Page 97 of Liar
Diego makes an exasperated sound. “Ignacio’s not going to let this slide. You want war?”
Even I can answer that question.No.
“Have Javier escort her to Tijuana. I’ll keep her hidden until a flight to Copenhagen can be secured.”
Copenhagen again?I sit forward in the seat so the driver can hear me. “Pull over.”
He ignores me.
I dive over Javier and grab the door. I manage to open it before he grabs hold of the handle and attempts to yank it shut. A tug-of-war ensues, a battle between my determination to flee and Javier’s fear of what his boss will do if I’m successful.
“Javier can bring her to the abandoned tire shop,” Diego continues. “I’ll text the directions.”
“I’ll take her.” Javier pauses, gulping loudly. “J-just say the word.”
No response.
Diego’s tone lowers to a growl. “Luciana’s eighteen. She’s never had a boyfriend.” I wince. “She’s too innocent ...”
“Enough.”
Javier and I jump. Diego falls silent.
The Liar turns our way.
“We’ll marry tonight.” His eyes lock on mine. “It’s what I want.” His expression softens ever so slightly, knocking the wind out of me.He’s a liar, Luciana. Don’t read anything into what he’s saying.
“It’ll be a marriage in name only.”
“What?” I gasp.
“Over my dead body.”
“Diego,” Hayden warns.
“She’s the only person in this world I love. She deserves better than—”
“Me?”
“You. All of us.”
The Liar stares at me, and I stare back at him. Something passes across his expression. Regret? He agrees with my brother’s assessment. Hasn’t he said as much the last few times we spoke? He doesn’t believe he’s good enough for me. Like I’m some china doll to be put on a shelf and admired but never brought out to be played with.
“You’ll hurt her.”
“You think I don’t know that?” His expression tightens. “The marriage won’t be consummated. And when the right time comes, I’ll grant her an annulment.”
Dios. Am I hearing this correctly? I’ve been married and divorced in the blink of an eye, and I come out the other end of it still a virgin? What kind of marriage will this be if I allow it to happen—which I won’t.
This. Is. Unacceptable. “If I marry, there’s going to be sex. Lots of it. Every. Single. Day. So much sex my husband will never let me go.”
Dead silence. Not so innocent now.
Javier clears his throat. Diego loses his mind and begins speaking at a rapid clip.
And the Liar?
His eyes flash so hot and so bright, I feel them burn through me from my head to my toes. I fall back into the seat with a gasp.
