Quinton came over later to cross examine the files, he sat on the couch with them in his hands like the morning paper while Rose sat on the floor working on her division. Oddly enough, Rico had chosen to stay in his room.

He said he had something important to do but I couldn't imagine what it would be considering he's under constant surveillance with people outside his door and window along with video cameras outside both and- my own personal touch after he started wandering around- a heart monitor bracelet that's locked on.

He makes me nervous when he says he has something to do.

He's fantastic at getting out of bad situations and this could definitely be considered a bad situation.

Right?

Rico's POV

Memories of my Mama flooded my mind as I laid on the soft bed in my room. Her happy smile, her brown eyes, her raven hair, her golden skin. She was so beautiful, so kind, so young. 

She was too young.

I was choking on emotions for the first time in years and it was all because of that Angel Queen, if it weren't for her I wouldn't even be thinking about her.

I was choking on emotions for the first time in years and it was all because of that Angel Queen, if it weren't for her I wouldn't even be thinking about her.

Valentina Rodriquez would never have crossed my mind.

Not many people know my Mama's name, my father wanted her identity to be kept a secret from everyone since adultery was strictly against his extremely religious ways. It's why he let her take me at first, religion. He didn't count on my step mother's future difficulties with having children. 

He didn't take me back to take over his throne as a dragon, he never intended to, Eddy was already born by the time I was brought there. He just didn't want me to be with my Abuela.

I can remember the first time I saw Eddy. He was so little, barely a month old but he still had a full head of dark hair and big, bright eyes of a strangely light hade of brown. I remember being so excited when I saw that he had curly hair like me.

He's my little brother, not once did I ever envy him or hate him. I've only ever loved him.

So, how do I know that I'm doing the right thing?

You can't, I answered myself, you can only take a guess. 

But, god, this is the guess I want to take. 

With every passing day, Mary seems more beautiful, more inviting to me. Earlier, when I woke up to find her on my bed and her hands on my shoulders, I wanted nothing more than to just shove her on her back and see where this bed would take us a second time. 

At this point in time I really don't know if it's my pure with drawl from women or if it's my actually wanting and liking her. I think it's the second, she's more than just beautiful, she's smart and cunning and kind- when she wants to be- and all around amazing.

Granted, her being a knock out doesn't hurt, either.

I sat up from the bed, resting my arms on my knees as I thought this through one more time. Shouldn't be too hard. Simple, I'll get what I want then I'll make her think she's got what she wants but I'm just closer to what I want again.

Lesson 3: Never reveal your true intentions.

The guards outside the door gave me an annoyed look when I popped my head out but their curiosity was soon aroused when I asked that they bring Mary to my room but then changed my mind and just told them to tell her I was waiting for her in her study.

I was- abrasively- allowed through the door. I made my way down the halls to the room that I haven't been in since I was told I wouldn't be leaving. 

The room seemed impressive and dominating the first time I was here, like it was with out a meal in weeks and was prepared to swallow me whole, but now it was like a switch was flipped and I was the predator stalking it's prey.

Just the way I like it.

I walked behind her desk, taking the large chair for myself. My feet crossed on top of her wooden desk, easily over a century old. I picked up a paper weight on the desk and threw it up in the air, catching it with my right hand and tossing it back to my left to throw it again.

Mary came in on about the third throw.

"What are you doing in here?"

"Waiting for you," I answered her, tossing it again. 

She was in front of me in a second, swiping it from the air before I could catch it. She slammed it on the desk and looked at me.

"That's my chair, Hernandez."

"Rodriquez."

"What?"

"I want to be referred to as a Rodriquez from now on, it's part of the deal I'm going to offer you."

"Oh, yeah," she crossed her arms, leaning against her desk," And what else is part of the deal? What do I get out of this?"

"You get the whereabouts of my brother," her eyes lit up at the word 'brother'.

I leaned forward in my chair, smiling like the Cheshire cat.

"I want you to take care of my father and grant my brother and I protection in your name under aliases until he is old enough to decide what he wants to do with his birth right of my father's territory."

"Dea-"

"I'm not finished, Princesita," I stood up from the chair, taking small steps until I was directly in front of her," I want you, as well."