She stared at the dagger sticking out of Rodrigo’s chest.She had plunged it into him.Rodrigo coughed up blood and collapsed.His wide eyes locked onto Mayté.Blazing with fury, but only for a moment as the life drained from him.Seconds passed, or maybe it was minutes, she couldn’t be sure, but soon Rodrigo stopped moving and breathing.Dead.
“Mayté.”Carlos pulled her to her feet.She hadn’t even noticed him come over.
She’d killed someone.
“Mayté!”Carlos grabbed her shoulders.Firm without being too rough.He stared into her eyes.
“I—I—”
“Yousavedme,” he urged.“And yourself.”
But she never would have been able to do so if Carlos hadn’t defended her first.
Her vision blurred.All along, she had only wanted someone to protect her.All these years, she had been desperate for it.That night when Rodrigo and the other thugs threatened her, she had yearned for someone to stand up for her.Carlos had done just that.With a bitter sob, she crumbled into her big brother’s arms.
“I’m so sorry, Mayté.”Carlos hugged her tight.“That I didn’t do anything sooner and it had to come to this.”
“I’m sorry for pushing you away.We … we have to work together!”
“I know.And we will.”
No matter what, they would figure out a way for the three of them to win.She stuffed a hand in her pocket.Her fingers skimmed the napkin Alejandro had given her.
“Congratulations to the surviving players!”Misterioso boomed.“Everyone, please return to your seats and we will begin round two.”
Mayté pulled away from Carlos.All of the relief and warmth from her tears turned to ice.It wasn’t over.She turned to see her best friend standing nearby, terror written all over her face.
It was Lo’s turn to survive sudden death.
SIXTEENLo
Lo’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding.A group of workers took Rodrigo’s corpse away.They didn’t bother to remove the dagger from his chest, but they didn’t have to.El Valiente’s dagger and blanket soon vanished on their own.
Seven players left.
Six after this next round.
Gracias a Dios, Mayté was okay.Carlos too.When that man went after Mayté, Lo wanted nothing more than to kill him.But she had been powerless to do anything.
She returned to her seat next to Dominic and glanced toward the other side of the room.The shopkeeper already sat, hands folded and lips moving as if silently thanking Dios.Arm in arm, Mayté and Carlos headed for their own seats.Carlos grunted in pain as a worker bandaged him up.Mayté locked eyes with Lo and nodded.Lo nodded back.She would survive this.She had to.
When she turned back, she caught the Banker staring.
“Interesting round, no?”He carelessly juggled cards one by one.Each card returned to his opposite hand like a boomerang.
Lo gave him a withering look.
“Don’t look at me like that.”He leaned closer.“I tried to warn you.”
Everything comes at a price.
“Yes, well, you weren’t specific enough about the consequences.”
“Ah, but revealing too much would be cheating.”He put a finger to his lips.“Supposedly, the house doesn’t tolerate cheaters.”
Lo pursed her lips.She tilted her head toward his ear and lowered her voice.“What was that between you and Misterioso?”
“It would seem he is somehow under the impression that I’m feeding you clues.Absurd, no?”
