I prefer it. He also seems to have noticed that I like to wear this loungewear set when I’m not feeling my best. Knowing he’s been paying attention to such details only adds to the confusion tearing me up inside.
Diego lets me have the chair, handing me my coffee before settling on the edge of the bed with his own. He watches me with pensive eyes while I take my first few sips, sighing with appreciation of the taste. Mariana makes the best coffee I’ve ever tasted, and Diego added the perfect amount of sugar and cream.
“Thank you,” I murmur, staring down into my cup. Looking at him for too long is harder than ever, because when I do, I can see the truth of what happened between us last night. It’s in his eyes, his demeanor. Everything has changed, even if I can’t pinpoint exactly how. “You wanted to talk?”
He blinks as if coming out of a trance, then tastes his own coffee. “Yes. I didn’t want to disturb your rest, but this is important.”
I swallow past a knot of anxiety in my throat and force myself to speak. “About last night …”
Diego shakes his head, making my words die away. “All is forgotten, gatita. I won’t mention it again if you don’t. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, actually. I want us to move forward from here. Wipe the slate clean.”
I wrinkle my eyebrows. “You honestly think we can do that—that I can do that after everything that’s happened?”
Diego shrugs. “I figure it’ll be better if we at least try. We had an agreement, Elena, and that agreement hasn’t ended because of our engagement. But once we’re married I want us to come to a new arrangement … one I think you could be happy with. Are you willing to at least try?”
Do I have a choice? I think the question to myself and take a moment to consider the answer. As of now, my best option of survival is to give Diego what he wants. I refuse to believe that some chance to escape won’t come up down the road—a chance I will take without hesitation. For the time being, I have no choice but to give in to him, however temporary it might be. At least I’ve been with him long enough to know that my complacence will be rewarded. If I hadn’t ruined everything with my desperate actions last night, I wouldn’t be in this position. Now, we’re starting over at square one.
“I think so,” I hedge, not willing to agree to anything just yet. “What did you have in mind?”
Diego seems more relaxed now, taking slow sips of his coffee and easing his posture. “First of all, I want you to know I have no intention of keeping you from your business. Since you’ve been here, I’ve come to see how important it is to you.”
“It’s my entire life,” I admit, hope making my stomach lurch at the possibility of getting back to work.
“I know, and I want you to be successful. So, you will be allowed to return to Belleza and resume your normal schedule—but,” he adds, holding up a hand when my lips split into a wide smile, “not without a driver and two guards. This isn’t just so you don’t try to run, but also for your protection. I won’t pretend that being my wife will be easy, but one thing you can always depend on is your security. You will not go anywhere alone, ever. If you aren’t with me or Jovan, another one of my soldiers will be with you.”
“Are you serious?” I argue, throwing my hands up. “What the hell am I supposed to tell people when they ask why I have a squad of thugs with me wherever I go?”
“I don’t know, and I don’t care. Tell them your husband is rich and overprotective. Tell them something your idiot of a father did has led to you needing to hire security. I leave that decision up to you, but my requirements will not change. You will not go anywhere alone. Agreed?”
“Agreed,” I say quickly, not wanting him to take it back. I don’t know if Diego is giving me this because he feels guilty, or because he knows it’ll make me cooperate, but I don’t care. I want my business back.
“Good,” he says. “I own a building near the Design District, so if commuting back and forth is too much for you, we can