59

Archer
I walk out of the front entrance of the academy, and every muscle in my body turns tense.
Damien Vazquez, Adrianna’s father, is getting out of an armored SUV. I try to keep my cool, continuing my path toward the woods down by the ruins, where evidently I’d hope to bump into Adrianna.
Oak mentioned only yesterday that Adrianna was being pulled from the academy early, but I didn’t know it was going to be this early. I feel panic rise inside of me as I really thought I had longer to figure this all out. There’s no way I can let her go that easily, and yet trying to force her to stay when her father is here is suicide.
Damien Vasquez is renowned for being the most ruthless cartel boss of all time. He is insane and bloodthirsty, which means if someone gives him a reason for him to murder, he’ll take it.
The air is warm at this time of year as spring closes in on summer and it’s the perfect weather for a stroll by the stream. Adrianna needs to know that her father is coming to take her early from the academy, but she wasn’t in her room and won’t reply to my texts, which isn’t anything new since we had that argument during spring break.
When I get to her special spot, I’m thankful when I see her sitting on the stone I found her sitting on before. Her head is in her hands and I’ve never seen her look so small before as I approach.
“Am I interrupting?” I ask.
Adrianna’s dark eyes find mine, and she shakes her head. “No, have a seat.” She looks at the rather uncomfortable looking rock next to her. I’m surprised she doesn’t make any kind of smart remark.
“I’m okay standing.” I don’t really want to get too close to her, still burned by her reaction to me telling her I cared about her. “What’s up?”
“My father is here to bring me home for Spring Break, even though I told him I’m not leaving the academy early.”
“Yeah, it’s why I was looking for you. And I text you about three times this morning. Oak told me yesterday that your father intended to pull you out before graduation. Although I didn’t know he was coming today.”
Her expression turns serious. “I assumed you wanted to talk about…”
“About the kiss and then you telling me it meant nothing?”
She nods.
I shake my head. “No, you made yourself pretty clear the last time we spoke.”
“I’m sorry. I was harsh.”
Her apology is something, but it changes nothing. It doesn’t mean she feels something that she insists she doesn’t. Even after that kiss after combat training, that felt like my world was being turned upside down. It’s hard to believe that she didn’t feel the same, but I’m done trying to convince her otherwise.
“You sure you don’t want to sit?”
I swallow hard and move to sit next to her, even though it’s hard being this close to her after three weeks apart, and not touch her.
“So, what are you going to do about your father?”
Her lips purse together. “I don’t want to face him. I fear he might have learned the truth.”
“How?” I ask.
Adrianna shrugs. “I don’t know, but you found it out, so it can’t be that hard.”
I nudge her shoulder, trying to break the ice. “Are you saying I don’t have skills?”
She doesn’t seem in the mood for jokes, as she turns her attention back to the flowing stream. “I’m saying I don’t want to go to Mexico. I told him that on the phone that I can’t leave the academy early, and now he’s here.” She shakes her head. “My father has never been here, not even when I was first enrolled at ten years old.”
I clench my jaw. “And that’s why you think he knows?”
She nods.
“There’s only one way to find out, baby girl.” I forget completely that she’s not my baby girl anymore. When we’re together, it’s just so natural. Adrianna doesn’t seem to notice, too preoccupied with her father’s arrival.
“If he knows, he will kill me.” She looks vacant as she stares at the flowing water. “Family or not.”
“I don’t believe that,” I say, knowing that despite the Vasquez Cartel being one of the most ruthless, blood is blood.
Adrianna may have betrayed them, but she did it because her family won’t respect her wishes. She’s too headstrong to be married off to someone who will boss her around. Hell, she should lead the damn cartel. I’ve never met a stronger woman than her.
“You don’t know my father.”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t. Although I’ve heard the rumors about him.”
“The rumors don’t do him justice. The man is savage and you don’t want to get on the wrong side of him.” She shuffles her feet on the rock. “He killed his cousin only last year for betraying the cartel.”
