She sat silent for a moment. I watched her, waiting for the eventual curve of a smile that told me I was forgiven. Eden never stayed mad at me for long.
Yet, the longer the muscles in her jaw tightened, the more rattled I became. In any other situation, we’d argue, throw shit, hurl insults, then fuck the mad out of each other until we couldn’t walk. That’s just the way Eden and I worked.
But, lying in a hospital bed, with a newly-closed gash healing above my stomach, sex was off the table. I didn’t know how to reach her, and I didn’t like it. “Eden?”
“I’m still mad at you,” she finally offered, running the pad of her thumb across the top of mine. “But I don’t have a good argument for what you said. You’re right. It did save my life, and I guess I should be grateful.”
“Damn right you should.”
She fought a smile. “Don’t push it.”
I studied her face as a piece of candy-red hair fell across her eye. Pushing it back, her gaze lowered to the wires protruding from my chest. If anyone had told me a month ago—hell, a week ago—I’d have made the risky decisions I did to be with her, I’d have laughed in their face. I’d been a man who built a reputation on fear and destruction. Emotional attachments had no place in my world and only served to weaken me. I’d never missed something I’d never had.
The second Eden Lachey stormed into my life, something inside me knew I’d never be the same. As volatile as our circumstances were, I knew she’d be the one to get in and make me question everything I’d ever known. After touching her for the first time, I vowed I'd never be denied the light she brought to my darkness or the morality she crossed with my wickedness.
For her, I would and did risk it all.
Suppressing a groan from the searing pain tearing across my abdomen, I twisted a hand around her hair and tugged her down to me. “Come here,Cereza.”
“Val…” She pulled back gently, bracing a hand on the mattress. “You just got out of surgery. Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
“What I think,” I growled, impatiently, “is that you’ve been taken from me for too long. I’m owed this.”
“Well, as long as you have a good reason.” Laughing softly, she held her weight on her arms as she lowered her lips and gently pressed them against mine.
Oh, hell no.
Tightening my fingers in her hair, I forced her lips open and tasted every inch of her mouth. It was like coming home.
Breaking the kiss, she rested her forehead against mine. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”
“Don’t ever leave me like that again.”
We stayed like that for a long time, neither of us speaking, until she glanced toward the door. “Mateo is probably pacing outside like a caged animal. I guess I should give him his turn with you.”
“Wait.” I grabbed her arm, holding her inquisitive stare. “You need to call Janine. We may not have a physical building anymore, but RVC is still an operational company for now.”
Her eyebrows lifted in question. “Why would I call Janine?”
“To put your townhouse on the market. You’ve got to find a buyer before we leave.”
“Leave? Where are we going, Val?”
She couldn’t be serious. After all we’d been through, she had to know it’d come to this. “Eden, when I get out of here, I’m moving back to Mexico. My men need me there to run the day-to-day operations.” I searched her face for signs of understanding. “I thought you knew this. In Mexico, you asked me if I came to take over the cartel.”
“But, I thought after everything happened with Manuel and Marisol…I just thought…”
“Cereza, we’ve cut off the head of the dragon, but it doesn’t mean it won’t grow another one. The Muñoz Cartel won’t lay down and die just because Manuel did. This is my life and my legacy. I can’t turn my back on it.” Her blue eyes reddened as she dropped my hand. Warning sirens raged in my ears and my chest tightened. “Eden, I need you with me. I can’t do this without you.”
With tears spilling down her face, she wrapped her arms protectively around her chest. “I killed a man, Val. I sold my soul to get revenge for my brother. I got it, but I don’t feel any better. I thought I’d have this weight lifted off my shoulders once Manuel was dead, but instead it’s gotten heavier. It almost destroyed me when Nash died, and when I thought I’d lost you. I’d convinced myself I could eventually deal with it because everything was over, but you’re asking me to live with that worry on a daily basis. I can’t…I can’t do that.”
I couldn’t think straight. I’d lay down my life for her, and she was walking away from me. As she pulled back, I grabbed her arm, my heart racing. “What are you saying, Eden?”
“My home is in Houston, Val. We can have a good life here.”
“What life,Cereza? Who’s left here for you? You have no family.”
A sad look crossed her face at the same time as a dejected smile dusted her lips. “I am. I’m stronger than I was before, and I have you to thank for that. I’ve learned to depend on no one but myself and that will protect me for the rest of my life. The word family doesn’t exist for me anymore, Val. Families protect each other no matter what the cost. For my father, the price was too high.” Leaning down, she placed a gentle kiss on my lips again. “Te amo.”
