Illicit Proposition by Piper Stone

Chapter 11

Santiago

Serendipity.

I remembered my mother using the word often. She’d always believed in the capabilities of karma, subscribing to the belief that anyone who wronged our family would meet a greater fate. I hadn’t thought about that in a long time. Maybe the party was nothing but tempting destiny.

Or perhaps my insistence at attending the event was more about hoping Rafael would recognize the man he’d treated like an animal from across the room. Would some call my decision foolish? Absolutely. But I’d never been a man capable of taking anyone’s advice.

I’d been pleased as well as surprised that Devon had mastered the course throughout the day after finally focusing. However, I’d also noticed that she’d remained on edge, her nerves likely the reason the alarm was tripped on several occasions. Perhaps after the party she would feel more comfortable.

Then again, I was pushing her, given my fear the timing would need to be changed. I would make the determination if it was necessary to pull the plug after returning from the event.

I would also continue her education in following orders as well as understanding respect. She’d crossed one too many lines. As I turned the last corner, heading toward Rafael’s estate, I could sense just how nervous she was. The moment I slid my hand on her thigh, she flinched.

“You’re going to need to trust me, Devon.”

“How can I trust a man I barely know? One who didn’t provide all the details before I signed my life away?”

“You will have a life. I promise you that.”

She slowly turned her head in my direction. “You can’t make that promise, Santiago. Not this time.”

My gut continued to churn. There were too many obstacles, chances for things to go wrong. I’d come to realize just how important Devon had become.

To my needs.

To my soul.

Even to my heart.

“Yes, I can. You look exquisite tonight.” I wasn’t certain if she’d even care about my compliment. I refused to take my hand away, the sensations just as incredible as always. My cock ached to be inside of her, the longing something that never seemed to leave.

“Thank you. I wish we were going to a wonderful party, just the two of us, hoping to share some champagne and maybe a dance or two.”

“Would you like that?”

She laughed softly, her tension easing. “Actually, I would. Or maybe just going out to a quiet dinner on the beach somewhere. That would also be amazing. You’re wrong about the girl I am inside, Santiago. I love romantic walks on beaches, looking up at the stars. Maybe there would be a lovely fire. We could cook crabs and shrimp, drink wine or champagne. Then we could relax on a gorgeous blanket as we waited for the beautiful sunrise.”

I was surprised she’d let me into her fantasies on any level. “That sounds amazing. Believe it or not, I would enjoy that as well.”

“I’m actually not certain I could believe it. You seem like the fast cars and Learjet kind of guy. You know the type. You prefer dark clubs to beach parties.”

“Well, you just might be wrong about that. I could surprise you.”

I could feel the heat of her gaze, my body reacting immediately as my cock pressed against my zipper.

“I would love to find out, Santiago. But only if you decide to let me in after dropping your armor.”

“We all have something we keep locked inside.”

“This is true,” she said wistfully.

I’d never asked her about her parents or any other aspect of her life. At least not to any degree. In truth, I was very curious about the woman inside.

“Why did you move into a life of crime? From what I’ve read, your family was wealthy and influential. You went to the best schools and had everything at your fingertips.”

She seemed uncomfortable by my questions, sighing as she fiddled with her hands. “That’s very true, although I didn’t care or respect that until it was too late. My father was always a diplomat. We lived in Venezuela for two years, although I was too young to remember. Then he was awarded the station in Madrid. That’s the life I knew. I was really a Spanish kid and totally fit in, or so I thought. When we returned to the United States, I was sixteen and already rebellious.”

“I can see that,” I said teasingly.

She gave me a look, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, well, when I returned to the States, I felt important. I quickly learned I was nothing more than an outcast. I hated the private school I was forced to go to, and my grades reflected it. The kids hated me, doing everything in their power to make my life miserable. I rebelled even more, finding some kids from a normal high school to hang out with. Then I met Snake.”

“Snake?”

“Don’t laugh. He had a snake tattoo, which made him one of the most popular kids in school. He was badass through and through. And he liked me. Imagine that. To answer your question, I allowed him to draw me into his world because I thought I was in love. Sure, at first everything was awesome, but he was so angry. He’d been shifted from one foster home to another, and it warped his thinking about right and wrong. I allowed myself to get trapped. When things went south, of course he dumped me. I was crushed. Thank God my father cared enough to use every influence he had to keep me out of jail. The prosecutors had wanted to try me as an adult, but he was having none of it. It was a huge scandal though, which is why it has followed me to this day.”

She looked away, her breathing ragged.

“Your parents really loved you.”

