Chapter 28

My heart was pounding, divided between the horror of finding out that my stepfather was a murderer and the need to erase the pain and suffering from Alejandro's life. My heart broke when he told me what happened, when I saw his face contracted, his eyes wet, fighting his sorrow the best he could. He was still mourning what was a sudden and shocking loss.

But then Elena walked in, and again, we couldn't finish our conversation. I did not have the stomach to see them together, and I had a lot to process. I needed some fresh air. I needed to put as much distance between me and them as possible.

I ran out of the house, heading to the beach. The sun was setting, the air warm and a bit dry, but there was a nice breeze bringing the smell of saltwater to my nostrils. I walked all the way to the waves and pulled my jeans up as much as I could as I dropped down in the sand. I needed to feel the water, hear the sand moving with the waves, distract my senses before my emotions got the best of me. Alejandro had dropped so much on me in all of ten minutes.

Richard was a murderer, and Alejandro wanted revenge.

How could he? I thought I knew Richard. I knew he was a despicable human, but to go from that to shooting people in a store to steal some diamonds, however much they might be worth? He was rich. Why would he go through all that trouble?

Richard was always greedy, wanting to belong to la crème de la crème of California. California-rich was another kind of rich that one mostly had to be born into. Richard always had a chip on his shoulder because he felt like he never had enough money to belong. But was that all it took to get him to think that he had the right to take lives?

The question now was whether I could trust Alejandro with the location of the diamonds. I was starting to see him in a different light. It wasn't less confusing, but assuming everything he said was true, he had suffered a great loss because of Richard—a loss he had the right to seek revenge for. He had lost a bother to Richard's greed.

I was sadly collateral damage in all of this—me for the diamonds, my freedom for justice for his brother. Now I was stuck with him and his girlfriend in his beach house.

I closed my eyes in anger when I remembered Karina. And then there was Elena. The animosity I felt for her was the only emotion that felt normal, that I could cope with. Was this where he went when he disappeared before? Instead of this pinch of jealousy I was feeling, I should have felt sympathy for Elena. Alejandro did, in fact, cheat on her with Karina, who might or might not be my stepfather's aid.

He had put his life in danger for mine, a fact I kept conveniently ignoring even though it was always in the back of my mind, pushing me toward a conclusion that I desperately needed to believe but one I wanted to avoid at any cost.

I made an effort to shut down my brain. The sound of the ocean was very calming, the smell of salty sand providing me some comfort. From where I was, I could see what I assumed was Elena's house on my right. It was smaller, but it looked very chic. On my left, it seemed like there was a separation between the properties. I leaned my head on my knees pulled up in front of me, distractedly running my fingers through the warm, grainy sand.

Listening to the rhythmic movement of the water always had a calming, centering effect on me, but it was no match for the ache I felt every time I thought of Alejandro. My desire for him hadn't gone away; it had evolved, with Alejandro intertwined with every corner of my soul. And to me, that was the most terrifying peril.

I could not let myself have any sort of need or dependence for someone who would probably get rid of me as soon as he got what he wanted from Richard, or rather, would give up and send me on my way. I was ashamed to admit this to myself, but the idea of escaping my captor and regaining my freedom had been put in the back of my mind the past couple weeks, as an eventuality, as opposed to something I was actively seeking.

But I could not allow Alejandro, or anyone else, to have such paralyzing control over me. That had always been a core principle for me. I had to find my footing, keep my walls up, for as much as they threatened to crumble under his gaze. After an hour, feeling resolved, I walked back to the house. Elena could keep him. After all, I had George, the perfect candidate for someone who did not want to fall in love.

I perused the kitchen for a quick meal, warmed up some soup, grabbed a glass of water, and went to the small office I had seen. Thankfully, there were some books there. I grabbed a couple, as well as a notebook and a few pens, then made my way back to my bedroom, keeping the door unlocked this time.

Alejandro did not bother me all evening. I was trying to focus on the thriller I was reading, but all I could think about was him, in the room just next door, probably making love to that woman. I couldn't hear a breath, but I could imagine. I paced, exercised, showered, did all I could to distract myself and refrain from knocking on his door.

After all, I had the perfect excuse—we had a lot left to discuss. But my pride was stronger, and I eventually fell asleep, dreaming that I was in his arms instead.