Last night…
The clock mocks me, the seconds hand ticking by and increasing my anxiety with every shuffle forward. I’ve been able to put off meeting with Ray because of Austin leaving, using the excuse of getting the kids ready for his departure. But that was earlier today, and as the sun sets, I know my time has run out.
I told Ray that Mom could watch the kids while I went over to his cabin to talk, so he’ll be expecting me any minute. Bedtime has come and gone, the kids eking out every bit of sun Colorado summers have to offer, and mom is in the guest room watching one of her novelas.
She’s got this, so I know I could leave right now, but I’m not ready.
Doing everything I can to stall, I decide to get my bag in order, making sure to have my Mace gun and taser with me. I’m closing it up when my eyes land on the pantry door. The journal.
I pull out Blanca’s diary from its hiding place, needing the distraction, even if for just a moment. Who knows, maybe I could gain some insight from one cheater to another.
I go to open it when a picture of Blanca falls out, and I freeze. It’s innocuous, a photo of a smiling woman, the pendant she’s wearing, one that shouldn’t give anyone pause—but it does me.
I swallow the lump in my throat and pick up the offending image, bringing it closer to me for inspection.
Sure enough, it’s the same jagged piece of gold I own, the outline leading down to a solitary yellow diamond. The jagged line outlined in the precious metal is an exact replica of the scar running across Ray’s upper lip. The piece is custom, designed to remind the wearer of their beloved’s mouth.
Was he lying? Did this just happen to match the scar along Ray’s cheating mouth? Cheating. The one word reverberates inside my head.
Oh god. What if Ray had been cheating… with Blanca?! Is he the mystery man in her journal? It can’t be. Her man had been flying her all around the world. Meanwhile, I’d been relegated to a tiny one-bedroom home.
Picking up the picture once more, I storm out of Austin’s cabin and head toward Ray. None of this makes any sense, but I need answers and I need them now.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take me long to reach him—the one good thing of having him as a neighbor. I’m about to knock on the door when it swings open, a smiling Ray beaming down at me as if I held the secret to eternal life and were about to share it.
Scowling at him, I rush past him and into the cabin. “What the hell is this, Ray?!”
I throw the picture at him, but he catches it with swift hands. He takes one look at the photo and the smile he’d been holding for me vanishes. Instead, the coolness that replaces it is enough to chill the entire room.
My stomach churns and I go to clutch my bag, only to realize it isn’t there. Shit. I left in such haste that I left behind my only forms of self defense.
A deep sense of dread blankets me as Ray closes and locks the cabin door behind him. When his head rests on the wood, giving me his back for the slightest moment, I have to ask myself—should I run?
“This isn’t how I pictured tonight going.” Ray’s voice has taken on an edge I’ve never witnessed before. It’s as if he’s a completely different person from the meek imposter who groveled at my feet, begging for forgiveness.
When he turns to face me, the look in his eyes is enough to summon any and all demons hiding in the dark. It’s evil. Nothing but sheer evil emanating from his glare.
I stumble, taking a step back and gathering all the courage I possess. “What’s going on Ray? How does Blanca have my pendant?”
His eyes narrow as he steps forward, walking me until my back has hit a wall and his arms are caging me in. “Stupid girl. That’s not your pendant. I commissioned it long ago. Long before you came into the picture. Yours was but a mere replica of the original.”
I’m blinking, unable to form words. Was he cheating on Blanca with me? Am I the other woman? “But we’re married. We exchanged vows.”
My eyes are dancing back and forth between his, searching for answers I doubt he’ll ever share. Ray throws his head back and cackles, the action exposing his sinewy neck and vibrating flesh. “Ray exchanged vows and promises of forever, but I’m not Ray. He isn’t real. Just a character, one of my many, created to serve a purpose.”
My breathing is erratic, my body unable to process everything he’s throwing at me. Two years. Two years of my life I’ve given to this man, only to find out that it was all a lie. Not a moment of it was true.
“Why?” The one word comes out squeaky, and I’m surprised that it came out at all.
Ray’s eyes land back on mine, a brief flash of pity dancing before them before his mask of indifference is back in place. “Don’t take it personal, doll. It’s just business. I needed to keep tabs on the Crown family, and having multiple sources of contact is the best way to go about it.”
My jaw drops. His words now making sense. “Oh my god. You married me for my access to this family! You slept with Blanca for the same. Shit, if Pen were of age, you would’ve fucked her too, wouldn’t you?!”
I’m shaking, my body vibrating with rage when Ray’s hand slaps me across my face. “Snap out of it, Anaya. I don’t need a hysterical woman on top of everything else. We’ve got shit to do, and the faster you come to terms with it, the quicker we can get on with them.”
The sting of his palm has my breathing slowing, making me realize that violence is not out of the question for this psychopath. I need to buy my time, find a way out of this so I can let Austin and the brothers know what’s really going on.
Ray shakes his head, all while tsk’ing and raising a brow at me. “I see those wheels turning, Anaya, and that just won’t do.”
He grabs me by the nape, making me wince and him cackle. “If you think that’s uncomfortable, just wait for what I have in store.”
“I rather not, thank you.” Even in this dire moment, I can’t help but sass. It’s in my blood.
“There’s that little spitfire I married. Too bad she’d left me sometime after our first move.”
