out of. I glanced around at the art in Quintana’s office. It was shitty. Too-bright colors that made fuck-all sense . . . until my eyes fell on a painting above his desk. Brown eyes that had been burned into my skull stared back at me. And just like I remembered, they fucking taunted me with a superior glare. Challenged me to take her on.
Told me to take her pussy again.
“Tanner?” My father’s harsh voice pulled me from my head. I looked at him. “We’ll join Alfonso soon for dinner. Yes?”
“Yes, sir,” I said and got to my feet after my father.
As I walked to the suite I stayed in last time, I scanned the hallways, but there was no sign of Adelita. Her rooms were around here, I knew. My skin prickled as if it could sense her close. I hoped I wouldn’t see her the whole time I was here. Prayed she was out of town, so I could get in and out of this shithole without casting one glance her way.
I showered and changed for dinner. I never once stopped moving; I paced my room until it was time to go. I couldn’t turn off my fucking head. I banged my fist against my skull just to take the memory of Adelita falling apart under me from my thoughts. Of realizing I’d just taken her virginity. Of how she slapped me, fought me, then kissed me like she couldn’t stand not to.
There was a knock on the door. My father stood there in a suit. His eyes ran over my slacks, fitted white button-down shirt, and black tie. But they fixed on the full-body tattoos that crept out from the collar and cuffs of my shirt. His lip lifted in disgust. Mine curled in victory. It was the one thing in my life I’d done against his wishes. Fucker had made me pay for it with my flesh. But it had been worth it to see his perfectly groomed heir no longer the all-American boy he wanted me to be. “True Klansmen are invisible, Tanner. They don’t wear their beliefs on their skins like heathens.” His message had been drummed into my head all my life. But when Tank left the Klan, I left the army, I spiraled, and I did exactly what the great Governor Ayers hadn’t wanted me to do.
It was the best decision I’d ever made. I wasn’t meant for political office like my pop. I was meant for war and violence. For blood and guns and glory.
I was created for the darkness.
“Let’s go.” My father led us to the veranda where dinner would be served. He leaned in close. “Keep your mouth shut. I’ll do the talking.” It was fine by me. I was useless here anyway. He had no intention of cluing me in on the contract he was building with Quintana. I was here for fucking show. And as witness.
Quintana was waiting at the table. We had only just been given drinks and directed to our seats by a maid when Quintana broke into a smile and stood from his place at the head of the table. I kept my eyes forward, I knew who had just arrived.
“Tanner, you remember my daughter, Adela.”
Clenching my jaw, I stood and reluctantly lifted my gaze to Adelita. Her brown eyes locked on mine, and I immediately saw something flare inside them.
Then my eyes fell to the man standing beside her. The man whose arm she was on. “And this is Diego,” Quintana said. “He’s my second.” Quintana looked at my father. “He will be joining us tomorrow as discussed. He’ll be heading the project with me.”
Anger burst inside me. My father saw it in my face; I knew it. I also knew he thought it was at being excluded from his meetings when this motherfucker was going to be there. But he was wrong. He was fucking dead wrong. My fury came from this dick’s arm holding Adelita’s.
“Se?or Ayers.” Diego smiled at me. Keeping Adelita’s arm in his, he held out his free hand. I shook it and felt the effort behind the strength of his grip. I’d crush this fucker into pieces given half a chance. Fuck up his perfectly slicked back hair and three-thousand-dollar suit.
“Let’s sit, shall we?” Quintana said.
I did as he said, then stared down at my plate. I fucking forced myself to. But when Adelita said, “Did you have a good trip back to Mexico, Tanner?” I lifted my