Page 83 of Cartel Devil

He puts a hand on each rail and leans over me, forcing me to recline. His nose practically touches mine.

“That’s right. When the doctor says you’re well enough for sex, I’ll know you’re well enough for your punishment. Your sweet little ass will burn for days. I will fuck your cunt raw, so you remember exactly who your daddy is.”

His threats—promises—should terrify me.

They shouldn’t arouse me.

But fuck if I’m not soaking wet.

“Are you going to spank me?”

“Among other things. You’re not a child, even if you call me Daddy now. I have other ways to make sure you understand the grave error you made by betraying me.”

“Wait, Joaco. I did not betray you. I haven’t told my uncles shit. That’s why they wanted to talk to me without you in the room. If I’d been feeding them info like they wanted, there would’ve been nothing to talk about. It wasn’t some catch-up session. They wanted me to manipulate you and use your sympathy to get closer to your family.”

“And I’m supposed to be grateful you’re telling me now?”

“Maybe not grateful, but I am telling you. And don’t you dare take the best night of my life and ruin it by saying it meant nothing to me. It meant everything.”

I won’t let him ruin the memory of that night.

I will not cry. Not from anger or from hurt. Not from the way my belly’s cramping again. I swallow to fight the sudden burst of pain.

“Tre, what’s wrong? What’s happening?”

“How do you know?”

I swallow again, nauseous now.

“Because nothing you do goes without me noticing. I’m learning you, and I’ve always known when you’re keeping something from me. You’re in pain again.”

“I’m cramping.”

The guilt that floods his eyes seizes my attention, and for a moment I don’t notice the pain. He brushes hair back from my face.

“I’ll get a nurse.”

I grab his forearm as he pulls away.

“No. Don’t leave. Press the call button.”

He shakes his head. “You know they take forever to respond to that. I’ll be right back.”

I can only nod as my hand covers my belly. His hand rests on top of mine for a moment before he’s rushing to the door. I widen my legs and pull up my gown, fearful that what I thought was arousal only moments ago is something worse. There’s nothing to see. I pull the covers over my bare legs but make sure my gown is loose enough to lift it when someone comes to examine me.

I turn my head toward the door when it opens and a woman walks in. I look past her, but I don’t see Joaquin. Immediately, I’m on edge. There’s no way he’d send someone in and not come with them.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Cynthia. I’m the charge nurse.”

“No, you’re not. The shift hasn’t changed, and I met Gloria when they brought me up here.”

While getting me settled in here, the charge nurse and the two nurses assigned to me—because my father said if one is good, two is better—introduced themselves. The staff’s under strict instructions that Joaquin meets everyone at every shift change. It was one of the few things he and my parents agreed upon. I reach beneath the covers and press the call button.

“We’re sending someone, Ms. Vizzini.”

“Help!”