Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 25614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25614 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 128(@200wpm)___ 102(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
I had no problem with that request. I wanted to run out of the building and never come back. As long as I’d worked there, I’d never felt so unsafe. “Okay. Is something wrong?”
“Baby, do what I tell you; Vasco is waiting for you.”
“Okay.” I grabbed my things, as he said, and left without saying anything to Mr. Keaton. I had no idea why this was happening, but I trusted Diego completely. As I stepped outside, Vasco rushed me inside the SUV, and we drove off quickly.
“What’s going on?” Vasco didn’t bother answering me.
“I have her, Diego,” he said into his Bluetooth on the dashboard.
“Good. Bring her home. I’m going to bury that son of a bitch.” I’d heard Diego angry before, but he’d never raised his voice. His rage had been cool and collected. He wanted to kill my boss.
I gasped at his threat. “You can’t. Please tell me you’re not going to hurt my boss?”
“No, not him, baby.” How could I be so soft when it came to Diego when I had my doubts?
“Good, because Ava is my friend.” I was the one to introduce them and they were so unbelievably happy together.
“I happen to like Keaton, and that’s the reason why I got the tip-off that the asshole just showed up. No, it’s time to get that bastard. Vasco, I held off on the photos. Send them to his wife now, and to the newspaper. Anonymously, of course.”
“Of course, Diego.”
“Diego, do you know my father?” I asked before I lost my nerve. I might not love my father, but I didn’t want any secrets or lies between Diego and me.
“Yes, but we’ll talk when you get here, mi corazón.” Vasco ended the call before I pressed Diego for more information. The damn bastard was a big pain in the ass.
He looked through the rearview mirror and said, “Just so you know, your father got what he deserved. It’s only because of you that Diego will let that fuck live.” I pressed my fingers to my lips, trying to process the anger dripping from Vasco’s words.
The moment we pulled into Duke’s Operations Services, where Diego was waiting for me, I hopped out of the vehicle and jumped into his open arms. “I missed you, too, mi amor. Now, let’s go inside because there is much to discuss.”
We entered the building and after he helped me out of my winter coat, he led me straight to his office. “Please sit over here.” It was the seat in front of his desk. He didn’t sit, no. He took off his suit jacket and stood before me, looking magnificent in a white, well-pressed shirt with his gun clearly visible tucked on his hip.
He ran his fingers through his hair before he stopped and sat on the edge of his desk in front of me with his legs spread out. “Liza, my Elizabeth,” he sighed so hard, his shoulders sank.
I fidgeted, picking at the imaginary lint on my pants. Growing impatient with the nervous silence between us, I blurted out my frustration, “Just tell me the truth, damn it.” He was freaking me out.
His head jerked slightly back, and then he nodded. “I testified against your father and sent him to prison five years ago.”
“Did you?” I closed my eyes and thought about the case and the fact that I refused to go to the trial. I could have met him years ago. A sigh escaped me.
“I’m sorry. He had it coming.”
“I’m sure he did.”
“You believe me?”
“I knew my father, and I knew the piece of crap he was back then. He went away for attempted murder.”
“He still is a piece of shit. That’s why he’s doing life now.”
“What? I didn’t know he got life now.”
“I’m sorry, but yes. He killed one of the guards at the prison. Hell, I’m surprised he doesn’t get fried.” I pressed my mouth and then stood up, needing some air. I paced the room several times, looking for answers. Who was the man I called my father?
“Talk to me, my love.” I turned back to him and noticed the large neon sign outside in the parking lot.
The sign piqued my curiosity, and I wanted to know more about the man I was diving head over heels for. “Who is Duke?”
He smiled at me and said, “That was the former owner’s nickname back when he started the company. He hired me a long time ago when I had nothing and took me in as one of his own.” The pride rolled off his every word. This Duke meant something to him.
“Will I ever meet him?”
He pulled me into his arms with his hands resting on the small of my back. “No, you won’t. He retired half a decade ago and died last year.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” I whispered, brushing my hand along his jaw. He cuffed my hand and brought it to his lips, kissing my palm.