The Muscle Part Two Read Free

breath against the pain of the memory. Because as bad as the rape had been — the feeling of helplessness, of being just conscious enough to know what was happening to her but not coherent or in control enough to make it stop — the worst part of all was knowing Diego had done it to her, had orchestrated the whole thing as a way to keep control of her. Had let his own men violate her so that she had to see them every day in her own home. “Even when you did what you did,” she continued, “I cooperated with you. I - ”
    “You had no choice,” Diego shouted. “Have no choice.”
    “Everyone has choices, mi hermano. You’re the one who said that. And you’re right. I could have left with Sofia and let the world see that awful video. I could have lived with the fallout of it. Forced Sofia to live with the fallout. Maybe I’m just a coward. But whatever the reason, you’ve been able to run the business as you see fit, with all the money you want and need. I don’t ask questions, don’t expect to be part of the business. I - ”
    He interrupted her again. “You don’t want to be part of the business.”
    “That may be true, but you have done everything in your power to exercise control over me, and I’ve allowed it to happen. All I’ve asked in return — the only thing I’ve asked in return — is that you leave Sofia and me alone. Let us find some kind of happiness here in this prison.”
    His laugh was mean and cold. “Prison?” He looked around, and she followed his gaze, taking in the infinity pool, the giant covered palazzo lined with teak lounge chairs, the ocean in the distance. “Some prison.”
    “A prison doesn’t have to look ugly to be ugly,” she said softly. “To keep you from the things you want.”
    “And what is it you want?” he asked.
    She shrugged, not daring to believe it was an honest question, a legitimate negotiation. “To be free. Sofia and I don’t need much. We can take a small amount of the inheritance and be on our way.”
    “Papa insured that you couldn’t sign it over to me,” he said. “The old bastard never trusted me.”
    “I can sign some papers giving you access to a certain amount, and we can meet once a year so I can have more disbursed from the fund.”
    He hesitated, and for a few seconds she actually believed he might say yes. That she and Sofia might walk off the property truly free for the first time in almost two years.
    “I don’t think so, Isa.” She tried to hide her disappointment. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. “What if you don’t come back?” He continued without waiting for her answer. “I can’t risk it. You’ll stay here with Sofia. This is your home, after all.”
    He was almost to the terrace doors when she found her voice again. “What about Luca?”
    He turned, waved away her question like it was a fruit fly in summer. “Enjoy the sun, Isa. Relax. Rest. Let the men handle the business.”
    He disappeared into the house, and she put her fist in her mouth and bit hard enough to leave marks on her skin. He was going to make her crazy before she got out of here. Either that, or she was going to end up killing him herself.

3
    L uca left the meeting with Marco and Elia feeling moderately better. He still didn’t know what was going to happen with Diego, but at least he wasn’t in it alone anymore. Marco and Elia were both expecting texts from him within the next two hours. If they didn’t come, a shit storm the likes of which Diego Fuentes had never seen would descend on the Fuentes compound.
    And he wasn’t worried about Diego. Luca could easily handle him. In fact, Luca could easily handle five of him. But more than that would be a challenge, and while he wasn’t usually opposed to that kind of challenge, he had Isabel and her little sister to think about now. They were depending on him to get them away from Diego, and he couldn’t do that if he was dead.
    He pulled up to the gates outside the property