Page 43 of Liar

“Tell me what happened, and I’ll decide whether to remain silent.”

“A month ago, I was grocery shopping when El Calaca and another Z22 came into the Superama. He began shooting his gun and terrorizing the store manager. When he threatened the manager’s little girl, I stepped in. He held a gun to my head and told me to remember him.”

There’s a prolonged silence. It’s a different kind of silence, one that reveals little yet suggests a lot. Unlike before, there’s no visible sign of his anger, no tense shoulders or change in expression. I can’t put my finger on why it feels like he’s upset, and not simply upset, but furious.

“Diego should know.”

“Please, don’t tell him. You know how he is. Besides, El Calaca probably threatens everyone he meets. Besides, more than half the population in Loreto is female, so it’s surprising he remembered me.”

“Any man with a pulse would remember you.”

What?My lips part in surprise. I want to ask him if he thinks about me, if his pulse races at the very thought of me.

“Why were they threatening the manager?”

I roll my eyes. “It’s ridiculous. The owner was late on an order of garden tools.”

That seems to surprise Hayden.

“Shovels, to be exact.”

“Shovels?”

“A lot of them, which was why the order was delayed. Strange, isn’t it?”

The Jeep pulls up in front of my house and then silence ensues.

Is he waiting for me to get out?

But I can’t, not without telling him something first. All my life I spent hating the cartels. I wanted no part of their world and always tried to remain on the periphery. Unnoticed. Untouched. Yet there’s this saying: if you hit a wall, climb over it, crawl under it, or dance on top of it. I’m a dancer by nature, my decision isn’t that complicated.

What I’m about to do isn’t because of Diego. It isn’t because of El Calaca bothering me or other outside influences pressuring me. It’s because of this man. Who he is and who I want him to be.

He claimed me. Now, I’m going to claim him.

I touch his arm.

He stills like my touch has turned him to stone. “You have my word, I’ll always be loyal to you.”

“Luciana.”

“You and only you. I swear it.”

His eyes lock on mine.

“Will you accept my pledge?”

A frown forms and as seconds tick by, it seems to deepen.No. NO.His answer is no.I drop my hand and swing around in my seat, escape foremost on my mind.

“Wait,” I hear his sharp command.

I look back at him.

His nod is slight and brief, and changes everything.

I hide my grin as I scamper out of his Jeep.

“You’re going to regret this,” I hear him warn before he pulls away, leaving me staring after him in a cloud of ruddy dust.