Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
“Dad,” I stepped outside of my room, closing the door behind me.
There were more people outside, a few of my father’s top men and a highly distraught Diego, his hair unbraided and wearing only pajama pants as he snarled at his phone.
“Ramón,” my father said, drawing my attention back to him. “We have a situation. I am so sorry to take you away from Joy, but we need your help. Do you remember Diego’s lieutenant, Tim McCray? His stepdaughter was taken by the Santiago cartel, and we need to get her back before…well, before. We have a lead that she’s being taken to Mexico City. Get dressed and meet us downstairs. You know Mexico the best, have the most contacts in the area. I hate to take you away from Joy, but we need you.”
Our eyes met, and I’m surprised the hallway didn’t burst into flames around us as our tempers roared to life. “I understand.”
Before I could turn, my father grasped my arm. “Don’t tell Joy where you’re going, but let her know you’ll be gone for a few days. And don’t give your mother an excuse to do something rash in our absence.”
I flexed his hand off my bicep, torn for the first time in my life between my duties to my family and my woman. “I hate lying to her.”
“Ramón, you know it’s for her own good. Give her some story she’ll believe, something about you having to go on a business trip somewhere with no cell phone and spotty satellite. That you’ll contact her when you can, but for her not to worry—but do it quick.”
Diego joined me as our father moved down the hall to speak with one of his men.
Taking in Diego’s distraught state, I said, “We’ll get her back.”
Diego closed his eyes, his expression haunted. “She’s only sixteen, just a kid. If anything happens to her…”
My father interrupted us, “We have to go.”
Years of training kicked in as I went back into my bedroom, regret sinking into my gut that I had to leave Joy’s side.
I packed quickly, pulling my weapons out of the secret vault hidden behind the bathroom sink. After I was ready to go, I left Joy a note telling her that I had to make an emergency trip down to South America to visit a sick friend who lived deep in the jungle, and that I would be back as soon as I could.
Before I left, I slid my knife from my boot and cut off one of Joy’s small curls, then put it in my pocket over my heart.
Chapter 12
Three Weeks Later
The sun beamed down through the windshield of Mark’s red SUV, baking my hands as I clutch the wheel. Sweat dripped down my face, even though the air conditioning blasted from the vents and chilled my skin.
I was both freezing and burning, hot and cold, as anxiety sunk its claws into me.
On a clinical level, I knew I had PTSD from my attack. That my fight or flight instincts were all screwed up. I also knew yhe level of danger I felt wasn’t real, but that knowledge did nothing to curb the anxiety building inside of me.
Scanning my surroundings, I studied the crowded parking lot of the rough high school in Phoenix I tutored at. As I tried to spot any potential threats, I marveled at how before, I saw no risk here. I’d blithely skipped my way through life like a fool, unaware bad things could happen to me. With my newly opened eyes, I could see the different gangs hanging on their turf, feel the tension between them as a mint green low rider with utterly black windows rolled up. A group of very scantily dressed high school girls approached it, giggling and looking like children playing dress up.
Ever since Ramón mentioned people actively following me, I felt like malevolent forces lurked in every shadow, hid behind every pair of eyes. Sometimes the hair would lift on the back of my neck, and I’d just know someone dangerous was nearby. Hell, I didn’t even feel safe at my parents’ house. During a brief visit, I swore I saw someone looking through the tall fence surrounding our backyard. I hadn’t been able to sleep until I’d texted Tino about my concerns. He’d set up perimeter guards around my childhood home in the thick of suburbia outside of Tuscan, and I’d only stopped stressing out after he reassured me I was safe.
How fucked up was that?
A car beeped somewhere in the lot, drawing me back to the present.
This was my fourth day back as a tutor. Instead of getting better, my fear was only getting worse. Every day, the temptation to never leave Leo’s compound, to exist only in the bubble of his protection, made me want to become a recluse. The need to flee was strong, but I fought it. I wasn’t going to give in to my fears, and I would not let them rule my life. Besides, what did I have to go home to? An empty house? Hannah was busy with Leo, and Mark was always working. If it wasn’t for Hannah’s dog, Honey, I would be completely alone… other than the guards I never saw, but knew were there.