Page 89 of The Right Garza

My restrained hands itch to reach up and touch the necklace around my neck.

I can’t. I can’t touch it. I can’t feel him one last time.

Oh my God. How? How could I have missed it? Been so blind? So oblivious?

The searing burn of regret percolates in my chest, my throat tightening, clenching, blocking my airflow.

What damage will seeing my lifeless body with a hole in my head do to him? To Mama?

“Open. Your. Eyes.”

I push hard against my blocked airway and inhale a shuddering breath. Then, slowly, cautiously, I open my eyes.

Stefano’s head is cocked to the side as he observes me with a slight frown. Does he remember me? And at this point, would it matter?

With his free hand, he gets out his cell and from his jacket pack, taps on the screen a few times before lifting it to his ear.

A few seconds later, “Trenton. How art thou, dearest cousin?”

Cousin?

He listens for a beat then, “Well, since you are soverybusy, I won’t take up too much of your time. I just wanted to ask: That ‘girl’, whose debt you cleared several months ago, is she still yours? Because she is sitting in front of me, and I am two seconds away from putting a bullet in her head.” … “Oh, calm down. I did call you to verify, didn’t I? Aren’t I your most favorite cousin ever?” … “Well, five million dollars has gone missing and I am told that her and another one are behind it.” … “Uh-huh” … “I see.”

He drags his gaze from me to Slim and asks, “What is the other one’s name?”

“Ellie,” Slim answers quickly. “Ellie Harper. But I was misled. Lexi is not—”

Stefano silences him with just one look, then says into the phone, “Ellie Harper.” … “Hmm, I see. So, what you are telling me is that you paid to save her life just so she could come back and steal from me again?”

His gun lowers as he listens, and I exhale a rush of breath. Having a gun trained on me is the single most terrifying experience of my life.

How much more of said life is left? Will I get to see Trent again? Just once?

“Right. Well, here’s the thing, cousin. This isyourfuck-up. If you had allowed me to chop her head off like I planned on, we would not be here right now. So, hear this, you are going to find that thieving bitch and bring her to me—free of cost—and in the meantime, I will hold on to your precious Lexi.” … “No, you cannotfucking talk to her, Trenton!” … “I don’t give a shit. Find the cunt and my money and bring her to me or Lorenzo, or I will fuck your Latina raw then stick a knife in her throat.”

He ends the call.

And I feel a sharp stab in my throat as if he’s already stuck a knife in it.

Stefano looks at me and beams. “Thank you, Lexi. It’s not often I get to boss around a Garza. Cocky little fuckers.”

Huh?This man is both lethal and ridiculous at the same time. I wouldn’t trust someone like him with a ten-foot pole.

“Untie her.”

Slim jerks at the command, hurrying over to the sofa.

“Don’t touch her,” growls a deep, gruff, voice.

I glance to the side to see Stefano’s look-alike—who I’m now assuming is ‘Lorenzo’—has turned away from the floor-to-ceiling windows and is striding across the room toward me.

Slim immediately backs away.

Lorenzo pulls me up from the couch, positions himself behind me, and proceeds to undo the binds from my hands with unhurried care. Not in a million years would I have expected such gentleness from someone who emanates menace and animosity.

Even after the binds are off, he lingers, massaging my wrists to soothe where my skin is rubbed raw. And while I appreciate it, I also feel uneasy, considering the threat of fucking me raw then stabbing me in the throat that was just issued.

“Lorenzo,” Stefano says in a tone that sounds like a warning.