Sun in the South |• Southern Horror Series

8. The Birth Of Jealousy

There was dead silence as the elevator sped down and slammed into the ground with a dull thud. The doors shrieked open and they both faced the exit.

His entourage that followed him discreetly had started to fall out too. He never went anywhere without them, not while he was a state treasure, but they were never in open sight.

Getting to where the Acura was parked, Vasquez didn't go inside, he perched at the burnet and bored Yvonne a worried look. "You haven't said a word since Sammy interrupted us."

Ignoring him, Yvonne fetched her phone from the strapless purse in her palm and checked the time. It was already nine o'clock. Cross's arraignment was tomorrow, she also had another case at hand. Staying quiet and deep into the night with Vasquez wasn't ideal.

"Can I go home now?" She eyed him, choking back the bitter words that were at the tip of her tongue. "It's late, my daughter is alone at home." Clarissa was fine at her friend's house.

"Sammy is..." he froze, nearly scratching his head for the right words. Yvonne obviously didn't like to hear about Monica so there was no difference in saying Monica's sister. "She's nothing to worry about."

Yvonne bit her lip till the red lipstick began to crack. "You fuck her?" She needed to know. Was she fighting for first or second place, or even third, because Monica was technically still in the picture. "Answer me, Esteban."

"No, hell no. She's my sister in-law." Shit. What was his problem? "Was...my sister in-law."

Clearly, Yvonne was fighting for third place. His ex-wife, his present tense sister in-law, then herself. "What business do you have with her?" She took two quick steps forward. "I don't mean to meddle, but your divorce was finalized almost three months ago. Your ex-wife still shows up at your apartment, your ex-sister in-law barges in on you unannounced."

"They don't even know about you yet. It's been what? Twenty-four hours? All that will change when they do," he said defensively.

"If. I've not decided anything." She kept a straight face. "I didn't have a choice tonight. But I can choose, moving forward."

Vasquez's brows drew in. The end of what hadn't began looked near. "What are you choosing?" His voice was more of a breath of tension.

"It comes with options, and I'll tell you now."

"Carry on." He stiffened just as the whistling wind fanned his skin and clothed him with goosebumps.

Trying to keep her flying hair in place, Yvonne bushed the strands to her left shoulder and met Vasquez's expressionless face. "In order to decide whether I'll keep hanging out with you, I need to know what the deal with your ex-wife is. Including her sister."

"I'm not quite following," Vasquez asked, his face pale as a sheet, "What does that matter to you, Yvonne?"

"It matters to me, because you said yesterday that you'd like to fuck me today, tomorrow and take me out and fuck me again. If I'm guessing right, it means you want to start something with me. It cannot be a secret relationship."

Vasquez hemmed, eyes not wavering from Yvonne's as they stilled in a critical way. She had a way of looking deep into one's soul to convey serious thoughts.

After another stretch of silence, Vasquez nodded. "I'm not hiding you from anyone. I don't even have the time for those silly games. I just don't know where you stand with me, because I want to know you. I admire you. A lot. And I want to see where this goes." He folded his arms, taking a serious posture. "Now what do you say?"

Contemplating, Yvonne said, "Let's go with the flow."

"That I can do." He dragged her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "I can go with the good flow." Yvonne moaned, hugged him back, unleashing all her a burdens on him.