Page 26 of Bride of Vengeance

"But not really?"

He trails off, staring at the piano keys like they hold answers he's been searching for.

But before any word comes out of his mouth, my phone buzzes against the granite countertop where I left it. Rodriguez's name flashes on the screen, and for a moment I consider not answering. But old habits die hard, and he was my partner for three years. If anyone deserves an explanation, it's him.

"Castillo."

"Jesus Christ, Mariana, where the hell are you? There are federal agents crawling all over the city looking for you. They're saying you killed those contractors, that you've been working with Ghost to eliminate witnesses."

The concern in his voice is genuine, but there's something else underneath it. Something personal that makes me uncomfortable in ways I don't want to examine.

"I didn't kill anyone, Rodriguez. Those men were trying to assassinate me."

"Then come in. Let us sort this out. We can protect you, get you a lawyer, figure out what really happened."

We can protect you.The words should be reassuring. Instead, they make my skin crawl. Because Rodriguez doesn't know about Harrison. Doesn't understand that the corruption goes all the way to the top.

"I can't do that."

"Why not? Mariana, you're scaring me. This isn't like you."

"How well do you really know me, Rodriguez?"

The question hangs in the air between us, loaded with implications neither of us wants to address.

"I know you're a good agent," he says quietly. "I know you're loyal to the Bureau. I know you would never betray your oath or put civilians in danger."

Your oath.The words sting because they're true. I did swear an oath to uphold justice and protect the innocent. But what happens when the people you swore to serve are the ones trying to kill you?

"What if the Bureau isn't what we thought it was?" I ask. "What if there are people in positions of power who've been using their authority to hurt innocent people?"

"That's conspiracy theory bullshit, and you know it."

"Is it? Rodriguez, someone leaked the location of that safe house where Orlov was killed. Someone with federal access. Someone Harrison trusted."

"You think Harrison is dirty?"

The disbelief in his voice is painful but not unexpected. Rodriguez is a good man, a good agent. He believes in the system because the system has worked for him. The idea that it could be corrupted at the highest levels probably feels like blasphemy. And until a few days ago, it would have felt the same for me too.

"I think someone's been playing games with federal investigations for a very long time. And I think they've been using agents like us as pawns."

"Even if that's true, running away isn't the answer. We work from the inside. We follow protocol. We—"

"We end up dead in a federal prison before we can expose the truth."

Silence stretches between us, filled with everything we're not saying.

"Mariana," he says finally, and his voice carries a tenderness that makes my chest tight. "Whatever's going on, whatever you've gotten mixed up in, it's not too late to fix this. Come home. Let me help you."

Let me help you.The way he says it makes it clear he's not just talking about professional assistance. He's offering something more personal. Something I can't give him and never could.

"I have to go."

"Wait—"

I hang up before he can say anything else. Before the concern in his voice can weaken my resolve or make me second-guess decisions that might be the only thing keeping me alive.

When I turn around, Mikhail is standing in the doorway, watching me with those dark eyes that seem to see everything.