The Hustle (Irreparable #4) (12 page)

W
e pull into the driveway at Brady’s house, but before we go inside I feel like I should warn Peyton. “I
need to tell you something.”

“Okay.”

I take in a breath and let it out along with my confession. “My brother’s wife and I have a history.”

“Okay.”

Her response is instant and unexpected without any hesitation. Not even a follow-up question driven by curiosity.

“We slept together,” I add in the spirit of being completely honest with her.

“Okay.”

Again, her expression doesn’t show any interest. “She’s why Maria left me.”

“Okay.”

I release a frustrated breath, gripping the steering wheel. “Stop saying okay. It’s not okay.”

“For you maybe, but for me . . . it’s okay.”

“I need you to know that I don’t always make smart choices where she’s concerned.”

“Says who?”

“Me . . . Whenever she’s needed me, I’ve chosen her over anyone else in my life, regardless of how much I cared about them.”

Now her brow furrows as she takes in my words and then her eyes widen with realization.

“Your brother’s the baby daddy?” I nod, watching her expression closely. “Ah, and you chose her over Maria?”

“Not exactly. Tori was going through a rough time. My brother was on the road and she was severely depressed. She kept phoning me and I kept going to her. I lied to Maria to go see her.”

“Why did you lie?”

I’m not certain I even know the answer to that question. “Maria was tired of my shit. She felt Tori had other friends and family she could depend on and didn’t need me.”

“How did you feel?”

“Tori’s my best friend.”

She grins. “Now who’s lying?”

“I loved Maria.”

“And you loved Tori, too.”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

I shake my head, trying not laugh as her understanding is almost comical. “Why is it okay? What if I make the same stupid mistake with you?”

“What if you do?” She motions between us with her hand. “Then whatever this is we’ve started isn’t meant to work out.”

“Faith?” I blink, and turn my head. “You’re speaking about faith?”

“No, I’m speaking in reality. Look, Aidan . . . I’m not some insecure girl that needs a man to define who I am. I’m a grown woman and responsible for myself. Maybe that makes me a bitch or stupid, or whatever, but I don’t care. I have feelings for you. Last night was amazing, but if it doesn’t work out, if something or someone keeps us apart, then so be it. I’m not about to dwell on a past I was never a part of, and worrying about it won’t do any good.”

Her naïveté prickles my skin, because it’s not Tori I’m actually worried about coming between us. “And what if Maria turned up tomorrow and wanted me back?” I inhale deep before letting the truth out. “I have to be honest, Peyton. I’m still in love with her.”

“You’ve been clear on how you feel about Maria, but I can’t live life focusing on the ‘what if’s’ and neither should you. Life is meant to be lived in the
right now’s.
And right now . . . I want to spend whatever time I can with you while I have you. Right now . . . Got it, grumpy pants?”

She shoots me a sassy look before getting out of the car, leaving me stunned. I’ve never met anyone like Peyton. I finally understand it’s Peyton’s spirit that has revived me. She, like me, refuses to be broken by the things in life she can’t control; only Peyton goes about in a way that makes her happy rather than miserable. She’s a survivor.

I can learn a lot from her.

And in time, I could fall hard for her.

M
arco opens my door for me after finding a spot close to a children’s clothing boutique. As I step out, my eyes move two doors down to the store I need. With his guard up, doing his job and making no effort to engage in personal conversation, Marco follows me and Javier inside.

I quickly gather enough clothing to keep Javier busy in the changing room for at least fifteen minutes. Once he’s inside, I tell Marco to keep an eye on him so I can shop for something special for Eduardo at the boutique next door. He nods, appearing not to see through the mountain of bullshit I’ve just fed him.

I slip into the alley and single out a young teenage boy to recruit. His eyes stay on me as I approach him.
“
Qué quieres, señora?”

“Quiero
hacer un trato,”
I respond, and wait as he stares at me with curiosity. “Did you hear me? Do you speak English? I said, what I want . . . is to make a deal.”

It takes less than a minute to negotiate terms of our agreement. The kid could have asked for more and I could have offered less, so the arrangement is fair. I pay him up front and pray he follows through. He’s my only hope as everyone in town knows who I am and they’ll report back to Eduardo.

While my new friend completes his task, I go into the store Marco expects me to be in and pick out a nice piece of lacy lingerie to surprise Eduardo, one that will keep him happy and calm. As I pay for my purchase, the kid slides in behind me, living up to his end of the agreement as he slips the disposable cell phone into the pocket of my jacket and continues on to the back of the store.

