Spanish Nights (13 page)

“Yes, but he was confident it would if done correctly. What about the fact that I am your
vetemba
?”

“That's not possible,” he whispered. Yet he knew he lied. After she had left, he realized what she was and that made his decision even more difficult. Her safety, however, was more important than anything else. “Even if you were, it is apparent to me that we are not a match.”

He watched her bite her lip and knew the words had stung. He needed to keep up his attack and make her hate him. “Let us say you succeeded in killing Cyndel. Then what? You will have lost your mortality and gained who knows what kind of power. You will be clueless on how to handle it. Where will you go?”

“Your father promised to help me.”

He tossed his head back and laughed. “I don't think you fully understand the ramifications of your actions. You will never see your family and friends again. Humans can never know we exist.”

“I have no family and while I love my friend, Nikki … I understand.”

“You cannot forfeit your life. Stay here and find a man who will love you and be happy. Raise your children together, grow old and watch your grandchildren be born.” He couldn't miss the hurt in her eyes and it was killing him, but he couldn't stop now. “You didn't think that you and I … ? I mean we had fun, but that's all it was.” He schooled his features. “I could never love a human. It is beneath me.”

She looked away. “What about you and the curse. Don't you want to go home?”

Even after he just dealt her that blow, she was still thinking of him. He closed his eyes and inhaled. Time to twist the knife. “I'm going to marry Cyndel and all this will end.”

She whipped her head around, her eyes wide. “I thought you hated her? From what your family said, she tricked you. Why would you marry her?”

“I can think of several reasons. One, I'm tired of being stuck here, and as you say, my family needs me. Two, I need a queen. Cyndel will not only fill the role but also provide me with strong sons. It's also the right thing to do. Just as putting you on a bus to the airport, first thing in the morning, is also the right thing to do. You will rest here tonight, then at day break we will gather your things and get you out of here.”

She looked away. “I see. You're right, of course. It's probably for the best, but I still don't understand how marrying her will keep her from killing me later. You're giving her everything she wants so there will be nothing to stop her.”

Why the hell couldn't things be simple for once in his fucking life? Sure he screwed up, but how long should he be held accountable? He'd done so many good things since then, giving back to his small part of this world. He jumped up from his seat next to Kayla before he forgot all common sense and took her right there.

“Just believe I have my ways to guarantee your safety.” He really didn't have a plan, but if he had to marry Cyndel then keep her locked up to protect Kayla, then that's exactly what he'd do.

Chapter
Fourteen

Makayla tossed and turned lying in the same bed she and Armand had slept in not long ago. Fury stirred in her that he would put her up in his room. A house of this size had to have guest rooms, but he'd insisted and against her better judgment she'd stayed. Part of her hoped he would change his mind. She also knew that Cyndel would come looking for her no matter what. She chose to keep the information she'd learned about her family to herself. She had wanted to tell Armand, but she also needed him to desire her for who he thought she was and not who she could become.

She'd learned that if her and Armand were to marry, their houses would join and make both of them very powerful. She had to know he loved her for all the right reasons. Either way she had decided to fight Cyndel and take back what belonged to her.

She sensed Armand lingered just outside the door, guarding her, listening for any sign of distress. Trouble was, he had caused her current discomfort. She didn't know what to expect when she came back. The look of relief on his face, when he had greeted her at the door and pulled her into his arms, would make one think he cared about her in a way a husband cares for his wife. But she had been dead wrong.

She punched her pillow wishing it were his head. In reality, it wasn't his fault. She knew when she'd slept with him it was only a fling, a good time. But tell that to her heart. Somehow, he'd broken past the barrier she'd held in place to keep others from hurting her and showed her how to live again. Now she remembered why she'd stayed out of relationships, she always ended up broken.

“Why can't I simply use a guy for sex without my heart getting in the damn way?” It was going to be a long, sleepless night. Tomorrow she had no doubt her life would change drastically.

For now, she'd lie in Armand's bed, take in his scent for the last time and try not to remember what it felt like to be his. To feel his lips pressed against her breasts, her thighs, her ….

“Damn it!” Kayla threw back the covers and leapt from the bed. Her heart raced and her sex ached. She needed air so she headed for the door and flung it open, intent on going to the patio. She walked right into strong, muscular flesh.

He stood in her way wearing only a pair of faded jeans. She stared at his naked chest then dragged her gaze upward until she met his eyes. Sapphire blue, filled with heat, stared back at her. He'd tied his hair back, only adding to his rugged look.

She whimpered.

He grabbed her by the arms and walked her backwards until the back of her legs hit the bed. When she could go no further, he kissed her. Hard. Desperate. Not what you'd give a woman who meant nothing to you.

Her body responded. Need spread like wildfire through her, and she was beyond caring about anything except the moment and how badly she wanted him.

He pushed her back on the bed, his body covering her. He grabbed the neckline of her tee and ripped it open, exposing her nakedness underneath. Hot lips latched onto a nipple and she arched into him. She touched his biceps and the strength beneath her fingertips heated her core.

When he moved his attention to the other nipple, he jerked her shorts off and slid two fingers through her folds and into her sex.

She moaned. Her desire for him was going to make her combust. “I need you,” she whispered.

He pulled his fingers free and locked onto her gaze while he pulled off his jeans. The tip of his cock pressed into her then slid home. His eyes never left hers as he shifted his hips and moved in and out. He was looking into her soul, searching for something.

