“Okay,” Lo said, satisfied.
“Oh, Lorena, my precious mamita.”Mamá hugged her once again, even tighter than before.“I love you so, so much.”
“I love you too, Mamá.”
Lo should have never let her leave.It was the biggest mistake of her life.She wasn’t sure when she ended up on the floor, but she stared up at the ceiling, full of cobwebs and dust from years of neglect.
Maybe she shouldn’t have come to Fortune’s Kiss either.Maybe she was doomed to the same fate as Mamá, trapped here.
Forever and ever.
With no one to know where she had gone.
ELEVENMayté
Mayté was certain that she would never get used to riding elevators.Her stomach flipped endlessly, sloshing the contents of her breakfast around.Her head pounded and her ears popped, the closer she soared to the thirteenth floor.The gaming den.
The game would begin again.The next hour could be her last.
Memories of her nightmare still seared her mind, but when she tried to push them away, she could only think of Alejandro and the library.If it wasn’t for her finger, which still felt the slightest bit numb, she would have chalked it all up as a dream.A strange and wonderful one.
Everyone here knows the house has a way of leading people to what they desire.
She couldn’t let herself forget that.She needed to stay positive, confident, and most of all remember what she desired most.Winning.
Her thoughts drifted to Carlos.If she could win, he could lose.She dug her nails into her palms.Why did he have to come here too?Why?
“Do you always look so angry when you’re nervous?”Dominic’s question pulled her out of her thoughts.Honestly, she had nearly forgotten he was in the elevator with her.
“What?”
“You look angry,” he explained.“But I figure you’d be nervous.At least that’s how I feel right now.”
It should have been annoying, but she found it more amusing than anything.“I guess I’m just a mess right now,” she admitted.A jumble of baffling emotions.The most confusing part of it all was how, right at this moment, she was alone with the boy she once had fancied, yet he was the last thing on her mind.
“Don’t worry.I’m sure that’s how everyone here feels, even if they don’t act like it.”
The elevator abruptly stopped and the door slowly opened.A lively buzz of chattering voices filled her ears, and the musky scent of fresh marigolds hit her nose.Bright neon spotlights in shades of orange, green, and pink stung her eyes.But as soon as her vision adjusted, fear seized her heart.
The vaquero leaned against the nearest gold-encrusted pillar, smoking the fattest cigar she had ever seen.He glanced in their direction.Sweat pooled under her arms and she gasped for air.
“Mayté.”Dominic moved in front of her.“Listen.”He cleared his throat.“Before everything gets frightening again, I just wanted to say that I’m here if you ever need to talk.”
She must have looked confused, because he quickly added, “If you need the perspective of someone outside your situation.I’m a good listener, you know, and even better at keeping secrets.”
“Dominic … thank you.I appreciate it, but …” She shook her head.If she let herself get too close to him, then she would worry about him too.“I don’t have anything to talk about.”She forced a smile.
“All right.”Dominic didn’t seem bothered.“If you ever change your mind, the offer stands.”He held out his arm.
Mayté wasn’t sure what came over her, but she took his arm and let him lead her into the heart of the salon.They walkedpast the vaquero, with Dominic blocking her from his view.If Mayté hadn’t known better, it would have seemed like Dominic was doing this on purpose to protect her.
The big round table came into view.Every last bloodstain and spatter had been scrubbed off the carpet and walls.It was as if Señora Montoya hadn’t even existed, much less lost her life here.Surely, if Mayté tried hard enough, she could pretend that none of it had ever happened.
A few contestants already sat.Carlos was among them, but not for long: he jumped up from his seat and stormed toward them.Clearly, he had purposefully chosen the seat across from the elevators so he could ambush Mayté as soon as possible.
“Go save a seat for me and Lorena,” she told Dominic.He didn’t need to get swept up in this again.Carlos washerproblem.
“If you say so.”Dominic looked reluctant, but thankfully she didn’t have to tell him twice.He strode toward the table.Just in time, too, because, not even a second later, Carlos stepped into view.
