Page 89 of Liar

“Luciana.” There’s warning in his tone but I ignore it.

“You could say the reason is because he disobeyed you. He ignored your warning to leave me alone. But why get your hands dirty when any number of Lobos could have done the deed. Why go behind Marifer’s back instead of announcing your intent to kill him? Isn’t this how things are handled? And let’s not forget the way he died.” I lean in to make my point. “Tell me why.”

“I agreed to finance your college classes so long as you pick a university far away from Loreto.”

I rear back like he slapped me. “You what?”

“You’re too good for this place.”

“Agreed? With Diego? Behind my back?”

“If the Lobos aren’t in control of Loreto, some other cartel will be. Either way, I won’t be boss for long.”

I’m half-listening to what he’s saying, as the reality of what he’s done sinks in. He betrayed me.

“You’re young.”

“I’m eighteen now. An adult. Of legal age to make my own decisions.”

“You swore an oath to me.” He leans toward me, menacingly. “I rule this town and I call the shots.”

Dios, he’s ten times more frightening than my brother could ever be. “You’ll have to drag me kicking and screaming out of this town. Because I won’t leave here willingly.”

Our eyes lock.

“Then you’ll learn the hard way that I mean what I say.”

I should give him my back and let him think what he will. But I can’t allow him to have the final word. Especially—as it dawns on me—considering how he just avoided answering my question about El Calaca.

“You’re never going to admit to loving me, are you?”

Silence spreads like the darkest of diseases, and I have no choice but to flee before it swallows me whole.

26

I’m folding laundry.Hisclothing—though the extra care I used to put into it is gone, when Javier interrupts me with a delivery. It’s a thick manila envelope, and inside is over a thousand American dollars.

“What’s this?”

“Your winnings from the poker game.”

I frown. “But I didn’t win.”No, I lost, horribly.

“Boss said you did.”

I throw my hands up in exasperation. “You were there. He won.” With a shake of my head, I thrust the envelope back at him. “Tell the Bastard I offered him the opportunity to rewrite history, but he passed.” A relationship with me, a woman who refuses to be a tool or a sitting target his enemies can use against him.

Javier scurries backward. “You realize I can’t return the envelope to him?”

“Donate it to the church on your way back to the Hole. It’ll do your soul some good.”

The look on his face is priceless. Poor kid. Without the Bastard, I wonder what kind of life he’d have? Happy and naively innocent? Not even Diego or I could accomplish that. In over his head with the Sureños? Likely. Or worse, a Z22 who was forced out of Loreto ... or dead?

“Thank you, Javier.”

Surprise is written all over his face.

“For watching over me, even when I don’t need or want it.”