The more Elle runs her mouth, the more I really like her.
Malachi Sterling, the snooty-ass Duke of Corwick was a total brute to Isla during their first marriage after the cartel framed her for infidelity, and he punished her for it almost as badly as all my previous targets punishedme. Because of that, I don’t like him either. I don’t agree with anything the cartel does despite complying with it, but knowing how he treated her leads me to believe he totally deserved the bullet they unsuccessfully attempted to bury in his skull eight months ago. Andyes, Malachi is remorseful now that he knows he was wrong about believing Isla cheated on him, but what he did to her was inexcusable even if she had.
If there’s anything Ihatein this world, it’s men who are violent with women.
After all, men who are violent with women are the reason my freedom was stolen from me and I was forced to become an assassin. They’re also the reason I don’t have a problem being an assassin because my targets are always bottom-dwelling monsters who, among other things, commit atrocious acts of violence against women.
And all ofthatis why I really don’t like that I’m going to have to kill Joaquin.
Despite the fact that he murdered the leader of the cartel’s operations inEl Norte, along with two of their top soldiers, he did so to save his sister’s life. It was a righteous killing. I respect him for it.
But I still have to kill him.
What a pity.
And of course I can’t say any of that to Elle, so I simply nod sagely and offer a sympathetic, “Dios mio.”
“Yeah.” Elle jostles her head and then gathers her hair to sweep it over one shoulder. “Anyway, if Joaquin were anything like that, I would tell youeverythingand try to talk you out of this, but he’s not. He’s a little bit of a wild child, but he’s a really good guy. Very sweet and funny. He’s nothing like his father. And he’ll shield you from the tantrum Ernesto is definitely going to throw over this.” She pauses. “That is… if you guys decide to stick it out.”
Behind her head, Joaquin is approaching with Colin on his heels, so I arch my back and stick out my breasts. In this stage of the game, I have to use my best assets to distract him from the idea of nullifying this marriage. If that doesn’t work, I’ll move on to plan B—which is to tug his heartstrings hard enough that they snap.
“I’d like to.” I slide my shades back over my eyes as the guys arrive, and Colin leans down to kiss the top of Elle’s head. “We’ll see what happens.”
“I can already tell you what happens,” Colin announces, reaching to snag Elle’s wrist and pull her to stand up. “We’re all about to get Vegas pool drunk and pass out next to the cabana.”
Elle scrunches her nose playfully at him, placing her palms on his broad chest. “We arenotgetting—”
“Oh, yes we are.” He deftly scoops her up and swings around to stride toward the pool. “This is the first time we’ve had no parental responsibilities since Audrey was born, so we’re making the most of it.”
With that, he effortlessly heaves her into the pool, and she lets out a shriek before hitting the water with a sizable splash for her small frame.
Joaquin doubles over, laughing jovially and slapping his thigh as he sits on the edge of my lounge chair and casually places his hand on the small of my back. Lili is at the opposite corner of the pool, crinkling her nose at them and wearing a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes, and then wades toward the edge to climb out. Colin chuckles mischievously as he jumps in the pool after Elle, and her drenched blonde head bursts back above the water.
It’s all carefree fun and games for these sheltered people with nary a care in the world, so I laugh with them.
“You!” Elle seethes with a completely non-threatening growl, pushing her sopping hair back from her face, her sable eye makeup smearing down her cheeks. “I will punish you for that!”
Colin bites his bottom lip as he grabs her by the waist and pins her against him. “Please do.”
They continue to carry on like that, drifting to the far side of the pool and out of ear-shot. I notice Lili fighting the urge to look at them while she carefully steps to one lounge chair over from the one Joaquin is sharing with me.
“What did you order,mano?” she asks off-handedly, sitting up straight and dropping her head forward to finger-comb her long, thick masses of fat, black curls.
“Vodka, tequila, and shit for girly mimosas,” he answers, his face turned toward me. He’s studying me behind a pair of black aviators, a shadow of stubble darkening his sharp, muscled jaw. “So, are you a mimosa girl, or are you more of a tequila sunrise?”
I push up on my elbows, letting my hair fall over one shoulder as I look at him above my cat-eye sunglasses. “If you could remember last night, you would know I go straight for the worm. And you would know that you love it.”
A grin plays on his mouth, and the tip of his tongue briefly darts out to graze his bottom lip. His hand slides farther down my back, over the curve of my ass, and he firmly rubs the bikini bottom. The material is covered in mermaid sequins that are shiny black on one side and metallic gold on the other. Every sweep of his palm causes them to switch from black to gold and back again, and it also elicits treacherous heat between my thighs. Desire is not conducive to my mental state regarding this assignment, but it is useful for executing the task that I’m ultimately here for.
I shift slightly so that his torso conveniently blocks Lili’s view, although she’s still pouting and completely preoccupied by Colin and Elle’s lovey-dovey display in the pool. The change in my position allows his hand to easily slide to the front edge of my bikini bottom, and Joaquin doesn’t even hesitate to slip two fingers underneath it. I’m already hot and wet for him—whichneverhappens during my assignments—and he notices.
“The worm, huh?” he murmurs, sliding his fingers up and down my aching slit.
My nipples instantly pebble and strain against the bikini top, and I inch closer, bending my knee slightly to give him greater access. “Yes. I love it. And you love it, too.”
His navy swim shorts do very little to hide his substantial erection, and I wonder if he is so entitled that he would fuck me right here in public with no regard for the repercussions. He strokes me firmer and slower, and I utter a kitten-like mewl.
“I loved it,” he echoes with a tone that belies the erotic behavior of his hand between my thighs.
