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“That’s the idea.”
Knot steeples his fingers, his thinking pose. “Or they could burn the place down.”
“Or they could burn the place down,” I reluctantly admit.
“Tell me about her.”
I do, beginning with that first meeting and ending with me leaving her in my bed with Piper watching over her. Ever a glutton for punishment, I don’t even hide her young age.
“She sounds like a good kid born to a life no one would have asked for,” Knot says.
“A kid?”
Knot smiles for the first time this morning. “I wondered if you’d pick up on that.”
“Kiss my ass, old man. I’m in my prime.”
The grin fades from my friend’s face. “Watch your back, Austin. I’m happy you’ve found someone to heal the wound left by that harpy, Amber, but I’ll be pissed if you get killed. I’m shorthanded enough as it is.”
“I promise not to die without your consent,” I joke.
Knot pushes up from the chair. “Eat shit.”
The boss leaves, and I return to the military and civilian records of the recruits. I’m down to three when my phone rings. “Good morning, Shannon. What’s up?”
“I’m beginning to think the duplex is cursed.”
My body goes taught. “What do you mean?”
“I got a call earlier this morning about a car fire at the A unit and gave the police the tenant’s phone number. Don’t worry. The house didn’t suffer any damage. If that wasn’t weird enough, just a minute ago, I received a wire for the balance of the entire lease. No explanations. No nothing. What is going on out there?”
The news sinks in, and I realize what it means. “Oh, fuck no.”
“What is it? What do you want me to do?”
“Nothing. I don’t want you to do anything.”
I’m out the door the next second, racing for my car. Marisol isn’t answering her phone, but then I knew she wouldn’t. I reach my house in almost half the time it usually takes, sliding to a stop in front of the garage.
I blow through the front door, only pausing to disarm the beeping security system. Piper runs up to me, wanting to be petted, but I don’t stop. “Where is she, girl?”
Passing through the entry to the great room, something on the kitchen island pulls my eyes that way. I know instinctively what it is and what it says, but I don’t want to read it. Marisol is gone.
Heart thumping in my throat, I force my body closer and peer down at the note she left for me.
Austin,
They found me. The men from the cartel called me this morning. I know about my car. They will not stop hunting me and will destroy anything and anyone who gets in their way. While you are a fierce protector, you are one man. I could not live with myself if something happened to you because of my father’s choices.
The burden of my safety is on him. Therefore, I must return home where my curse is also my only protection. These men will not enter our territory for fear of El Gran.
Give away all my things. I will not be back. I cannot fight fate or my lineage any longer.
I grieve for the hurt I’m causing you, but I cannot apologize for protecting you the way I wish I could have been. I don’t regret meeting you. You took away my fear of falling.
Though my life dictates it can never happen again with someone else, I’ll always have the memories of you catching me.
All my love,