“Yes, they did, but I still didn’t care. At least until my father died. That was the most horrible moment of my life, or so I thought.”

“What happened to your parents?” I could tell the second I asked the question she was prepared to shut down.

But she surprised me once again.

“My father died of cancer. He suffered endlessly for months, determined to try various breakthrough experiments, none of which were covered by his insurance. He spent almost every dime trying to survive. When he died, my mother was heartbroken. He’d been the first and only love of her life. She couldn’t bear to live without him, so she simply faded away. It took six months. She endured six months of the memories and hopes. When she slept, she had nightmares every single night. I did what I could to comfort her, but she had no will to live. When I told her in anger that I never wanted to find that kind of love, she scolded me. And my mother was so good at that.” She shifted her gaze to the window, taking several deep breaths.

“I’m so sorry.” While I wasn’t certain what to say, I was surprised at the horrific ache I felt.

“You know, she told me that the only thing that mattered to her in the entire world was her family. Nothing else. Not money. Not a big house or a car. She loved being in love. She even made me promise that when I found true love that I would never allow anything to stop me from having an amazing life with the man of my dreams. Just like she’d found.”

“Your mother sounds amazing.”

“She was. And I took it for granted until she was gone.”

I took a deep breath, realizing we were getting close. A significant part of me wanted nothing more than to turn around, finding a quiet little restaurant on the beach.

But it was something I couldn’t do.

“Don’t give up on your dream, Devon. You deserve to find the right man in your life, one that will treat you with respect.” I’d never been the kind of man to care about anyone else after my own tragedy. Maybe it was time to learn to live again.

Even love.

Jesus. I’d been thinking of her as nothing but a possession just like she’d accused me of.

“Do you believe in love, Santiago?”

I tapped my finger on the steering wheel. “For some people.”

“Just not for you. What a shame. I think you can be an amazing man.”

“Then I don’t think you know me very well.”

“What if I’d like to?” she asked in a whispered voice, her eyes imploring.

“No, you wouldn’t, Devon. We’re almost there.”

Exhaling, she looked away once again.

As the estate came into view, the ache remained deep inside. Devon had entered my life for entirely the wrong reasons.

I not only wanted to own her.

I wanted to love her.

Everything was in place, soldiers positioned on the outer limits of Perez’s property. The irony was that he’d purchased and renovated a formal cathedral positioned in one of the most secluded locations near the ocean, access only possible one way by road. The surrounding dense vegetation made it almost impossible to access on foot.

He’d also installed several unsavory traps for anyone who tried.

While Rafael’s reputation as a consummate host had been in place for years, he’d pulled out all the stops for tonight’s event. The milelong driveway leading up to the estate was lit with glowing candles, the valets hired to sequester cars on an adjacent piece of land owned by the family. Every guest was elegantly dressed, some in full period costumes while others had simply purchased a mask.

I’d had no intentions of dressing up like some coifed monkey, although I was fond of the look I’d created, a nod to the fictional character of Zorro.

As far as Devon, she was positively radiant in her beautiful dark violet gown and sequined mask, soft curls piled on top of her head.

Before entering, I gazed up at what appeared to be an old bell tower, shaking my head. Everything Rafael did was grandiose. The old church had once been the pride of the small village. Now it was electrified at night, anyone violating Rafael’s private space never seeing the light of day again.

“You have one job tonight, observation,” I told her before walking into the estate. “If we’re able to get into the room, you won’t be able to ask many questions without raising suspicions.”

Devon tipped her head, a wry smile crossing her face. “What I was good at during my days of criminal activity was observation, Santiago. You won’t have to worry about me. I’ll even manage to take a few pictures.”

“We shall see if I need to discipline you later.”

“That’s not going to happen,” she said through clenched teeth.

Chuckling, I pulled her closer. “You should know that Rafael has a son, a man poised to take over his father’s position. He will more likely be the one to cause any issues if he suspects you’re too interested in the crest.”

“Maybe it’s time for you to trust me, Santiago. That’s what you hired me for. Remember?”

“I’m certain that you won’t allow me to forget that, and I do remember your varied and useful skills. You need to be the consummate actress tonight. After all, we are a couple.”

“Hmmm… That will be the true test of the evening.” She laughed before sliding her arm around mine.

As we walked inside, I was immediately more on edge than before. I’d taken note of the dozens of guards who’d been assigned to walk the property. If any of the guests were bothered by the number of men carrying weapons, it was impossible to tell by the festive atmosphere.

There were two large men flanking the entrance, searching for weapons.

As I held my arms out, I caught my first glimpse of the expensive gala, a smile crossing my face. Rafael enjoyed flaunting his money more than anything, something my father had never done.

