Eva and I quickly dressed and walked down the stairs, led by two armed guards. They took us outside and pointed us in the direction of the shaded patio table, which had a spread of fruit, coffee, and assorted breads and vegetables.

A pit formed in my stomach for two reasons. One, I had just confessed to Eva my love for her, and she hesitated. Despite the untimely interruption, when I looked in her eyes I had no idea if she loved me back. Many girls in the past had told me the same and I’d looked at them like a deer in the headlights, only to take a slap to the face from the girl after.

Now, Eva had given me a little taste of my own medicine. Unreturned love had the ability to make a person feel like shit. As I felt right now.

But secondly, and perhaps more life threatening at the moment, I had a very bad feeling about the way Marco had come up to get us. In the past two whole weeks he had never been so expedient about meeting with us. And he never personally came to invite us places, either.

“Corbin. Alexa,” Marco said, standing up and nodding toward us both as we neared the table. “Thank you for joining me. I didn’t know how long you were planning on staying cooped up in that little guest room of ours, so I decided I would take it upon myself to get you two down here. Please, sit.”

The servants pulled out our chairs, and we sat.

“Quite the show you put on this morning,” Marco said. The maid filled Eva and I’s cups full of coffee. I added in some fresh cream.

“The fuck are you talking about?” I belted back. Was he just going to openly talk about how he was just jacking off to a video of Eva and I this morning? Have a little respect.

“Stop being modest,” Marco retorted. “I’m pretty sure the entire second floor could hear you two.”

“Were we really that loud? Shit. My bad.” I smirked. Although Eva was the one making most of the noise, to be fair.

“Right. Actually, that’s why I wanted to talk to you this morning. First of all, Luis Reyes will be in later this afternoon. We’ll talk, he’ll give you your shipment of pure cocaine, and you’ll be on your merry way to sell it to the college students. How does that sound?”

“Sounds like a fucking plan. I love Mexico, Marco, but to be honest I’m starting to get a little antsy, you know?”

“Of course you are. Second, I wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“Yes, for doubting your loyalty before. All simply because you wouldn’t let me spend a night with Alexa. That was childish of me.”

My spider sense was going off. Marco almost never apologized to anyone unless he was trying to butter you up for something. I took a sip of my coffee and stole a nonchalant glance at Eva. She had the same sexy smile on her face but her nervousness was palpable to me. Hopefully Marco didn’t recognize it.

“Hey, listen Marco, we can let bygones be bygones. I meet Luis later today, shake hands and all that, get the product, and bam—” I slapped my hands together, “I’m on my way to San Diego to get those college kids lit with snow. I take half, and everyone’s happy.”

“Oh yes. Half will be just fine.”

I was a little shocked that Marco wasn’t trying to run a harder bargain.

“On one condition,” he continued.

“Ah, there it is.” I leaned back in my chair. “Hit me.”

“I am going to trade mistresses for a day with you. Louisa came back from her trip from San Diego today, and you can be with her while I take Alexa. No more negotiating on this point. Let’s call it a last day celebration.”

I laughed. God Dammit he was driving a hard bargain. I had been overly protective of her. I looked over at Eva and put my hand on her knee. She barely had any makeup on and she was hotter than anyone I’d seen at this frickin place. I think she knew it, too. Marco knew it. Hell, the entire staff could see the self-evident truth.

“I just don’t know, Marco. Maybe you’re right that I want her all to myself. Maybe I’m a selfish bastard.”

Marco rocked back in his chair, folded his hands, and nodded. “I also had a feeling you’d say that. But I’m not giving you another option, Corbin. I want Alexa. She’s just hired help for you, right? So what’s the big deal? You do want this deal, don’t you Corbin?”

I gulped. Fuck this guy. If I said no, he’d think I’m not earnest. If I said yes, he’d take Eva and do…God knew what with her. My eyes darted to Eva, who had been silent during the whole exchange.

“It’s going to cost you extra,” she finally said, and squeezed my knee under the table, perhaps trying to comfort me.

My heart dropped. Was she really voluntarily going with him?

“Don’t worry, honey,” Marco said. He nodded and had one of his flunkies bring a briefcase over filled with cash. They opened it in front of Eva.

“That enough for you?”

Eva smiled softly like tens of thousands of dollars weren’t a big deal to her. “That’ll work.”

She was in full-on Alexa mode. Playing her role like she had to. But I didn’t want her to be Alexa anymore. I wanted Eva back, and I wanted her all to myself.

But there was nothing I could do right now.

“Very well then. It’s time for your…shall we say, extended personal tour. Come this way.” Marco got up and reached his arm out to Eva.

I swallowed. This isn’t happening.

“Enjoy your afternoon with Louisa,” he said, and looked at his watch. “Luis will be here around three. That gives us a solid three hours for siestas with our women.”

I raced through my mind in an attempt to find some kind of last ditch plan to save Eva from Marco, but they quickly disappeared into the mansion. Armed guards closed the door behind him and shot me a menacing look.

Louisa walked up to me and put her hand on my shoulder.

“Well Corbin. I suppose we are going to get to hang out after all, aren’t we?!”

She was beautiful, bubbly, and cheery. But she wasn’t Eva, and I couldn’t hang out with her sober while every second I kept thinking about what Marco and Eva were doing together all alone. I motioned for the maid to come over.

“Can you please bring me something to drink?”

“It’s not even noon sir.”

“I know what time it is. Bring me a tequila on the rocks.”

“Yes sir.”

“Oh, morning drinking! Yay!” Louisa said, and sat on my lap.

It was funny how now that I knew Eva—the complete package— a beautiful woman like Louisa could suddenly seem like an annoying ditz who I wanted nothing to do with in comparison.

The maid brought out two glasses of tequila. I reluctantly clinked glasses with Louisa.

“Ching ching!” She said. She wasn’t a bad person, really. I decided maybe I should give her a chance and tried to face the facts.

In spite of how hot our sex had been, maybe Eva never loved me to begin with.

And maybe I had better just start accepting that fact, and move on to the part where I took the money and ran.