Chapter 1
Hiding in the hallway, Jemma Winters cowered behind the door, peeking through the thin opening with her gaze locked onto Aurelia Vasquez. The beautiful accountant ran her hands over the wrinkles in her linen business suit in a futile attempt to smooth them out. Sucking in a breath, Jemma whispered a silent prayer for her friend and confidant. Aurelia had to get out of this situation unscathed. If she didn’t, Jemma knew it would be all her fault.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Aurelia said, a slight tremor in her voice. “Please, Nomar, calm down. You don’t need to point a gun at me.” A stoic and resigned expression settled on her face as she looked past the Glock pointed at her. Her gaze settled on Jemma, an imperceptible plea in the woman’s eyes for Jemma to flee the danger threatening to erupt in the room.
“Are you denying that you’re the one who betrayed me? Betrayed my father, who gave you everything you have?” Nomar screamed in her face. “And for what? A nicer cell in a minimum security prison?”
Aurelia raised her hands slowly. “I’d never betray Manny. Or you.”
Nomar lunged forward, pressing the end of the gun flush with Aurelia’s forehead. “You lying bitch. You made copies of our financial information. Details that have the power to destroy our entire organization. I know about your meeting with the DEA. Too bad you won’t be showing up.”
Jemma slipped a hand in her pocket, fingers grazing the flash drive containing evidence Nomar suspected Aurelia had downloaded. But the Ortiz Cartel’s accountant hadn’t made the copies.
Jemma had done that.
She’d used her friendship with the woman to uncover the proof to ruin the cartel. After years of getting closer to Aurelia, Jemma had discovered the woman’s passwords. After that, the rest had been easy.
Until now.
Nomar had been smarter than she’d expected.
Stealth cyber security monitored all computers used in the cartel’s criminal activities. Any anomalies were detected and reported—like downloading sensitive cartel financial data to a flash drive.
As soon as Jemma realized her mistake, she’d raced through the sprawling home on a private beach on the northern end of Puerto Rico, trying to get to Aurelia. To warn her to … leave.
But she was too late.
Jemma’s sloppy actions had sealed Aurelia’s fate.
There was nothing she could do about it.
Jemma choked back a sob.
She hoped the ends justified the means.
That Aurelia’s death wouldn’t be in vain.
The gunshot was deafening, propelling Jemma into action.
She moved quickly, maneuvering through back hallways and servants' quarters until she snaked through the manicuredtowering rows of hibiscus and bougainvilleas bordering the property.
Once she reached the road, Jemma tugged the baseball hat lower on her head and waved at the first truck coming around the curve. The rusted, pale green pickup slowed. She rushed over to the driver’s window.
“Where you headed, mami?” An elderly man with skin like leather and a head of sparse white hair beamed at her as a smile played on his lips.
Stuffing her hand into her pocket, she gripped the flash drive. It was time to end this dangerous game once and for all.
“Old San Juan,” Jemma said, glancing behind her. There were no bodyguards in sight. No one knew she was gone. “Are you headed that way?”
“As a matter of fact, I am,” the man said.
Jemma turned back to thank him and stared straight into the blood-covered face of … Aurelia.
A scream erupted from deep within her?—
Jemma’s eyes flung open as she struggled against the seatbelt, constraining her to the airplane seat.
A flight attendant rushed toward her. “Ma’am, are you okay?”
