Page 169 of Forbidden Fate

“You’re okay?” I ask.

“Yes.”

“They’re not making you leave?”

She shakes her head. “No. It’s handled. Or being handled. The woman who came to the house was a fake.”

Right. The woman who came to the door telling Daniela her temporary protective status was under threat claimed to be Officer Leona Patel. I now know that was just an alias for Adriana de la Fuente—the whole reason I got into this mess in the first place. It happened less than a week ago, but it already feels like another lifetime. I'll explain it all to Daniela later.

Hawk slides an arm around Daniela’s shoulders. “Daniela is staying.”

I look around. “And Eagle?”

Raven steps in first. “He’s okay.”

I almost collapse.

“He’s going to pull through,” she says quickly. “He’s still in the hospital, but he’s doing better. The doctors are optimistic.”

My hand flies to my mouth.

Thank God.

Eagle is okay.

He’s going to pull through.

Cruz didn’t kill him.

Cruz didn’t kill him.

But he could have.

I shove that down.

Hard.

Not now.

Not in front of them.

“What happened?” I ask. “Belinda. Daniela. Eagle. Everything.”

Vinnie glances around. “Let’s get out of here first.”

“No.” My voice comes out sharper than I mean it to. “Tell me now. At least the basics.”

Everyone exchanges looks as if they’re deciding how much I can handle.

Damn it! I’ve had enough of others making choices for me.

Raven seems to understand that first. “Eagle is stable,” she says. “Daniela is safe and isn’t being deported. Belinda is safe. We found her.”

I turn to Belinda. “Where were you?”

“At the bus station,” Belinda says quietly. “Or…that’s where I ended up. It’s complicated.”

“Everything is complicated.”