Page 47 of His Kidnapped Queen
“Fuck is right.”
“So what, you have feelings for her or something?”
I bristle. “No. Of course not. Why would you even ask that?”
He stares at me incredulously, uncrossing his arms and dropping them to his sides.
“Because you let a cop see our safehouse? Because you took her?”
I growl. “You don’t get to tell me what to do or what not to do, Diego. You may be my friend, but I’m still?—”
“You’re stillCaputo, I know,” he says quickly, frowning. “But at the same time, when you put us all in danger?—”
“I’m not putting us all in danger!” I insist, my voice raising. “Nobody knows about this safehouse but you and me.”
“And now two more,” he points out. “Do you know you can trust them?”
“I trust all my men,” I say, but it sounds weak even to my own ears. Diego knows there are cracks in my exterior lately.
“They report to Nico, don’t they?”
I draw in a sharp breath. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Diego shakes his head. “Nothing,Caputo. Just…be careful. With this cop, with Nico…with everything.”
His words are cryptic, but I know what he means.
“Nico’s my brother. He’s loyal,” I say, and I know that much. Nico wouldn’t go against me, no matter what. He’s just distracted by the drugs.
We’ve all experimented, but it’s becoming a problem for Nico. Something I wish I could get our father to understand.
“I can take the first shift,” Diego offers, and I shake my head.
“No. This is my mess. I’ll clean it up,” I tell him. “I’ll find out what she knows.”
“And then what?”
I rub a hand across my face. “Then I’ll handle it.”
Diego looks at me for a moment longer and then shrugs. “I trust you,Caputo. Call me if you need me.”
He gets into the Escalade and drives away, leaving me there alone with Sophia.
I roll my shoulders, feeling tense, and walk back into the house, grabbing a chair from the kitchen and planting it right in front of Sophia’s room—the only bedroom. The other room in the house was used as an office when my mother lived here.
My mother and father lived separately my whole life, and I never thought it was strange until I started having sleepovers at other kid’s houses. She lived in the cottage, and Father lived in the mansion. Nico doesn’t remember, but we spent our summers at this cottage. I have nothing but happy memories here.
And now that’s all changed. Now I might have to kill a woman that I…
I frown at my own thoughts. That Iwhat?
I’m not in love with her. That would be ridiculous. But I can’t deny that I feel something for her, however confused it might be.
But for now, I cross my arms, staring at the door. I’ll keep watch, won’t sleep. It’s the only way to make sure that slippery pixie won’t try to escape.
I trust the deadbolt, installed it myself, but still, who knows what tricks she has up her sleeve? She’s a cop, after all.
I have to find out what she knows. And after that…try to live with whatever I have to do.
