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“No way!” Letty’s eyes are wide with shock. “Not possible.”
“Totally possible,” I shoot back at the same time Maven does. We look at each other, sharing knowing expressions before we burst out laughing. It feels good to share some bits with the girls, especially now that I know where I stand with Joaquin. Girl talk is even more fun, knowing that this thing with us is more than a fling.
With my hand on my heart, I say, “I’m so happy right now that nothing can rain on my parade.”
Maven looks around, and a flash of worry shines in her eyes because business is slow today. Super slow. “Well, tell us everything while it’s still quiet in here.”
I don’t want to share everything, but I was here every step of the way with Maven and Wilder, so I give up a few small details.
“Okay, first of all, he took me to a beautiful Airbnb and made me his mama’schili relleno. From scratch.”
The girls are both sporting matching wide-eyed expressions. “How sweet. You’re in love,” Maven says plainly like it’s a fact.
“Maybe.” I shrug. “I don’t know. It’s still so new.”
“Liar,” Letty declares just as tires screech outside. Seconds later, one of the big front windows shatters behind us as gunshots ring out.
“What the fuck?” I yell and turn to the window where Stone and Diesel have their guns out, shooting at men running toward us. Bullets spray the front of the bakery.
“Get down!” I shout over the gunshots and shove the girls onto the ground.
“What’s going on?” Letty shouts.
“We need to get to the walk-in. Now!” I stand up just as another crash sounds behind me, breaking the last of the front windows. One of our guys shoots and takes down one of the gunmen. I see him fall to the ground.
“Hurry!” I shout as the other two creeps keep advancing toward the shop.
A loudwhooshingsound fills the dining room, and next comes the heat. I risk a peek to see bottles on the floor stuffed with flaming fabric and in the next instant, flames crawl up the pastel walls.
“Oh shit! Fire!” I drop to my knees and catch a quick glimpse of Stone and Diesel fighting the men. The girls and I crawl hard and fast into the kitchen to the walk-in fridge and freezer.
“What the fuck is going on?” Maven asks as she pulls the walk-in door closed behind her.
“Don’t know.” I’m breathing heavily, and I don’t know if it’s fear, shock, my still-healing wounds, or a combination of all three. My heart pounds against my chest as fear takes hold of me. I have an idea, but there’s no point in scaring them just yet. “Fuck,” I think, picturing Diesel and Stone. Then I have a flashback to the scary scene the day I got shot. “I hope the guys are okay,” I say as sweat drips down the back of my neck.
I pull out my phone, ready to call Joaquin, but there’s no service! “Maven, my phone has no bars. What about yours?”
“Sorry, Will, I’ve never been able to get service in the walk-in. But don’t worry,” Maven says in the quiet of the fridge. “I’ve got this.” She produces a gun from under her t-shirt, pointing it at the door as it opens. Slowly.
”Careful, it could be one of the guys,” Letty says.
“Who’s there?” Maven says, her hands stock still as she aims.
Maven’s eyes widen with fear when she looks at the man standing in the open doorway, scowling at us.
“Stay back!” she shouts twice as loud as she needs to, which only enhances the wobble in her voice.
The man is the same short, stocky Hispanic man from the other day, the one who threatened me. He smiles like an evil fucking villain.
“You gonna shoot me?” He laughs at Maven and steps forward. “Don’t worry, Mouse. I only want the mouthy bitch,” he growls and nods in my direction.
I see Maven freeze in place, her hazel eyes wide, but her finger isn’t on the trigger.
“Shoot,” I whisper, but I know it’s useless. In her panic, she can’t hear me.
The guy steps forward, and my heart gallops in my chest because he wantsme. He already told me what he wants to do to me, and I am not ready to die.
I snatch the gun from Maven’s hand and take aim. “Back the fuck up.”