My stomach sinks as I walk the sidewalk back to the children’s boutique and spot Eduardo’s car parked in front. His eyes find me the moment I step through the doors of the boutique and stay on me until I reach him. I force a bright smile, telling him hello as I wrap my arms around his neck. His posture remains stiff and his arms don’t reach out to return my embrace. As I release him, I watch his tightly set jaw tick with agitation. His eyes narrow as his hand curls tightly around my arm.

“Where were you?” he asks. There’s no mistaking the bite in each word, emphasizing his anger and disappointment. The man asking isn’t the one who has professed his love for me recently. This man is my captor and I’ve betrayed him.

Thinking quickly, I hold the small bag of lingerie in the air and say in a sultry voice, “I was picking up something special for you.”

The tightness defining the fine lines around his eyes relaxes, but his posture remains stiff as he puts a finger in the bag. My heart pounds furiously behind my ribs as he peeks inside, maintaining a firm grip on my arm with his other hand.

I exhale slowly when his lips curve into a smile and he releases my arm. “I’m sorry,” he says, kissing my arm where his hand had been. “I went crazy when you weren’t here.”

His arms snake around my waist. As he pulls me close, I feel the cell phone poking into my hip bone. If he feels it too, my plan will be exposed. Sweat breaks out over my brow and my hands tremble.

“Papa,” Javier yells as he exits the fitting room with a ball of clothing in his arms.

Eduardo releases me to go to his son. Relief rushes out of me as I take the clothing to the counter to pay for the items, feeling Marco directly behind me. While the cashier rings me up, Marco leans in close. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“I’m fine,” I snap, keeping my eyes forward.

“You’re foolish. Whatever you’re planning . . . don’t.”

His warning is far too late. My heart will always belong to Tug and I won’t allow Eduardo to hurt him.

Eduardo takes me and Javier to lunch, before we return to the mansion. While I was given permission to go into town with Javier, the freedom I crave never comes. Because, I’m not free. I’m a prisoner and I always will be. As will my son if I don’t find a way to escape with my family.

As we enter the mansion, Eduardo hands the bags of clothing to the housekeeper and then offers to remove my jacket. Denying him will raise suspicion, but I’m terrified to hand over my jacket with the only possession I have that means anything to me.

I decide not to stop him and as the jacket slides from my arms, heat rushes to my face. He hands it to the housekeeper, who hangs it on the coatrack in the foyer.

“Are you all right, baby?”

I glance at Eduardo, realizing my focus on the jacket lasted too long.

“I’m a little tired,” I say, noticing his expression remains wary. I extend to my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. “Someone kept me up late.”

My flirty teasing brings a smile to his face. “You should take a nap.” He guides me by the waist toward the staircase. I feel the phone calling to me as I climb the stairs and I know Eduardo is going to find it.

The wrath that awaits me when he discovers what I’ve been planning will destroy me and Javier.

I made a horrendous mistake and as Eduardo tucks me into bed, I want to take it all back. As of late, life has been bearable with Eduardo. He may not be the man I want to love me, but he loves me. He’s been kind and decent and now I’ve made certain he’ll regret it.

My body beckons me to sleep, winning the battle over my mind to stay awake because I know my life won’t be the same when I wake up.

“P
eyton’s very sweet,” Tori says, dangling a toy above Little A’s face.

I smile over at Peyton, who appears to be happy playing a game with Drew at the kitchen table. “Hmmm,” I respond, slightly amused.

“What? You don’t think so?”

“She’s a spit-fire, confident, sassy, argumentative . . . so many things, and yes, maybe a little sweet, too.”

Tori laughs deep from her chest. “She challenges you?”

I nod, joining in her laughter. “You have no idea.”

“I love it. And I’m happy you found someone.”

“Slow down there. I haven’t known her long and I’m still not over Maria.”

“I know, but it’s a start.” She picks Little A up, nuzzling her nose into his neck fat and blowing raspberries. My nephew’s laughter reminds me, life should be happy.

“You got a minute?” Brady asks. I didn’t hear him approach and I turn my head as he nods toward the back deck.

As we sit at the table outside, the worry casting over his expression means he wants to talk about something that will only lead to an argument. We may end up going to blows when I tell him what I’m doing and that Eduardo threatened his family.

To my surprise, Montez isn’t the name out of his mouth. “Have you talked to Liv?”

My head falls forward as irritation flares in my gut. I’ve only spoken to my sister a handful of times since she moved back to Pacific Beach to live with Harrison. He’s a cheating pig that will cheat again and she refuses to see it. “No.”

Brady pinches the bridge of his nose as I plan a trip to Pacific Beach to beat the shit out of Harrison. “She and Harrison are getting married.”

“What? How can she marry that fucker?” I shove back in the chair, balling my fists as I look for something to punch. I think I preferred the conversation where I thought Brady was going to tell me Harrison cheated on her again. “We have to talk some sense into her.”