“Maddy, we can stay here for as long as you like. Once you’re less scared, I can take you to Laura’s.”
“What? No. I don’t want to go to my sister’s.” It’s the last thing I want.
“Are you worried about bringing danger to the twins?”
“Of course, I’m worried about my niece and nephew. No, Javi, Laura will grill me until I’m burnt to ashes. I know she’lldefend me tooth and nail, and I know Maks and his family have all the resources needed to protect me, but that’s not who I want to be with.”
I glance toward the door when I hear a sound on the other side. He must be able to see more of my face than I thought.
“Do you want to go with Pablo?”
I jerk away and twist to look at him. “No. Why would I want to go with him?”
“You grew up practically as his little sister.”
“Practically. I’m not and never have been. You know our families aren’t close anymore. It’s been years since I’ve hung out with him. Whatever’s happened in that time has made him a man I don’t think I know anymore.”
Javi’s gaze shutters, and I know I’m right.
I’ve suspected for a long time Pablo deals with the worst of the worst his family faces here in the U.S. I don’t want to imagine the crazy, twisted, fucked-up shit Alejandro must deal with since I’ve heard he’s always going back and forth to Colombia.
I know Javi and his brothers’ reputation, but I also know they cultivated it to protect themselves as three teenagers who moved here not speaking the language and without a dad. They feared it would be as dangerous for them here as it was in Bogotá. I figured out why they did the things they did early on. I tried dropping hints of that explanation to Maks a few years ago, but he didn’t believe me. He said he knows them better than I ever could.
That’s because no one besides Javi knew our secret. I’m positive he never told his brothers.
“Then what do you want, Maddy?”
“Do you have something else you need to do? Is there somewhere else you need to be?”
“No. Did you think I was trying to pass you off?”
“Maybe.”
“That wasn’t it. I just want you wherever you’re most comfortable and will feel the safest.”
I feel vulnerable as fuck admitting it, but if I don’t, then I won’t get what I want and need.
“I want to stay with you.”
There. I said it.
I avert my gaze, but he lifts my chin until I can’t keep from looking at him unless I close my eyes. It’s tempting.
“Look at me, little one.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
The words slip past my lips, and I’m embarrassed once again, even though it feels right to say them.
“You know why you call me that, and it has nothing to do with daddy issues or wanting me to replace Killian.”
It’s funny to hear him use my father’s name since he’s always been Mr. Doyle to the Diaz guys in person.
“If you want to stay with me, then that’s exactly where you’ll be.”
“Thank you, Daddy. That’s exactly what I want. I know I’m safe with you. You’re the only one I feel safe with.”
“You need to understand something. You know more about me than most, even if we haven’t been around each other in years. If you don’t know for a fact, then I’m certain you’ve guessed things about my family too. I will never, ever force you to do anything you don’t want to. I won’t intentionally put you in danger. But you have to accept I’m a man with no limits. You’ve known my reputation since we were kids. It was a complete exaggeration back then.”
