Page 98 of A Foster Fling

“Princesa,”Raul’s voice grew deeper as he swung me around in his arms. He then put me down, frowned and adjusted my dress. His glare spoke volumes, unhappy to see me wearing the little sundress he’d deemed too short and inappropriate just last month when I’d bought it.

“Salma! How dare you interrupt this meeting.” My father snapped.

The anger in his tone made me take notice of just how many people were present. At least twelve, if I counted the guards. I had fucked up. This wasn’t like his usual gathering. I had embarrassed him.

“Lo siento, Papa´.I heard Rau´l was back and I just couldn’t help myself.” I saw the moment where my papa´ had decided he wasn’t going to accept my apology. His face scrunched up and he looked less jolly and more stabby. Fuck.

“This is why I said she should be married now instead of waiting, Bruno. Look at the girl. Can’t even control herself around your men.” Antonio´ Saldi´var tapped his cigar over the ashtray and we all watched as it hit the floor.

A blatant sign of disrespect.

Antonio´ was from a rival family and currently Padre’s second-in-command. As a show of good faith, the new position was recently made to secure a peace treaty between the warring organizations. However, that didn’t mean Antonio´ was welcomed as family. And even if he were family, he’d know better than to talk shit and leave ash all over my father’s office like this was a bar.

Rau´l took his jacket off, and I knew shit was about to go down. I stepped out of the way. My brother grabbed a knife from out of his back and threw it.

The knife penetrated Antonio’s hand.

The room was silent. No one spoke. No one moved. We all waited with held breaths.

“Argh!” Antonio’s delayed reaction wasn’t lost on anyone.

Did it not hurt? Was he faking it? Did shock break his mouth? I didn’t get a chance to ask any further questions. Raul sauntered back over to me and grabbed my upper arm.

“I’ll deal with this, father.”

The“this”meant me. I had suddenly been downgraded to this. Not his sister. Not his friend. But this.

“Should we hold the meeting with the syndicate heads?” My dad flicked a brief glance over Antonio who was groaning and trying to pull the knife out of his hand. ¶

“No,” Raul said. “Any man who wants Salma’s hand in marriage has to fight for it. One month. Fight to the deaths. The winner will get her hand.”

“You heard my son. Fights to the death for my daughter’s hand and…” My father's voice faded away like he was thinking.

“And her pussy?” A dumb ass guard asked quietly, more to himself than anyone. But his comment did not go unheard.

I gasped, mock-offended, hoping to deflect the negative attention that had been put on me earlier toward the stupidsicario. After all, he was nothing but a soldier. I put my hand over my heart and shot the guard a hurt look. The dawning horror that crossed his expression kind of made me feel bad since it was probably an innocent slip of tongue, but hey, better him than me.

“Come on,” my brother said to me, dragging me toward the door. On our way out, Raul looked at another soldier then nodded toward the guard while moving his free hand across his neck in the off-with-his-head motion.

The guard called out, “Wait, I’m sorry–”

The office door closed behind us, cutting off the apology.

Raul leaned down. “You know you're not supposed to interrupt meetings,” he barked. “How many times do I need to remind you?”

“I’m sorry!”

Bang!I didn’t even jump at the sound of the gunshot from behind me.

Shaking his head, grip still wrapped around my arm, he dragged me down the hall toward the exit. I couldn’t help staring at his long fingers. His grip was tight and harsh. There were many nights I’d fucked my hand imagining it was his while he was in Russia. Then I’d feel guilty immediately afterwards.

We couldn’t be. We were siblings. I had to tamp down these sinful, incestuous feelings. But in my heart, Raul would always be my first and only love. I think that was why I didn’t care who my papa forced me to marry. I could never marry the one I wanted anyway. But hopefully, if things worked out as planned for me and Emiko, I wouldn’t be married at all. Neither would she.

Raul softened his tone as soon as we were in the clear. “I missed you tooprincesa.Let me take you to lunch.” His smile reached his eyes today.

“I’d love that.” I grinned even though a man had just been murdered not two seconds prior.

Raul paused, pulling me to him with a frown. “But first, you must change your outfit.” I smiled at his joke, but then he smacked my ass and said, “Get going,princesa.”