When the guards moved toward Devon, I was certain she was going to refuse this invasive technique. Even I had to fight to keep control as the huge man seemed to enjoy taking his time. As he motioned for her belongings, I could tell she was on the verge of refusing.

She finally handed him her purse, smacking it against his chest and keeping a nasty glare on her face. From what I could tell, she’d brought little with her other than her phone, which the guard didn’t seem to appreciate.

“No fotos,” he barked.

“Mi madre esta en su lecho de muerte. Necesito ver como esta ella.”

I was no longer amazed at her ability to react to a situation. ‘My mother is on her death bed. I need to check on her.’ The statement was clever indeed.

He eyed her carefully, taking his time to allow his gaze to fall to her breasts before shooting me a look. Then he nodded, handing her the purse.

She cursed under her breath, daring to shove him away before walking away from him.

“Now, now, my sweet Devon. It’s not time to make a scene.”

“That man was a pig. He’s lucky I didn’t scratch out his eyes.” She laughed, not bothering to glance in my direction.

“Behave, you naughty girl. This will all be over within the hour.”

“God, I hope so. My skin is crawling.”

I’d been to Rafael’s house on one occasion, the impromptu meeting called by Rafael unexpected, at least according to my father. That had been the first day I’d been exposed to the three other mafia Dons as they’d been gathered for a meeting. I’d been allowed inside the majestic house only after the insistence of my father. Maybe he’d been grooming me for the business against my mother’s wishes.

What I’d learned that day had been invaluable. Their meeting was all about overthrowing a new crime syndicate determined to muscle into the combined territories. They’d developed a plan to eradicate the unwanted family, agreeing on a course of action. The meeting had lasted only one hour, but the aftermath would linger for months to come.

Within one week, the family had been gunned down, a number of the soldiers dying in a bloody war. The message the unorthodox group had orchestrated was relayed throughout several countries.

Do not step foot inside Spain without fear of retaliation.

Until the day my father had died, no one else had attempted something so egregious. With Rafael on notice that his holdings were under attack, he would need to draw in additional power from law enforcement as well as other strategic leaders. I would be curious how he planned on doing that.

However, what no one knew is that I’d already developed an alliance with the fellow Dons Rafael had ousted. They were merely waiting for my call-in order to unleash their wrath for being dealt significant blows to their respective organizations.

I’d insisted that I handle Rafael myself.

There were waiters everywhere, enough people that taking a tour of the house wouldn’t be noticed. I grabbed two glasses of champagne, sliding one into her hand before guiding her into the main room. The ornate Spanish interior was complete with a large stone fireplace, the space the size of a ballroom.

“This is beautiful,” she whispered. “But cold.”

“It was once a church.”

“Isn’t that fascinating. And pompous.”

When she tried to pull away from me, I yanked her elbow. “Stay close, my lovely Devon. At least for now. You’ll get your chance to study the room.”

She shifted toward me, purring then brushing her lips across my cheek. “You’re the one who will draw more attention.”

“We shall see.”

Just being inside the house pulled another round of anger close to the surface. While Rafael was nowhere to be seen, I noticed Emilio holding court toward the end of the room.

“Where is the crest from here?” she asked quietly.

There wasn’t a man in the room who wasn’t watching her intently as we walked further into the festively decorated space. Just as I’d experienced in the airport, a pang of jealousy washed into my system. “If you look behind us, there are two hallways. One leads to the main portion of the house. The other corridor leads to a second building used for business. There are no maps of the facility, but I was allowed to see the space once a long time ago. I doubt it’s changed. Once inside the building, the library is located on the west side, the last room.”

“Wait a minute. You’re not certain everything is the same as years before?” She took a step away, pressing her hand against me.

I brought the same hand to my mouth, taking my time to nuzzle my face against it, using the opportunity to scan what I could see of the perimeter. “I assure you that Rafael is a creature of habit.”

“My God. You’re taking a significant chance.”

“As I said, it’s necessary. This is just a party and nothing else.”

She turned around slowly, keeping a plastic smile on her face. “Fine. A party. Both passageways are lit up suggesting they are welcoming visitors.”

“As expected, but not yet. I need to make certain this isn’t a trap. You will obey my command.”

“Why, yes, sir.”

Another round of filthy thoughts rushed into my mind, my hunger increasing. Now wasn’t the time to talk about anything but the business at hand. Growling, I scanned the room once again, searching for any sign of Rafael. While everyone was masked, it was easy enough to recognize several upper-level politicians as I overheard a few of the conversations. I dared to guide her closer to Emilio, enjoying the way he had everyone enthralled with whatever story he was telling.

