Page 12

“You hit me once, and I let you. I needed you close enough to take your gun once you drew it. Thank you.”

Paco’s shocked, but I’m certain it was at the punch’s force, not about losing his gun. Neither Chuy nor Cokie reacted to Domingo taking Paco’s weapon. I’m not waiting around to see how the charade plays out. It confirms what I learned today.

I need to get Lucy out pronto . I ease away from my hiding place and move on silent feet as I check the servants’ stairs. I hear nothing below, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t someone there waiting for anyone to run downstairs or waiting to charge up here.

I creep down them, my finger around the trigger with the safety off.

I can see the kitchen door, and it’s clear inside.

I don’t know who’s out there, but I’m certain Humberto didn’t send only three—four—men.

I take the stairs back up as silently as I did when I came down them.

I text my driver to meet us by the back gate.

If I need to, I’ll lift Lucy over the fence.

I ease the bedroom door open and lightly tap on the bathroom one.

“ Chica ?”

I don’t get a response. My heart races as I test the door handle. It’s locked.

“ Chiquita .”

I hear movement, but I don’t hear the lock turn.

“His jersey was number twenty, and he has a scar on his right knee from a motorcycle accident when he was fourteen. Your mother threatened to give him a matching one for being on a bike too young.”

The lock flips, and I feel the knob twist against my palm.

I point my gun toward the floor as Lucy opens the door.

I wrap my free arm around her waist and lift her off her feet.

She cups my face, staring at me for a heartbeat before kissing me.

I gladly return it before more shouting snaps us back to reality.

I take her hand, and she follows me without question.

We make our way down to the kitchen as we hear Domingo yelling for Lucy. I glance over my shoulder and find her looking at the kitchen door with her gun pointed toward it. The look of disgust on her face reassures me she has no intention of letting go and choosing Domingo instead.

“He’s part of this, isn’t he?” I barely hear her and rely on reading her lips to be sure I understand.

My lips flatten as I turn my head to look at the door.

I shift my focus back to her and nod. She stares at me, and she’s deduced I already knew.

I need to make sure she understands I only found out today that Humberto’s been extorting Domingo for gambling debt the cabrón racked up two years ago.

Domingo’s father knew and arranged the marriage to save his son’s ass.

I didn’t know about the attack tonight. I can’t tell her any of this right now.

I guide her outside, knowing she keeps checking behind us as I lead. I scan our surroundings and spy the back gate. We’re almost to it, and I see Ricco waiting on the other side when Domingo’s voice fills the air.

“Ana!”

That wasn’t fear. That was rage.

“Este?”

“You’re mine, chiquita .”

Maybe one of these days she’ll believe it.

I hate hearing her uncertainty, but I can’t dwell on that.

I try to open the gate before I notice the padlock.

There’s nothing I can do about it now. Trying to shoot it off is more likely to wound Lucy or me when the bullet ricochets.

I scoop her over my shoulder and step on to the bottom of the ornate metal gate.

“I’m here, capitan .”

“Ricco?”

“ Sí, senorita .”

My driver tonight is one of Josue’s men. Enrique sent me, and he made sure his father knew someone loyal would be inside and outside if anything happened. I hand Lucy to him, and he helps her to her feet as I scale the fence. I hop down and once again scoop Lucy over my shoulder.

“I can run.”

“Not in those heels.”

“I’ll kick them off. I’m slowing you down.”

“You’ll trip over your gown.”

These are plausible explanations, but I really just want her in my arms. Cradling her would make it hard to run. Over my shoulder, she’s like a feather compared to men I’ve had to carry.

“Este—”

“Enough, Lucy.” I swat her ass.

“Yes, sir.”

I barely hear her, and I’m certain Ricco didn’t.

I see the car ahead of us with the driver’s side open.

Ricco hurries to pass me and get to the backdoor ahead of me to open it for Lucy and me.

As he comes past, I slam my elbow into his temple.

It stuns him, and he trips. As he falls, Lucy slams her fist against my back.

“Why’d you do that? Put me down! Ricco!”

“Stop screaming unless you want Domingo to come after us.”

That silences her as we get to the car. It’s running with no beeps, so I know the fob must still be in here. I open the front passenger side and less than ceremoniously dump Lucy onto the seat.

“Don’t.”

She glares at me as I push her gown out of the way and barely keep from slamming the door.

I run around the hood, trusting she won’t shoot me as I climb into the driver’s seat.

I know she still has her gun. No one will pry that away from her.

I fully expect her to point it at me, but it rests in her lap.

I’m pulling away from the curb as I shut my door, and the first bullet hits the reinforced metal.

I glance in the rearview mirror and know it was Ricco.

He’s pressing his earpiece and likely reporting me to Josue’s head of security.

The next round strikes the bulletproof window beside Lucy.

I glance over and see Domingo running toward us.

She’d be dead if this car weren’t a mini tank.

“Where are you taking me, Esteban?”