Page 154 of Forbidden Fate

She lunges.

I twist, but the needle grazes my arm.

But not enough. I slam her wrist aside. “Bitch.”

She comes at me again.

I knock her hand away and grab her shoulders.

I’m ready to strike her, to stop her any way I can, when⁠—

Something crashes into her from behind.

Mercedes.

She comes out of nowhere, swinging a heavy ceramic vase with both hands. It shatters against the back of Adriana’s shoulder and head. Adriana staggers, nearly falling. She grabs on to the side of the car.

Esmeralda appears beside her, wild-eyed, holding something in both hands.

The tranquilizer device. It must have fallen when Mercedes hit her.

“Esmeralda, no!” I shout.

Too late.

Esmeralda jams the device into Adriana’s side and presses.

Adriana gasps. Her eyes go wide.

“How dare—” she starts.

Then her knees buckle and she collapses onto the ground.

For a second, all three of us stare at her.

Mercedes breathes hard, still holding the broken neck of the vase, ready to stab Adriana if she comes to.

Esmeralda looks at the device in her hand. Then at me. “I think I got her.”

Despite everything, a laugh breaks out of me.

Mercedes points the jagged vase at Adriana. “Is she dead?”

“No,” I say. “Just drugged.” I should know. It’s the same thing I used on Robin at Adriana’s house in Texas.

Esmeralda’s hands begin to shake. She drops the dart like it burned her.

“I thought I told you two to get out of here,” I say.

“You did,” Mercedes says, “but we don’t follow orders from men who aren’t paying us.”

“Ha!” I say. “I gave you Señora’s money.”

“But it wasn’t your money.”

“Stop with the jokes,” I say. “Where are the others?”

“We gave them half the money and kept half,” Mercedes says. “We couldn’t leave until we knew you and Robin were safe.”