He’d changed from the lanky boy I remembered much like I had. What a shame his father had fucked up any chance of working together.

“Be very careful,” I advised.

“Interesting guy,” she whispered.

“Dangerous. Keep that in mind.” While Emilio was saying nothing of any real interest, it gave me the opportunity to identify a few of the other guests, many of whom I remembered from years before. It would seem very little had changed, those with power hungry for me.

Those without power eager to ride on the coattails of those who had it.

Even if it meant selling their souls.

After a few seconds, Emilio noticed Devon. As a smile crossed his face, I bristled. When he walked closer, I was prepared to reach for the knife I’d secured against my leg. I took a deep breath, waiting to see what he would do.

As he took her hand, bringing it to his mouth, his husky words only fueled my anger.

“La criatura mas hermosa de la habitcion.” Sighing, he repeated the words in English. “The most beautiful creature in the room.”

“Gracias, buen señor. Una fiesta fabulosa,” she replied, her accent flawless.

I resisted laughing at her response. ‘Thank you, kind sir. A fabulous party.’ Perhaps I didn’t need to worry about her ability to interact.

“Ah, and you come with Zorro,” he added as he turned his head in my direction.

For a few seconds, there was no doubt he was attempting to recognize me.

I nodded out of expected respect. “Only as her bodyguard, I assure you.”

“Emilio Perez,” he said as he held out his hand.

I grasped it with vigor, squeezing as I cocked my head. “Santiago Romero.”

“I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you.”

Chuckling, I released my hold, but my eyes never left his. “My business brings me to Barcelona for a few days. I’m grateful for the invitation to such a spectacular event.”

After a few seconds of hesitation, he gave her another long and very heated onceover. “It is our pleasure. I do hope both of you enjoy the party. If your… bodyguard will allow, I would enjoy a dance later.”

“Of course,” she mewed, giving him a warm smile. When he walked away, she hissed. “Another pig. That was bold of you.”

“That was necessary as well. Emilio and I grew up together. There was no sign of recognition.”

“Often that comes with time, Santiago,” she stated defiantly.

“We shall see.”

As we continued milling through the crowd, I was finally able to catch a glimpse of Rafael moments later.

There was no mistaking the man who thought he was God. His entrance was just as grand as his ridiculous outfit. He was beaming with happiness, not at all what I’d expected with regard to his mood. However, after a few seconds of observation, I noticed a nervous tic in the corner of his mouth as he continuously scanned the room.

“Rafael, I assume?” Devon asked.

“Yes. If I’m not mistaken, it would appear he’s anticipating my entrance.”

“Are you certain you still want to do this?”

“I assure you, my princess, I wouldn’t avoid it for the world.” I checked for Emilio. He was already entertaining another group of guests at the other end of the great hall. “Now is your time. I doubt you’ll have more than a few minutes. Get what you need quickly.”

“Where are you going?”

I gave her a look, offering a sly smile. “To do some investigation of my own. I’ll only be gone for a few minutes. That should provide you with enough time.”

“I’ll do my best. What if I get caught?”

“I have no doubt that amongst your many skills is the ability to get out of a difficult situation. While I won’t be able to come to your defense initially if things get out of hand, I assure you that I will find you. As soon as you’ve had the time to gather what you need, we will leave. Perhaps a nice dinner in the heart of Barcelona is in order.”

“You are taking this far too nonchalantly, Santiago.”

“Because I do trust you.”

I nodded then left her alone, turning around only once, watching as she managed to slip into the darkness of the passageway. As I made my way toward Rafael, I made note of the people who’d surrounded him, including two men who were obvious guards. I was able to catch a glimpse of their weapons even as they tried to keep them hidden. That was unusual behavior for a man like Rafael.

My message had been heard loud and clear.

While I wouldn’t risk the possibility of being identified, I managed to get close enough to hear a portion of his discussions about a new business venture. As I listened to the words, a cold chill shifted down my spine.

I moved further away, yet still able to listen to what he was saying. Now I was enraged, murderous thoughts entering my mind.

Within seconds, I realized that my instincts had been correct.

There was someone betraying me.

I felt an imminent need to get us the hell out of his estate and off the grounds. If I was right, there were already systematic searches in order. No wonder I’d noticed additional guards. Ten minutes had passed and she’d yet to return. Something was wrong, every red flag raising. Then I realized that Emilio was no longer in the room.

As I headed toward the corridor, another group of soldiers moved into the room, fanning out as they continued their search. It would appear I’d been played the entire time.

And I’d been foolish enough to walk into a trap.