Page 41 of Reign of the Queen
"No, my man. I'm with pops in the family business, helping out." He lets go of my hand and takes a step back.
Turning back to face my uncle, I ask, "Tio, is it safe for you to be here? I thought the FBI was looking for you?"
My dad, uncle, and Diego all let out hearty laughs at my expense.
"They can look, but they're not going to find me,niño. I'm a ghost walking this earth, only found if I want to be found," Manuel replies with a chuckle, his eyes alight with mischief.
I glance at my mom, and now that I am closer, I see the strain on her face. She's not happy they’re here. I know she wants my dad to stay away from his family's business. They fight about it constantly. My dad has legitimate companies here in the U.S and Europe that make up the bulk of his import/export business. He's independently wealthy from his family and runs my mom’s family's business too. He doesn't need to risk his or our lives smuggling weapons like his brother.
My mom doesn't want my dad arrested or our family tainted for harboring a known FBI-wanted fugitive. The memory of Mia knowing about my uncle pops into my head.Did she know he was here? Is that why she brought him up?
"Your uncle and cousin are here for a brief visit, isn't that right, Salvando?" my mom directs the question to my dad.
"What, Torres, you don't want us staying for a while?" My uncle chuckles while directing the question at my mom, his lip quirking up.
Her jaw tightens as she forcefully clenches her teeth. "Manuel, you know it's not safe for you to be here, even for Diego to be here. The FBI is looking for you, and I don't want us or Mateo dragged into anything." She stands up and braces herself.
"Torres!" My dad gets up quickly and grabs her arm, pulling her back harshly, making her almost lose her balance and fall backwards.
"Dad." I move toward my mom, not liking my dad putting hands on her. My blood pressure instantly rises, and the desire to knock my dad on his ass fills me.
"No, no, enough; Torres is right, brother. I don't want to bring trouble to your door. I just came for a quick visit to see my baby brother while we were passing through and heading to Florida. We will be careful and be gone soon enough." Tio Manuel glares at my dad's hand on my mom's arm.
My dad's scary, don't get me wrong, but of the two brothers, Manuel is the one to bring death to your door with a smile on his face.
I'm pretty sure he has always had a thing for my mom. Both brothers met her at the same time while staying with relatives in New Mexico on a family visit. I'm pretty sure myTioManuel thought she would be his, and in the end, my mom chose my dad, and he's never quite gotten over it.
My mom yanks her arm out of my dad's grasp and moves away from the desk toward me. "Let's go,Hijo. I will get Marta to make you something to eat, and you can tell me all about this Stratford girl I have been hearing about."
"Stratford?" Manuel asks.
"Yes, it's a new family to the area, apparently very rich and powerful. My mom smirks up at me. "She's giving my little Mateo here a bit of chase, no, my love?" Reaching out, she trails her hand through my long strands.
"The Stratford's from New York?" Diego asks.
"Yeah...why you know them?" I glance at Diego in confusion.How the fuck does he know about them?
He shakes his head. "Noprimo, but I would like to. I know they are a powerful family. They have business in Columbia and control a large part of the oil and electrical industry there.” His expression closes up and becomes guarded. "They are living here in Casbury?"
"The granddaughter and her mom. The rest are still back in New York," I answer with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
"Well,primo, hopefully, you can make an introduction before I leave, or maybe I'll stick around a bit to meet this Stratford princess." He smirks and wags his eyebrows. Rage instantly fills me at his suggestion,fuck that.
I don't answer his comment, giving my dad and uncle my back. I walk out of the room, following my mom. Fat fucking chance I am going to be introducing Mia to any of them.That's the last thing I need.
I look back into my dad's office as I pass into the hallway. My dad and uncle are now sitting close together, their voices lowered and in deep conversation. Some shit is definitely going down. I can tell my mom’s worried from the strained look on her face. My uncle being here instead of hiding out somewhere from the FBI is not a good omen.
Hell, when it rains, it fucking pours.
Damn it, why me? Why me first out of all of us? There is no way she's not going to rip both my arms off and beat me with them. If there is one of us she seems the least impressed with, it's me. So, of course, I should go first to try to seduce her.It makes perfect fucking sense. Not.
Just look at the marks Theo is sporting on his neck and wrist today from our attempt to strong-arm her yesterday. That ass didn't even try to hide them either, leaving them on display for the world to see his battle wounds. If I didn't know any better, I would guess those marks turn him on. I know they sure as hell have me pulling a chub, just looking at them. Which is both hot and gross at the same time, because you know, Theo's a fucker and all.
Our girl sure is magnificent in her savagery. Quick to resort to violence and anger. That seems to get me hard, just thinking about it. Actually, there doesn't seem to be much about her that doesn't cause that reaction in my body. I wish she didn't look at me like a monster from the deep and would cooperate.
I'm standing at her locker, waiting to escort her to first period, like some pathetic, lovesick fool. Finn suggested I try to be a gentleman, whatever the hell that means. I can tell she has just stepped into the school; the whole place is now at a hush. People are just pretending to look anywhere other than at Mia and Raegan. Everyone's walking on eggshells and trying not to draw her merciless attention.
Weaklings, all of them.That kind of power is intoxicating, and she wields it like nothing. I'd given my left nut to be the king at her side, but apparently, now I won't be the only one. My girl seems to be into group activities. The thought makes my cock twitch in my pants.
