Chapter 7

—Tristan—

I drive like the hounds of hell are coming for me, I can't believe that she's been under my nose all this while. Was this part of their plan? For her to get close to me and eventually kill me? Or did she really tell the truth and she has no idea who I am.

Either way it doesn't matter, I have her now and I'm going to use her to bring down Salvador. U finally get to the house, I don't even bother parking well or turning off the car.

"Tristan wait, you can't just barge in there, we need a plan." Damian tells me.

"Plan? I'm going to go in there and let her know the jig is up and I know who she really is and lock her in the basement."

"No, I don't think we should do that, if you go in there looking all angry and she really is working for Salvador she'll find a way to warn him. We have to go about this in a different way."

I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down. "So what's your plan?"

"She trusts you, let's just act normal. Its afternoon let's invite her to join us for lunch, then I'll slip something into her drink. Then we can lock her up without any problems and then we can question her."

"Ok, let's do it." We both walk into the house Damian heads into the kitchen while I go to Ellie's room. I make sure to school my features, make sure my anger isn't showing on my face before I open the door.

—Ellie—

The door opened, startling me. Alejandro stood in the doorway.

He leaned on the doorframe, looking bored but so fucking sexy at the same time.

“How’s your head?” he asked.

My heart fluttered. “I’m okay.” I reached up and touched the small cut. “Nothing major.”

“Good,” he said and crossed his arms. His shirt was tight around his biceps. I pressed my lips together, ignoring the rush of warmth that went between my legs.

“What are you doing?” I asked, voice weak. Tristan moved across the room.

“Just checking on you,” he whispered. He leaned close to me.

“Come downstairs,” he said shortly. “Have lunch with me.”

I pushed my eyebrows together. “Uh, okay.”

“You look nice,” he said, and I instantly blushed. The clothes I’d been given were nice. Very nice. But I didn’t have makeup on, nor had I done anything more to my hair than brush it and twist it in a bun at the nape of my neck. I might have been planning on curling my hair before he came in before heading to bed.

“Thanks. So do you,” I blurted. Tristan turned, not before I caught the amusement in his eyes. He knew he looked good.

Fuck him.

Lunch was ready when we got downstairs. The fact that he ate in the kitchen and not the dining room surprised me.

There was a man there that I did not recognize. "Ellie, this is Damian, my best friend."

"Oh, it's nice to meet you Damian."

"Likewise." He says.

“So,” I started, compelled to say something, “how was your day?”

He picked up a glass of water, flicking his eyes to me with a look that said “did you really just ask me that”?

I bit my lip and nodded. “Right. Top-secret bad stuff. How could I forget?” My stomach grumbled. Though I found the food too spicy, I couldn’t deny it was good. Really good.

We ate in silence for a few minutes. I was halfway done with my enchilada when Damian spoke.

"So Ellie, tell us about yourself. Where are you from?"

"There's nothing much to tell, I'm just an artist from Indianapolis."

Damian turns to Tristan and a look that I don't understand passes between both of them.

“Is it cold in Indianapolis?” he asked.

I shrugged as I finished chewing, used to his random questioning and small talk by now. “Not right now. It gets cold in the winter. But,” I paused to take a drink of water, “I used to live in northern Michigan. Indy winters don’t compare.”

Tristan smiled. Oh, shit, my heart. It fluttered every time he flashed those pearly whites. “How so, chica?”

“Uh.” I was suddenly nervous as I looked into his deep chocolate eyes. “Way more snow. The winters start sooner and last longer. And it’s not unusual to have days and days of temps in the negatives.”

Tristan chuckled as he pushed rice around his plate. “Why would anyone want to live there?”

“Trust me.” I leaned forward. “I asked myself that many times. Indy’s nowhere near as bad. I mean, it can get bitter cold, but the temperature averages in the thirties and high twenties.”

"And what about your parents?"

"Well they are both still alive but we aren't really close anymore, they don't approve of my career and most of the choices I make."

"And they also live in Indianapolis?" He asks.

I'm starting to get nervous, what's with all the questions. "I'm not sure I should answer that, what's with all the questions about my parents, are you planning on hurting them?"

Tristan places his hands on mine. "Relax, chica Damian is just making conversation, he doesn't know the meaning of boundaries, do forgive him." He says looking at Damian.

"I'm sorry, do forgive me Ellie, I was just trying to know more about you. I didn't mean anything by it."

"It's okay." I tell him.

"Ok, let's celebrate our new found friendship, I'm going to get us some wine." Damian gets up and heads back to the kitchen. A few minutes later he comes back with three glasses of red wine.

He hands one glass to me and one to Tristan. "Let's raise our glasses to new friends."

"To new friends." I echo back and take a drink from my glass.

"So Ellie, do you have any relations here in Mexico?."

"Yea…I start to answer him, but all of a sudden I start to feel dizzy. I stagger back and lean against the table.

"What's happening to me? I can't feel my legs or arms? Tristan what's happening?" I ask, starting to feel very scared.

“There’s a sedative spreading through your bloodstream.”

"Why?" I asked him. But I don't get his answer. The last thing I remember is him smiling down deviously at me before blacking out.