Page 624 of One More Kiss

It takes me a second to understand that she’s talking about the dog.

Before I can answer, the transceiver clipped to Joaquin’s belt squawks. “The dove has flown the coop. I repeat, the dove has flown the coop.”

Elisenda finally pulls her lips from Joaquin’s, and he puts her back on the ground. I lock gazes with him, wordlessly questioning his intentions.

“I love her,” he says. “And they both need to be stopped.”

My sister places her hand on her stomach. “I love him, too... and I want us to be together when we start our family, but that’s impossible with Father in control.”

As hard as it is to picture my flighty, teenage sister with the overly serious behemoth at her back, seeing the softening in his world-weary eyes when he looks at her, clinches my acceptance. Nothing about this situation sits comfortably with me, but I’m not going to piss him off when it seems he’s here to help.

The radio erupts again. I point at the waiting SUV, and Joaquin launches into action. He takes hold of Elisenda’s case and runs. I scoop Ophelia’s bag from the path and position myself behind her until we reach the vehicle.

Once the girls are stowed inside, Joaquin approaches me.

I tense, ready for his next move.

“I’ll head them off,” he promises. I nod. “You need to take Ophelia to Vegas and get hitched. Once the paperwork is filed, I’ll inform my contact within the head council. Arnaut isn’t going to like it, but he’ll accept it.”

“Why are you helping?”

He lifts his chin toward Elisenda. “He threatened my girl, so I made a deal of my own. Once Ophelia is happily married into the Noguera-Tomás family, the council says Elisenda is mine.”

I don’t bother to tell him to watch his back; he knows how untrustworthy the Trinity can be.

As the transceiver lights up once more, Joaquin waves me off. He pulls the handset free and speaks into it, “I’ve found something in the woods. Send all personnel, even the ones at the gatehouse. I repeat, everyone to the woods. The dove has been sighted.”

He’s given us the window we need to get clear. Making the most of it, I speed out of the Rocafort-Porra estate and past the unmanned entrance to the Noguera-Tomás mansion, with a tight smirk on my face.

We drive the first hour in silence. I concentrate on checking for tails, and when I’m satisfied that we’re not being followed, I allow myself to relax my grip on the steering wheel.

When I drop one hand to my thigh, Ophelia reaches over and takes hold of it.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“You’re welcome.”

When she tightens her grip, I match her pressure, then loosen my fingers. I expect her to let go, but she doesn’t. Instead, Ophelia turns sideways in her seat and intertwines her fingers with mine. Her heated gaze burns a path over the side of my face until I give into the need to look at her.

Brazen desire flushes her cheeks. “I’m glad it’s going to be you, Vitale.”

My reply drips with every ounce of need I’ve been suppressing for too long. “You have no fucking idea what you’re in for, little girl.”

Ophelia kisses my cheek. “I can’t wait to find out.”

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