Falling With Grace

Her legs were long and lean with a bronze sheen as though she’d polished them with lotion before we arrived. Her thick black hair hung down her back, and her brown eyes narrowed.

“Nadia, you press my patience…”

Javier jerked me in the opposite direction as Elias stepped into the woman’s face, her defensive stance unwavering.

Is she his wife?

He allowed people to speak to him that way?

Andrés would’ve made an example outof her by now.

Javier jerked me to a chair as an elderly woman stepped into the room with a banana, her eyes flashing down my damp frame with wide eyes. She strode toward us, determination on her brow.

“¡Fuera de mi vista, muchacho!”

A smile quirked my chattering lips as she pushed theboyoff.

I tamped down my smirk, a slight giggle stifled in my throat.

Javier was a grown, handsome man with tattoos adorning his body.

He was far from aboy.

“What’s your name, little one?” The woman bent down and bit into her banana, her eyes flashing with irritation as Javier moved toward me.

“Leave her, Señora Hernández.”

“Are you telling me what to do, Javier? I wiped your ass as a babe.”

My spine grew rigid as the woman reached for her flip-flop.

Hernández?EliasHernández.

Andrés spoke about this man more times than I could count.

He wasn’t good enough to take his father’s place.

He changed the rules of the cartel.

But one thing he’d always make his men understand… Elias was a powerful man, a powerfulEl Jefe, and he wasn’t to be underestimated.

The man who put a tremble on Andrés’ men stood in the same room as me, berating a woman for not paying more attention to his mother.

“What’s your name, little one?” she asked again, her hand outstretched as she pushed Javier out of the way.

“Grace.”

“What a special name. I’m Rosa.” She glared at Javier as he moved to intercept my hand, reaching for hers. “You’re shivering. Let’s get you into something warm.”

I swallowed and nodded, daring a glance at Javier, who threatened me with his eyes.

A ball of knots formed in my belly.

“I don’t think I’m supposed to move from this chair.”

She smiled and gripped my hand. “I make the decisions in this house. Don’t let them fool you.”

Mrs. Hernández tugged on my hand, and I gave Javier another glance, his jaw ticking as he placed his hands on his hips.