“Trouble?” His brow furrows. “What?”
“I—I was leaving!” The words tumble out, desperate and chaotic. “The back gates… the guards—they’re all dead.”
His eyes narrow as he scans the backyard, then back at me. He notices the slight movement behind me and turns sharply. Maria—no longer in her costume—stands frozen, hesitation written across her face.
For a heartbeat, his expression is pure, white-hot anger. “Maria, were you helping her to escape?”
I grab his hand, tugging at him. “No—look.” My voice is urgent, panicked. “It’s not about me. Both families are in danger.”
The anger in his eyes doesn’t vanish, but the icy calculation returns. His jaw tightens, and he swears under his breath, a low, deadly sound.
“Both families…” he mutters, his hand tightening around mine. “Show me.”
I nod, my chest heaving, my heartbeat hammering in my ears. The backyard stretches before us, shadows pooling around thehedges and trees. Maria lingers a step behind, hesitating, but I know she loves me enough to stay, enough to trust me.
We move toward the men. Raphael crouches beside the nearest one, his movements deliberate, precise. He leans closer, fingers brushing against the man’s neck, then pauses to open his jacket. Empty. The gun holster is bare. My stomach twists.
Raphael reaches into his jacket, and swears. “Fuck.”
“What?” I ask.
“I left my fucking phone in the car.”
“Do you have a gun?” I whisper, careful not to sound too loud.
“No. We were told to come unarmed.”
Swallowing hard, I look back at the house. “I know where my family keeps theirs.”
His gaze locks on me. “Can you shoot?”
I nod, forcing steadiness into my voice. “Yes. Dad always said I should know how to take care of myself.” I glance over my shoulder at Maria, who shifts uneasily. “Maria does too. She’s a better shot than me.”
Maria shakes her head, a faint, nervous laugh escaping her. “Not on my best day.”
I shrug, a tight laugh of my own. “We’ve only ever shot at targets. But we can help.”
“Good,” he says, eyes scanning every shadow, every inch of the yard like it might erupt into violence. “Lead the way.”
Chapter Seven
Raphael
It irks me that the women are leading the way. I don’t know this house, don’t know where the Chavez family keeps their weapons. If they’re anything like my family, it will be well hidden—probably in the basement. Law enforcement would have a field day if they ever found it. No one wants to go down for gun possession, even if it’s an arsenal that could start a small war.
Sophia opens a door under the staircase, revealing an elevator. She hits the button and the door slides open immediately.
We step inside, and I glance down at her, noting the way her fingers twitch ever so slightly—anticipation, fear, maybe both. “Is there another way in and out?” I ask, my voice low.
“Yes, but this is quicker,” she says, calm but tense.
Nodding, I press further. “Where is the exit when the doors open? Left, right… or straight?”
“Why do you ask?”
“If I was behind this, I’d know where your guns are, and I’d already have someone waiting for us,” I reply, watching the flicker of fear pass across her eyes.
“Fuck,” Maria whispers, clutching Sophia’s hand like it’s a lifeline.
