DOGS. Legacy Saga II

30

Marina felt Castillano's body against hers, his hand running from her knee up her thigh to slip under the bottoms of her shirt. Wherever he touched her, her skin seemed to burn. Her body complained every time he pressed his hips to hers. It complained about the clothes between them, and called for a touch she'd never experienced. She tugged at his hair to make him bring up his face. And her chest complained too, cold without his lips.

Castillano held her tight, kissing her with a growing urgency, wondering why there was so much child to caress, to taste, to make shiver before taking her. Marina kissed him as to steal his soul away. A long, deep kiss that left them both out of breath. She grabbed his face, the tip of their noses rubbing each other every time he pushed her with his hips.

"Do you love me?" she murmured, breathing heavily.

Castillano nodded, captive of those black eyes that had doomed him long ago. "Of course I love you. Over my own life."

"Over your own death?"

He froze and frowned. "What do you mean, child?"

He spotted a tear trembling between her eyelashes. Marina caressed his lips, staring straight into his eyes.

"Will you come with me?"

Castillano looked away, sighing. So that was it all about. It had to be Dolores' work, because such a low blow wasn't in Marina's nature. He was going to strangle the woman with his own hands.

"Did Segovia tell you that you're expected in Veracruz by Monday?"

His reaction was to let go of Marina. But he knew that if he did, he would most likely never hold her in his arms again. He caressed her cheek gently.

"No, and he said he'd received nothing from my counsel."

She let him caress her neck and shoulder. "And you believe him."

Castillano grimaced and nodded.

"Even if I tell you he's lying through his teeth."

"Please, don't do this."

He was surprised when she grabbed his face again and kissed him. But as she did, her leg moved down from his waist. He felt the tear that rolled against his own cheek.

"How can you say you love me if you don't trust me?" she whispered by his mouth, pressing her forehead to his.

"I trust you. But I do not trust your friend upstairs. And I don't want you to become manipulative and scheming like her."

"Scheming and manipulative? You should see the bruises your friend the general left her this afternoon. Dolores is here only to help you and me, and because of that, she got hurt today."

"What?" Somehow Castillano managed to keep his voice a whisper.

He rested his weight on his elbow. Marina put some order to her shirt. "When we met them at the market, she mentioned the general had news you'd be interested in. That's why she invited him for dinner: so he would tell you about it himself, for you to believe us. But as soon as they got back to his coach, the son of a bitch closed the curtains, locked the doors and hit her. He ever threatened to kill her if she ever blurted out again." She sat up and rested her back on the pillows, running her fingers through Castillano's hair with a sad grimace. "But you refuse to trust me. Even though you say you love me, and knowing I love you."

Castillano threw his arm around her waist and rested his head on her lap. He caressed Marina's leg out of habit, feeling every scar that still lasted on her skin.

"Segovia is concealing something," she said. "Maybe he plans to hand you over directly to the church, I don't know. But we can't stay to find out. The Phantom awaits nearby, ready to set sail. Let's go, please. Let's leave tonight."