The De La Cruz family rarely visits this ranch. Why would this man think you could possibly seduce one of them when they never stay longer than a day or so and are gone for years? That makes no sense. What does he think seducing one of them would gain him?
Lea shoved both hands through her hair and shrugged her shoulders. “Wealth, maybe. Thrills. I don’t know. DS runs drugs and weapons though. Esteban got caught up in all of that. He likes the idea of being on the inside of some underground gangster-type organization. DS talks about some secret society he belongs to—that all the members are in the know, and that kind of thing appeals to Esteban.”
Your parents?
“They’re both dead. We have a trust fund our uncle controls. Esteban is never satisfied. I keep thinking he’ll mellow out, but he keeps looking for that next thrill. Since he met DS, our lives have been insane. DS hangs out with some very scary people.”
Why do they believe a De La Cruz will come here?
“You.” Lea accepted the teacup and small plate of biscuits. “Your accident. Something that bad was bound to bring one of the owners to the ranch to check on things. Esteban probably sent for DS.” She took a sip of tea and regarded Marguarita over the rim of the steaming teacup. “I thought I would have a chance at a real life here. I like it here. And there’s . . . Julio.” She watched Marguarita’s face carefully. “Are you two involved? He’s very protective of you.”
We were raised as brother and sister.
“He doesn’t like us, does he?” Lea asked. “He doesn’t even look at me.”
She sounded so sad, it wrenched at Marguarita’s heart. Julio was right about her, she fell for every wounded thing, man or animal. She sighed and shrugged a little as she wrote.
Julio said it was strange that you and Esteban came here. You have money and you’re used to the city life. Neither of you seem to fit in here. But he looks at you, Lea. You’re beautiful. How could he not?
“I want to stay. Even after Esteban moves on, I want to stay here. I like our home and I’m beginning to love the horses. I know I could make a life here. And Esteban will move on. He gets bored easily. I’ve done my best to try to save him from himself, but I know I can’t. He won’t listen to me anymore. If one of the De La Cruz brothers doesn’t show up here soon, DS will want to go to another of the ranches where he might have a better chance of meeting one of them and Esteban will do whatever he says.”
The brothers keep to themselves. Even when they do show up at one of the ranches, they rarely talk to anyone but Cesaro. They stay a night or two and are gone again.
“Have you met them?”
A couple of them, once or twice, but I don’t really know them. Lea, whatever this man, DS, wants with the De La Cruz family, he won’t find it here. Does he want to do some sort of business with them?
Lea nibbled at a tea biscuit, a small frown on her face. “I don’t honestly know. Esteban won’t talk to me about it. He just tells me to do whatever DS says.”
Marguarita allowed the tea to slide down her throat. It was hot and sweet and her stomach rebelled a little, but settled after a moment or two. She’d found it difficult to eat food lately. Nothing tasted good, and often, she felt as if she might get sick when she put solid food in her stomach. The scent of meat particularly offended her. She feared it had something to do with the vampire attack on her and her torn throat. Of course Lea thought a large jungle cat had attacked her as most people did. She touched her throat and immediately felt the throb of the mark Zacarias had put on her. Without thinking, her fingertips brushed a caress over the spot.
“Does it hurt?” Lea asked. “Your throat?”
Marguarita shook her head. It didn’t hurt anymore, but it was still difficult to accept that she couldn’t speak. Lea had stayed her friend. Esteban had always acted as if he was courting her—until the accident. He continued to come around, but he was careful not to flirt too much with her anymore. She realized he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. Without a voice, she wasn’t up to his standards. Perhaps that was judging him harshly, but she had always known he wasn’t seriously courting her.
Lea impulsively leaned across the table and put her hand over Marguarita’s. “We’re such a pair. Me with nowhere to go and you with a torn throat.”
Marguarita smiled at her. She raised her teacup and took another sip.
“I don’t suppose Julio would have tea with us?” Lea ventured, trying to lighten the mood. “Maybe you could find a secret love potion and slip it to him.”
Marguarita smiled and shook her head.
Ask him to show you the horses. Get him talking about them. He loves the horses. I’ve never seen you ride. Do you know how?
“I hired this man to teach me, but he never shows up. I love to watch you ride, and when I’m on a horse I feel so free. I love the wind in my face and the way the horse moves, flowing across the ground. I know I could live here, even without my brother. I don’t spend much out of my trust fund, Esteban blows through his portion every month, but I could buy property here and be happy.”
There’s no city life here, Lea. It can be lonely for a woman.
Lea sighed and stroked her finger down her bruised cheek. “It can be lonely in the middle of a crowd, Marguarita. I just don’t feel I fit anywhere. Not until I came here. I know I seem sort of prissy to you, but I’m a hard worker. I can learn. I just want to find peace.”
Why do you travel with Esteban when you know he’s involved in illegal activity?
“He’s all I have. We have the family business and I could go back and work there, but my uncle is the only one alive that’s family other than Esteban. I didn’t even know him before my parents were killed in a small plane crash. He’s older and very rigid. Esteban can’t stand the sight of him and unfortunately, my uncle lets him know at every opportunity that he’s a spoiled rich kid. That just seems to egg Esteban on. I was hoping if I was with him, he’d stop doing such dangerous things.”
Is he hooked on drugs?
Lea bit at her lower lip. “He uses cocaine. At first it was recreational, and I tried not to get upset about it. Really everyone we knew used it. But Esteban can’t go a day without it now. I’ve tried to talk to him about it, but he says I don’t know how to have fun. He thinks I’m a workaholic. I used to work for my parents. Esteban was rather spoiled by my father and dad encouraged him to be a playboy.”
He must have taken your parents’ death very hard.
Lea nodded. “I think that’s what made him so vulnerable to DS. He started doing more drugs and partying hard. He jumps out of airplanes, skis very hazardous mountains, anything that’s dangerous, he does it. No matter what I say to him, I can’t stop him.” She rubbed her temples as if she had a headache. “I can’t keep following him around the world trying to keep him alive. He won’t listen to me.”
I’m sorry, Lea. I wish there was something I could do to help.
Lea sent her a small smile. “I appreciate your listening. It’s been a long time since I felt like I had a real friend I could confide in. I have absolutely no idea what I’m going to do to get me and Esteban out of this mess, but you’ve made me feel better.”
Is it safe for you to go home?
Marguarita wanted to invite her to stay, but with Zacarias in residence and knowing Esteban and DS were looking to meet a De La Cruz, she felt she had to protect Zacarias. But still, she felt afraid for Lea.
Lea shrugged. “Esteban loves me. He doesn’t believe DS would really hurt either one of us, but if it came down to it, I believe he would protect me. And I plan on avoiding DS. I just wanted you to know not to trust them when they come here. And they’ll come. I just don’t know what they’re up to. Once I’m back home I can try to get Esteban to tell me.”