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Coward still hides from my wrath when he has all the advantages. “Dame a mi esposa,” I shout back.
Esteban clucks his tongue. “Is that any way to greet yourpapá? Hmm?” He waves his open hand at Josephine, who looks panicked. “As you see, I’ve taken good care ofmi nuera. Not a hair touched on her lovely head.”
“If I find out you harmed her in any way…” I growl, my gun trained on him.
Esteban goads me with a smile. “I would never harm the woman carryingmis nietos.Preguntarle. Pregúntale tú mismo.”
I don’t need his fucking permission to ask her if she was harmed. “Pixie?”
She licks her lips, hesitating. “No one has touched me,” she croaks.
A weight lifts from my shoulders. She isn’t lying to me. It could have been worse, so, so much worse.
My jaw ticks as I turn my attention back to the barrel of my rifle, aiming at Esteban. “Let her go.”
Esteban’s grip tightens on Josephine's arm, his jaw ticking. “Are you sure you want to say goodbye?Sé lo que es vivir sin el que amas.I don’t want that for you, my boy.”
Josephine stiffens, misinterpreting his words. She must think he’s threatening to hurt me by killing her. But she’s wrong. He wants her to stay with me, under his control. I refuse. My wife and children will be free of him.
I step forward, my gun still trained on him. “Let her go,” I repeat.
Piero’s helicopter is approaching. There’s not much time to make this exchange.
Esteban frowns, shaking his head. For one split second, I fear he’s changed his mind. He turns to face Josephine, running the back of his hand over her tear-streaked cheek. He looks back at me. “Drop your weapons.”
A snarl threatens to break from my lips. I may need to give up my gun, but I don’t want my men to be without. “Only me.” I pass my rifle to Gauge.
Taking the sling, he throws it over his shoulder, keeping his weapon on Esteban.
Raising my hands, I step toward my fate. “Let her go.”
Esteban's eyes grow wide with anticipation. I am what he wants, after all. He looks back at Josephine, his face grimacing. He kisses the crown of her head and releases her. “Go to him,mi flor silvestre.”
Josephine blinks at him for a few seconds, unable to believe he’s letting her go, before rushing toward me. “Maceo!”
I run to her, meeting her in the middle of the field. I gather her in my arms, breathing her in. I have seconds, if that, to say goodbye. Four of Esteban’s men followed her out to the field, ready to take me in her stead.
“Pixie,” I cry against the top of her head. “Are you okay? Honestly?”
“Yes,” she weeps into my chest.
Thank fuck!
Desperate for her, I kiss her—rough and with finality. I pour everything that’s left of me into that kiss—every hope, every prayer. “I love you. Remember that, please. I’ll fight for you and our boys, always.”
“I love you,” she cries, clinging to my vest.
My sweet, Pixie.
The chopper has made it into the clearing, landing behind my men.
My eyes take one final sweep at all my men. Punk and Tank stalk forward with their guns trained at Esteban’s entourage. Punk has his eyes zoned in on Josephine, one hand out in front of him, ready to grab her.
I take our final moment to cup my woman’s beautiful face, getting lost one last time in her aqua-blues. “You’re my heart, my soul, my world.”
She stares up at me with all the love and tenderness in the world, her eyes getting lost in mine.
And then she’s gone.
