Page 21 of Blackwood

“I can see that,” she glances at Vince. “You missed some teeth. You’re slipping.” She looks at Carlos, passed out in a puddle of blood. “Is he dead?”

“No. Not yet. I was just—”

“Dios mío, what did you do?”

Mariela.

She appears out of nowhere. She sees the scene and gasps with her hand covering her mouth.

“They were gonna hurt Bella,” I spit. “Planned it. Talked through every step like it was a team project. Scheduled it like some twisted business meeting, with snacks and fucking small talk.”

Her face drains. “Go,” she whispers. “Take my car. You must leave.”

“Come with us.”

She hesitates. “No. You go. Be free.”

“You really think the cops are gonna roll up and hand you a medal for cleaning up their mess again? Wake up, Mariela. You’re not safe here.”

She drops her gaze. One hand rests on her stomach. Circles.

“Shit.” My stomach drops. “You’re pregnant?”

She nods, tears in her eyes. “This will be my penance,” she whispers. “For all the times I didn’t stop him. I’m sorry, Zeke. Take her. Take your sister and run.”

Bella grabs her hand. “Come with us. Please. You can’t stay here. Not with him.”

I run back to the room, grab the go-bag I’ve had packed for months. Laptop. Mr. Piggles. We meet back at the stairs. Mariela and Bella are still hugging. I tug my sister’s arm.

Time’s up.

We run.

Her white BMW is waiting for us. Bella slides into the passenger seat. I toss the bag in the back, climb in, and start the engine.

“Please tell me you have a plan,” she mutters.

“No, I thought we’d wing it,” I say, flipping on the headlights.

“So that’s a yes?”

“Yes. I have a fucking plan.”

We peel down the driveway. The gates swing open—thanks, Mariela—and we hit the empty road.

Two blocks of silence until Bells pipes up, “Where are we going?”

“To some people I trust.”

“How safe is it?”

“Safe enough, I mapped this route out months ago. Granted, it was supposed to be tomorrow. After I picked you up from school. But hey, improv.”

She stares at me. “Months?”

“Since Dylan. Look, there’s a lot you don’t know, Bells. I’ll tell you everything once we’re somewhere safe.”

“I knew it,” she says turning to look at me. “You were too calm lately. Was this what all the laptop-clicking was about? Your big plan?”