I ignore the call, but before I can dial my brother-in-law’s number, mine rings yet again. I answer after all in case Drew’s willing to give me information about my sister. I wish this phone had a three-way feature, but it doesn’t. I look toward thebathroom, and I know I’m going to have to ask Javi for his phone to call Maks.
“I want to speak to Laura. Now, Drew.”
“Meet me, and you can see for yourself that she’s fine.”
“Tell me what color fingernail polish she’s wearing.”
There’s a pause. “Pale pink.”
Good memory, but wrong. My sisterneverwears polish. Not even gloss, but she buffs them. He might have thought it was polish, but it wasn’t. He doesn’t have Laura.
“You spoofed her number.”
“And you fell for it.”
I remain silent as Javi steps out of the bathroom. His eyebrows shoot straight up, and he rushes across the room. I tried to keep my expression neutral, but I’m certain he senses the anxiety roiling within me.
Who is it?He mouths the words.
I’m a deer in the headlights.
“Chica?” He whispers this time, and I’m certain I’m the only one who heard him.
“You’re not alone, are you? You’re with that shithead Diaz.”
I guess his men called him before they died. If they did, then he knows I was in the city. Has he guessed I left? He asked where I was earlier.
“What do you want?” I think my voice sounds stronger than I feel.
“You fucking know what I want! Bring back what’s mine and bring your sorry scrawny ass with it!”
Javi wraps his hand around my wrist and tugs, but I resist. He must have heard some of what Drew yelled. He tries again, but I won’t budge. His hardened expression is the only warning I get before he lands the hardest spank he’s given me yet. It forces me a step forward. He grabs my pants’ waistband and yanks meback. He swats me again. Tears prick the back of my eyelids. I still don’t want to give in.
“You are two seconds away from me baring your ass and spanking you hard enough and long enough for whoever that is to hear it.”
He whispers that in my ear, and even spoken that softly, I hear the warning I need to heed. With a shaking hand, I lower the phone from my ear and press the speaker button.
“Drew, I’m not going back up there.”
“You are if you want to live.”
Rage pulsates from Javi. My ex-boyfriend’s name or voice gave him away; he knows who I’m talking to. He puts his hand out, but I still don’t want to give him the phone. My resistance is too little too late, but I claw at the last thread. He leans over until our noses nearly touch. I want to flinch away, but his gaze captivates me. He plucks the phone from my hand before I know what’s happening.
“O’Sheehan, you sack of piping hot shit.”
“Which Diaz are you?”
“The one who’s about to fuck your whole world up. You’re about to find out what it’s like to pick on someone your own size. Stay the fuck away from Madeline, or I will ruin everything you have and everything you’ve ever thought of having. I will take it, crush it, then burn it to the motherfucking ground. You know my family. You know I’m not lying.”
“Tell the bitch to give me back what belongs to me.”
“What did you just callmywoman?”
“Yours? She fucking you too? Whore.”
“Drew.” I hiss his name in warning, but I don’t know why I do.
“There’s no ‘too.’ Only me, and I don’t share. Stay the fuck away from her, Drew. I won’t say it again.”