She clawed at his back and met each thrust, unable to get enough of him. Still his gaze never wavered until his lips crashed against hers. He kissed her with a hunger she'd never felt before and her heart shattered. She wanted this moment to last forever, but something inside warned he was saying goodbye. One last moment of rapture before they parted ways.

Her orgasm started deep, as a slow spark, then grew until she was pulling the sheets between her fingers. Her breath caught as her whole body went flush from the heat. Never had an orgasm been so intense. She rode the roller coaster, cresting at the top then spiraling downward with no ending in sight until Armand broke the kiss. He arched his back, his own orgasm filling her.

“
Te amo
,
querida
.” He pulled her close to him and nuzzled her neck. Their heartbeats synced in rhythm. “You should have stopped me.”

“I didn't want to,” she whispered. She rubbed his back. “What did you say to me a minute ago?”

His body stiffened. He pulled free from her, rolled off and lay next to her. “It's not important. This changes nothing between us, Kayla.”

Why did she feel like he was lying to her? She propped herself up on one elbow. “Tell me the truth. You don't really want to marry Cyndel, do you?”

“That is irrelevant. It is what it is and you cannot change it.”

He refused to meet her gaze and she felt her ire stirring again. She sat up and moved on top of him so he had to look at her. “Bullshit. You can't tell me that this meant nothing to you. That I mean nothing to you.” She stared him down, waiting for his response.

His eyes went dark and cold. “I care that you are safe as I would for any other living creature. Stop reading more into this.” He pushed her away and jumped to his feet. Grabbing his jeans from the floor, he slipped them on. “You will be leaving in a few hours. I suggest you rest.” He was gone, leaving her alone again.

She grabbed a pillow and threw it at the door. Somehow she had to reach him and stop this madness. She could not let him marry Cyndel to save her. She rehashed the conversation with Efrain and formed a plan.

*****

Morning came and Kayla hadn't slept a wink, but she had a plan. She sat across from Armand at the kitchen table and played with her food. “Armand, you can't marry Cyndel.”

He looked up from his plate. “Are we back to this again? Why can you not let it go?”

She put down her fork, set her shoulders and looked him square in the eyes. “Because I love you.” She knew she was setting herself up for a broken heart, but he had to know how she felt. Maybe it would be enough to get through to him. She realized she could tell him who she actually was and it would probably change everything. However, she needed him to love her and right now she dared not trust her gut. She had to be positive how he really felt.

“You are a foolish woman. Save your heart for someone who cares.”

She refused to back down. “Besides, how do you intend to make me leave?”

Tossing his napkin on the table as if it were a challenge, he rose from his seat, stalked around to the other side, picked her up out of the chair and tossed her over his shoulder. She pummeled his back.

“What the hell are you doing? Put me down,” she demanded.

“Teaching you to respect my authority,” he growled.

Armand tossed her into the car and strapped her in. Before she could free herself, he was in the driver's seat and had the vehicle backing out of the garage.

“Are you really going to go through with this?” Anger knifed through her and she smacked him on the arm. He didn't flinch.

“You leave me no choice.”

He ranted something under his breath in Spanish and she was sure she didn't want a translation. Could she have been wrong about him? She stared out the window as they drove up the mountain rather than into town.

“I thought you were taking me to the bus depot?”

“Change of plans. There is a small airstrip on the other side of the mountain. I have friends there that will fly you to the main airport.” He glared at her. “You have proven to me you cannot be trusted to behave.”

This time she punched him in the arm. “You're an ass just like your brother. I'm not a damn child.”

His nostrils flared. “Did my brother harm you?”

Seriously? She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out the window. Did he forget she knew how to read body language? At the moment, his indicated he was pissed. “What if he had? Why would you care?”

The car came to a screeching halt and had it not been for the seatbelt, she would have hit the dash. When she looked over at him, his lip was curled into a snarl.
So the lion has woken. Imagine that. And yet he says he doesn't care.

“Don't play games with me,
querida.
It does not bode well for either of us,” he replied through clenched teeth.

“Really? It would seem you are a master at it, pretending you don't give a shit about me. I don't believe you, Armand.
This little fit of yours just proved you're a liar.”

His jaw went stiff and he focused on the road. He slammed the shifter into gear and proceeded down the mountain. They drove in silence and she smiled knowing she'd struck a nerve. Now she needed to figure out how to keep from getting on that plane. Could he really make her? He had overpowered her once and she had no idea what to expect from his so-called friends. If she was forced to fly from here, then she needed a plan B to get herself back.

“I give up, Armand. I will go home willingly.” She watched his body relax. Good, he'd taken the bait, but what next? Two large buildings and an airstrip came into view.
Shit.
They were here.

He pulled the car inside one of the hangers and shut off the ignition. He exited and came around to open her door. She undid her belt and accepted his hand while trying not to think of what his touch did to her.

“Seems awfully quiet in here,” she stated.

“We were not expected for another hour so we will have to wait.”

She nodded. “I see.” She walked to the edge of the hanger and looked out over the mountainous terrain. “So how far from home are you allowed to go?”

He moved in beside her. “This is it. You see that tree over there?” He pointed toward a field on the other side of the runway. “I can't walk to it. The other side of this strip is off limits.”

“Really? What happens if you try?” A plan formed in her head. She needed to get him to the edge of his boundary.

He shrugged. “It's like walking into a wall. I simply can't cross it.”