie was screaming, and the next, a loud smacking sound split through the air. It took my brain half a second to realize what had happened, but when I did, red clouded my vision.
Lunging for Trent, I balled my hand into a fist and rammed it into his face. Bones cracked, and he grunted out a cuss. But I wasn’t done. Pulling my arm back, I dealt him another blow, and another.
Black and red spots blurred my vision, making it hard to see. Not that I needed to. My throbbing fists hit their mark. Every. Single. Time. Grunts and cracks filled my ears. There was a metallic smell in the air, the major driving force for my arms and feet to keep moving.