“I get the sense that his daughter might be more important to him than his cousin.”
Her brown eyes find mine. “Perhaps, which means my betrayal will only hurt him more.”
She’s right. It will hurt him more if he’s found out, but I don’t suspect he has.
What reason would he have had to investigate his own daughter?
“I doubt it has anything to do with the Estrada Cartel.” I run a hand gently across her back, noticing the way she shudders at my touch. “You are probably being paranoid.”
Her eyes narrow. “I’m not paranoid. He’s never been to the academy in the eight years I’ve been going here.”
If she is in danger, I’d stand in his way. “Do you want me to come with you? I can intervene if something goes wrong.”
Her nostrils flare. “No, you’ll wind up dead if you try to get in the way of my father and what he wants.”
I smirk. “I’m glad you care what happens to me.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t need your blood on my hands.” It’s said in a detached way, but I find it hard to believe that she truly feels nothing, even if she said it when we argued.
“I’ve missed you, Adrianna. Not just the sex.”
Her eyes flash with a modicum of emotion, but it’s gone quickly. “I guess I’ve missed the sex too, but that’s all.”
I laugh at that, as at least it’s something. “Does that mean you’ll consider coming back to my apartment tonight?”
“I might not even be here.”
I sense that even Damien Vasquez can’t force Adrianna to do something she doesn’t want, unless he has something he can blackmail her with. “Here is the deal. If you get taken home, then you won’t come to my apartment, but if you get to stay, then you come at eleven o’clock and we’ll celebrate with a bottle of champagne.”
She nods. “Fine. I can’t say no to champagne.” Her lips purse together. “Will there be food?”
I laugh. “Of course. I’ll order us pizza from Fratelli’s.”
Adrianna cheers up a little. “I can’t wait… As long as I’m still alive.”
“Sure you don’t want me to come and face him with you?”
“My father would kill you just knowing that we slept together.”
Silence falls between us. “Admit that you would be a little sad if I died. Surely you’d cry at my funeral, right?”
She rolls her eyes. “Stop being an idiot.” There’s a whisper of a smile on her lips, but she doesn’t let it break. As always, she’s tough to crack.
“So, how long do you intend to hide here?”
Her lips press together in a straight line. “Preferably until he leaves.”
I chuckle. “I don’t take your father as a man who gives up easily.”
“No, he doesn’t.” She pauses a moment. “Fuck, I’m going to have to just face him, aren’t I?”
“I think so, baby.” I lean toward her, grabbing her chin, and press my lips to hers. “Don’t worry. He won’t hurt you.”
She rolls her eyes. “You don’t know that.”
She’s right. I don’t know that. And the fact is, my father would have murdered me if he’d got his hands on me, that I’m sure of. He wouldn’t have left Fiona alive, so why would he leave me alive? And yet all these years I’ve told myself he would have, even though I know it’s not true, because it’s too painful to think that he wanted me dead.
Adrianna stands. “I best find out if my father intends to murder me.”
I tilt my head. “If it’s any consolation, I noticed he didn’t really look in the murderous mood when I passed him at the front entrance.”
She sighs heavily. “I’m not sure it helps. I just hate talking to him, and if he’s here, it can’t be good.”
I stand too and step toward her, pulling her close and kissing her lips softly. “Sorry, I have been dying to do that for over four fucking weeks.”
She smiles then. “Is that right?”
I nod. “Yeah, it’s all I could think about.” My hands tighten around her hips. “Well, kissing and other things.” I let my lips move lower, skating gently over her neck and then collarbone. “Fuck, I’ve missed you so damn much.”
She puts her hands on my chest and pushes me away. “Seriously, I’ve got to see my father. He doesn’t like being kept waiting.”
I kiss her once more. “Okay, see you tonight.”
“I don’t know how you are so sure.” She walks away, and I watch her.
She’s insane if she thinks I’m letting her face him alone. I will follow and stay within earshot to intervene if her father tries to hurt her.