Page 134 of Sins of the Orchid

“When your mother died, the cartel went to you.”

My eyes widened with shock. “And if I die?” I choked out.

“It will come to the Andersons.” He saidwill, not would… The last confirmation I needed.

I raised my gun and aimed it at his heart. The black heart he didn’t have. I wanted to feel the rage, but truthfully, sadness was heavier. DeAngelo lowered him onto his knees. He didn’t deserve mercy, but I still gave it to him. I didn’t hesitate. I blinked and pulled the trigger. One clean shot between his eyes. The back of his head blew behind him and my stomach churned.

I thought I would feel better avenging my mother’s death. I didn’t.

CHAPTER47

Amore

“It’s done,” DeAngelo put his big hand on my shoulder. “Let’s get our men and you back to safety.” He glanced at his watch. “Explosives have been laid,” he added.

Everything seemed kind of different. My eyes flicked to the dead body. The life that I took.

“I killed a man.” I felt something dull and empty inside me. No regret! No tears! No fear of going to hell. Maybe it hasn’t sunk in yet.

He grabbed my face and held it firm. I couldn’t feel his touch over my mask. “That was not a man. He was a cruel and twisted animal. Erase him from your mind.”

He was right, yet I should feel something. Anything!I’ll think about it tomorrow.I shoved another event into a dark corner.

“Let’s go,” I told him, leaving the body of Ulrich Anderson to the jungle. He deserved nothing better.

I scanned the area and counted DeAngelo’s men. He was doing the same. They were all accounted for. I sighed in relief; I didn’t want anyone hurt or dead on my account.

Just as I was about to turn to DeAngelo, I froze.

Santi!

I blinked in confusion and sure my brain was playing tricks on me. I blinked again. He was still there. His presence hit me right away, and I took a step towards him. His friend, Gabriel Carrera, was there too.

What were they doing here? Fighting the cartel? Forgetting my promise to DeAngelo to stick to him, I ran towards Santi. He was holding his own against five men but worry for his safety overwhelmed all my other senses.

I lifted my arm and pointed.Click.

One down. The others turned their eyes to me, and Santi took advantage, shooting another one down.

Three more to go.

I aimed.Click.

Two more to go

By the time I was by his side, the last two were dead. I turned to face Santi, but he wrestled me to the ground, swishing the air out of my lungs. In confusion I stared up at his face.

Then it hit me.

I was such an idiot! He didn’t know who I was. Duh, the whole reason behind the masks. No wonder he attacked me. I maneuvered on top of him, but he quickly shifted me back onto my back with him on top of me.

Part of me wanted to tell him it was me. But the other side of me that was more stubborn prevailed. He had been my savior through my teenage years, and it was easy to fall back into it, but I no longer needed a savior.

I needed a man that would love me. Keep me.

We continued wrestling on the jungle floor. I grunted, trying to overpower him. He was stronger than I was. His body pressed against mine, and I had to fight the urge not to melt underneath him. I loved his weight on me.

I am my own worst enemy.No matter what he had done, I still wanted him.