Red

CHAPTER 16.

With a Jamaican mother and full-bloodied Black Spaniard father, disrespect was something that wasn't tolerated in the household nor was it something that I could show towards the persons who birthed me.

It was never the order of the day nor was it ever needed, I had passed through the teenage stage where I have rebelled against certain of their household rules that I considered was too much to follow because I wanted to have it my way.

But as I hit my early twenties and reflected back on the stupid things I've done, I now knew that they did it to protect me.

I was pissed and Xamuela could feel it as I cut her playground session short and told Cirano the bodyguard to bring us home.

When the front door of the mansion was shut behind me, I marched my way into the kitchen, following behind a walking Xamuela who heard the deep voice of her father earlier and without question headed there.

Trying to get away from my presence which is to her, right now, was filled with quietness.

I love kids trust me I do, if I didn't Nava would have allowed me to fall into a role that was different from a care giving nanny. But love has limits.

And mine stops at one thing...Rudeness.

"Papa!" I watched as the little girl ran towards him.

Lorenzo jolted slightly, trying to hide the cigar he was smoking. He pushed the half‑lit blunt behind his ear, still smoking, still stinking. The room was thick with weed, and I wrinkled my nose at the smell.

"Baby girl," he grunted, licking his lips as he lifted her, settling her on his hip.

"Mr. Black, can we talk?" I gritted.

He notice my annoyance instantly. He set Xam down at the table and slid a bowl of minced fruit toward her, then resumed cutting more.

I turned on my heel and walked out, hearing his heavy footsteps fall into steps behind mine.

The living room was quiet, far away from Xam's ears. I stopped. I shouldn't have looked at him. But my eyes betrayed me. His entire upper body was bare nothing but black sweatpants hanging so low on his hips I could see his V‑line, the trail of hair disappearing under the waistband.

His dark eyes locked onto mine silent and intensw.

A dusk‑colored intensity expanded through them, swallowing up the lighter brown until he was looking at me like he wanted to eat me alive. I sucked in a breath and whispered.
"Your daughter disrespected me earlier, and I'm asking you nicely to speak with her about it."

I emphasized nicely, because every member in my body was irritation. He stepped into my space until I could see the small cuts from old bruises underneath his eyes.

"It must be a reason why she said it, sì, Aurora?"

I froze and clenched my hands into fists. My glare sharpens. He just watched me in silent intensity. Fuck. Drawing me in. I fought against the heated control of his stare.

"Please be reminded," I hissed, "that you were the one who told me not to indulge your fucking kid with soda. So if you have something to say to me, motherfucker, then say it clearly."

I spoke my mind. Always. And it was obvious this man had something against me from the moment I arrived. I hated how much he spar with me dominantly...like he was wired to make me break. It wasn't the kind of broken that hurt...but the kind of break that plunge heat into my veins, causing the pulse in my neck to quicken.

Fine.

The feeling was mutual, he killed something that meant everything to me that even the very essence of life keeps on reminding me daily that I was not deserving to keep him.

He licked his bottom lip slowly. His gaze dragged over my face like he was memorizing every feature.

"How about the fact," he murmured, "that I don't trust you."

He bent, lowering himself to my height, His breath brushed my cheek. My eyes fluttered closed.

Musk and wood. That was his intense scent. I softly took an inhale without meaning to. My body reacted. Goosebumps dance across my arms, my spine arching in a deep curve on its own as he presses his lips on the curve of my earlobe.

I could taste it, him...so fucking consuming...My senses couldn't do anything else but shut down to his aura.

His lips moved as the deepness of his tone slid into my hearing. Cold breath escaped them and it weakens me in the knees. "I don't fucking trust you for some reason," he whispered, voice hoarse.

"I despise how you answer me. How much you despise weakness. How much I seem to can't understand why I can't figure you out. And I want to know why. My intuition is always right."

A shiver crawl down my spine. Even through the haze, I tried not to allow this man to push me over. I needed him to trust me, without his trust, my investigation will become null and void.

River's death then would become nothing and I tried not to think about what I would do if I ever got to that stage.

"But because I see how happy my daughter is with you here..." He paused, letting that sink in. "I'll speak with her. And you Miss Lopez will prove my gut feeling wrong."

Just like that he stepped away. My eyes open as his large naked back walk down the hall, my mouth running dry, as his scent clung to me.