Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Her sister let loose a long, exhausted sigh. “That may very well be, and I hope that is enough to keep him alive for your sake.”
“Hope is not enough for me. If EM Security will do nothing, I must.”
“No.”
Did Valeria think she would value her safety over the man she loved? That she would not lift a finger to save him? “You cannot stop me.”
“You are right; I cannot. But I can help you.”
“Help me?” Laila gaped. “You have Jorge to think about. You have your future.”
“What future? I have none now. I grow weary of this life. Always in hiding. I cannot walk outside for fear of death. Poor Jorge yearns to play in a park. He wants to run and jump and play with a ball. He wants to be a boy. Yet we are perpetually trapped in eight hundred square feet twenty-four hours a day for fear of being taken and beaten and…whatever else. And now these criminals and thugs are threatening the happiness you have finally found. I cannot do this anymore. I will not.”
Laila’s heart seized up. She had already lost Trees tonight, maybe for good. She could not lose her sister, too. “Valeria, do not—”
“Put myself at risk?” She scoffed. “For too long, I let you risk yourself for Jorge’s benefit…and mine. I may be the older sister, but you are so much braver than me. Seemingly so undaunted. You never give up. You never stop fighting for those you love. And I have failed you in every way.”
How could she say such things? “No.”
“Yes. The night I escaped with that affluent doctor’s daughter with EM Security’s help? I wanted to come for you so badly and take you with me. But I knew if I was caught wandering the compound, I would be questioned and taken straight to Emilo. If that happened, I worried I would never have another chance to escape. I was pregnant. I worried it would not be long before Emilo knew, too. Then he would kill me.”
For having his child. That made no sense, but Emilo had been an abusive bastard. Maybe he had never wanted a son or daughter.
But if that was true, why had he hunted them down in St. Louis? To kill Valeria for the “sin” of leaving him?
“I do not understand.”
“I left you behind, and I never should have. I should have risked myself to take you with me that night. I could have spared you a year and a half of utter abuse and misery. But I was too afraid of what would happen to me and my baby…” Valeria started crying, and Laila heard the genuine remorse in her voice. “I am so sorry, hermana.”
That confession had obviously weighed heavily on her sister, and Laila hated to hear her tear herself apart over making the obvious—and correct—choice. “I understand. I support your choice. Nothing is more important to me than you and Jorge. Do not get involved in this mess, except maybe to demand that EM Security help me find Trees.”
After all, his point about having no backup, no equipment, and no help was true.
“No, it is time I do more. The root of all our problems is Geraldo. I will deal with him—once and for all.”
Laila reeled back in horror. “You cannot.”
“I must. He will not hurt me. He will never hurt me. I have the one thing he wants most in this world. Jorge.”
“You cannot sacrifice your son to that monster. He will—”
“Never,” Valeria said firmly, like a vow. “But perhaps I can negotiate with him since I have leverage, and I refuse to let you risk yourself again. I will call EM Security and work something out.”
If Montilla would stop hunting them, maybe they could have a life? “But what if Geraldo will not negotiate?”
“He will.” Her sister sounded smug.
Laila didn’t understand, but her first priority was Trees. Valeria and Jorge having a cartel-free future was critical. Laila wanted that for them. But if these violent bastards took Trees from this earth, she would have no tomorrows.
“And what of Victor?”
Valeria scoffed. “Ramos is nothing but ass-licking pond scum. Emilo was right about very little, but he was right about that. He is more dangerous than smart, and I think I know a way to ensure that he gets exactly what is coming to him.”
Laila blinked. This was her sister? Valeria almost always allowed her to plan and execute whatever needed to be done. “I do not understand.”
“I know. And…there are things I should have explained much sooner, but I was embarrassed. If you had known, however, I might have saved you some heartache and trouble. Another grave mistake I will have to live with. I hope you can forgive me someday.”
“Valeria—”
“Give me an hour. I will see what I can work out. See if you can locate Victor. And take care of yourself, hermana. I will be in touch.”