Page 3 of Secrets Beneath the Waves

Ramon didn’t quite manage to deflect it, but he did sweep his leg around and knock Miguel’s feet out from under him.

Miguel caught him, and they both went down.

Ramon grunted at the impact, rolled, and slammed a punch into Miguel’s nose. “Who sent you to shoot her?”

Miguel grinned, his teeth bloody, and rolled over Ramon. Hands grasping at Ramon’s neck, determined to squeeze the life out of him.

Ramon punched the guy in his side, several times over. Pushed against his chest. Tried to pry his fingers free. Lifted oneleg and kicked at the guy. None of it worked to get Miguel off him.

He raised his knee so he could draw the knife from the sheath in his boot. His vision sparked with white spots that pricked across the sky and sent painful shards into his head. He jabbed the knife into Miguel’s side in one quick motion, in and out, and finally, the other man’s grip on him loosened.

Ramon shoved him off and scrambled to his feet. “Tell me who sent you here to kill her.”

Miguel didn’t stay down. He pushed off the ground and straightened, groaning. One hand on his side. “You’ll pay for that.”

“You should go to the hospital. Or call whoever hired you and get them to send their private doctor.” Sure, a little smugness laced his tone. Why wouldn’t it? This guy thought he could kill Zeyla, kill Ramon, and then collect his paycheck? No way. “That is, after you’ve told me everything I need to know.”

He was about to get his gun out again when Miguel ran at him.

Ramon backed up when he should’ve sidestepped. In the end, he didn’t avoid the full force of the other man’s truck-like tackle. Ramon’s back hit the ground, and his head bounced off the concrete floor.

Breath hissed out from between his teeth. Miguel loomed above him with that bloody smile. He dragged Ramon across the roof by his wrists. Ramon tried to pull his hands free or kick his way out of the hold, but his head swam, hampering his efforts. He turned far enough to see blood coating the side of Miguel’s T-shirt.

The other man neared the edge of the roof.

Ramon used Miguel’s hold on his arms to plant his feet and lever his body up to standing. Miguel swung him around, and Ramon flew over the edge of the roof.

He sailed through the air, wind rushing against him.

The fact that he was about to die surprised him in a way it maybe shouldn’t have.

But a second wasn’t long enough to process everything he should’ve done or wanted to make amends for. And the fact he’d never finished that conversation with Kenna about Christianity.

Ramon slammed into the ground.

But it gave under him and absorbed the impact. Around him, the edges of a dumpster swirled. Pain echoed through his body. Whatever he’d landed on was hard but hadn’t killed him.

Above all of it, at the top of the roof, Miguel looked over at him.

Ramon pulled his gun—which he’d landed on—and aimed it at the man on the roof. Miguel disappeared before Ramon could fire a shot.

He let out a long groan.

“Do I even want to know?” A low female voice reached him from the left.

When he looked, Zeyla was peering over the edge of the dumpster. “Just kill me.” He tried to move and only managed to groan again. “Put me out of my misery.”

“I mean, Icoulddo that. But you could help me instead. Take your mind off it.” Her voice held almost no tone, but he could imagine the look on her face, currently in shadow. “Assuming you’re here to interfere with what I have going on.”

“Maybe you could give me a second.”

He heard her chuckle.

“Make sure he isn’t going to shoot you from the roof. He has a rifle.”

“Copy that.”

Ramon didn’t have the energy to roll his eyes, even if he’d wanted to. He used what strength he had to sit up and scramble out of the dumpster. It turned out to be surprisingly difficult,considering the trash seemed to want to suck him back into its depths.