His words have my eyes narrowing. “If I disappeared inside myself, it’s because you left me every chance you got. You made me feel like I wasn’t enough to keep you home, but I now see that it was all a lie. You never wanted me in the first place. I was just a means to an end.”
Ray shakes his head, the corner of his mouth tilting up in a smirk. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Anaya. You were a lot of fun in the beginning and at least you were low maintenance. Unlike Blanca. She required trips to Europe and time away from the family. But you, doll, you were the easy one.” He’s walking us down a narrowed hall and toward the only soundproofed room in the home.
Oh god. This isn’t good.
“What are we doing, Ray?” My voice cracks, unable to hide my growing fear.
“I had an elaborate plan, but seeing as how your man is now in Mexico, things have taken a rather unexpected but pleasant turn.”
My brows push together, too many things coming together at once. “You know about Austin and where he is?”
Ray pushes me onto the bed, his hand flying to the nightstand and pulling out some rope. Oh, hell no. Without thinking, I’m flying off the bed and running toward the door, screaming at the top of my lungs. “Heeeeeelllllll—”
I wasn’t even able to make it past the foot of the bed when Ray’s hands are latching onto my biceps, swinging my body around like a rag doll and throwing me on the bed.
“I see you’re not going to make this easy.” He’s grabbing me by the jaw now, his fingers digging into my flesh so hard I can’t help but whimper. “Be good and I won’t strike you. But make no mistake, if you step out of line, I will whip you, and it won’t be that daddy shit you play with Austin.”
What the fuck? How in the hell could he know that?
Ray smirks while retrieving the rope he’d dropped. “I bugged his cabin. You think I’m an amateur?”
“But why? Why go through all that?” I’m missing the big picture, unable to see past the years of deceit and hurt. “What information were you after?”
He’s taking my hands and feet and tying them to the bedpost, making sure I can’t make another run for it. “You don’t need to worry about that. Right now, all you need to do is help me get Penelope to my cabin.”
I scoff, even as he finishes tying up my leg. “I will do no such thing. Torture me all you want; I will not drag another person into your sick and twisted web.”
Ray shrugs, pulling out a phone and typing something I can’t see. “Fine. I’ll just blow up Cárdenas’ villa. Jack and Austin included.”
A garbled scream rips from my throat in protest, the action only making Ray look up from his phone for a split second. He’s still typing away at the damn thing, and I’m wondering if he’s delivering the orders that will end Austin’s life.
I can’t let that happen. I won’t. “Fine. I’ll help you get Pen here if you show me proof you can do what you say. Otherwise, it’s a no go.”
Oh god. I hope he buys my bluff.
Ray sighs, looking bored at my request. I’m thinking he’s not going to answer when he turns and walks toward his dresser, pulling off the laptop that’s been left open.
The closer he brings it the clearer the picture gets. It looks to be surveillance footage of a gorgeous villa by the sea. Oh wow. Is that Cárdenas’ home?
My eyes are scanning the property when I see them, gasping as Jack emerges from one of the doors with Austin quickly trailing behind him.
“There. You’ve seen them.” Ray walks back to the dresser and places the laptop down ever so gently. “Now let’s call Penelope.”
“No. Just because you have eyes on them doesn’t mean you can blow them up. If I’m risking Pen’s life, then I need to see proof you can do what you say.”
Ray’s brows shoot up, an amused smile playing on his lips. “Keep your eyes on the screen, kitten.” He takes out his phone, tapping the screen.
Not two seconds later, a small fire emerges right at the edge of the property, sending a group of men running toward it. “Holy shit.”
My jaw is still hanging open when Ray is pressing the cabin phone to my ear. “It’s ringing. Make it believable or the entire villa goes up in flames.”
“Hello, Mr. Garcia?” Pen’s voice cuts through the line, making guilt settle deep in my chest.
“Penelope, hey. This is Anaya. I know it’s late, but Ray and I have had some wine and I don’t feel comfortable with either of us riding out to the main house. I’d baked a cake earlier and meant to bring it with me to Ray’s cabin for dinner, but forgot. If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind driving it over?”
Ray’s head looks like it’s about to pop-off, his eyes practically bugging out of their sockets.
“Oh my god! I’m so sorry! I totally took a huge piece of the cake earlier. I didn’t know it was for your dinner.”
“Don’t worry about it, Pen. Just bring over what’s left.” I’m going to hell for this. Making a pregnant woman feel guilty for eating chocolate cake. That and roping her in on whatever Ray has planned.
“Of course! So damn sorry. I’ll bring you a bottle of Jack’s favorite wine to make up for it.” Shuffling sounds come across the line. “Okay. Be there soon.”
The line goes dead and I’m left staring at Ray’s intense glare. “You stupid cunt. That could’ve gone horribly wrong. She could’ve sent Matt or Jace. Then where would we be?”
Free or dead. Seeing the state Ray is in, he’d probably murder me and flee before he’d let any of the Crown brothers reach me.
As guilt weighs heavy in my heart, I know that I’ve at least bought everyone some time. And as soon as Pen gets here, we can start hatching a plan on how to get away from Ray and alert the guys.
Two heads are better than one, and whatever it is that Ray wants us for, he seems to need us alive… for now.
