Book 3: Chapter 2

But Diego didn’t answer her. He dragged her back into the bedroom, where Bianca sat wide-eyed on the bed, clutching the sheets to her chest. Her face was pale, terror etched across her features as she watched Diego roughly pull Esmeralda toward the center of the room.

“Sit,” he commanded, shoving Esmeralda down into a chair by the dresser.

“Diego, stop! What are you doing?” Esmeralda struggled to rise, but before she could stand, Diego grabbed her wrists and began tying them to the arms of the chair with the clothes strewn across the floor. Her heart raced in her chest, panic clawing at her as she fought against him. “Let me go! Diego!”

Ignoring her protests, Diego barked over his shoulder, “Bianca! Get over here. Now.”

The secretary hesitated, her eyes darting between Diego and Esmeralda, clearly torn between her fear of Diego and the horror of the situation unfolding before her.

“Now!” Diego shouted, his voice booming with authority, sending a fresh w