“I know, but he won’t,” Raize said softly. “V.”

She was shaking her head and turning to walk in a tight circle. Over and over again. Her hands went to her hips. “I cannot believe you did this. I left him for you. One bro—”

“It’s for your safety. These people are the best. Marco won’t know that I won’t know. I can use that, string him along, and it’ll work. He’s irrational when it comes to his sister.”

She stopped, her hands falling back down. A look of utter desolation settled over her shoulders. Her eyes brimming with tears. “I’ll never see you again?”

“No.” Raize continued, “It’ll be a new life. You wanted a new life. You’ll be normal. They’ll help you with a home, a job. Papers. Whatever you need. It’s a new life. Your mother would want that for you.”

Verónica picked up on what he was saying, how he was phrasing it.

He didn’t want these people to know of her relation to them.

“I can’t,” she whispered, the tears starting to fall.

“You have to. You leave, I can use that as leverage to stop Marco. You don’t leave, he’ll keep sending sicarios after me. He’ll keep at it until he gets you back. You know this.” He went to his sister, drawing her into his arms. “You and Abram. You go together. I’ve paid for both of you—”

“No.”

Raize frowned at Abram. “What do you mean?”

He was shaking his head. “I’m not going with her.”

Verónica started crying again. “I can’t. I can’t. I can’t.” She was in full meltdown mode.

The woman and man shared another look, both edging back a step.

Raize raised his voice. “I paid for you. You love her! You be with her.”

“No, brother.” Abram went the other way, gentling his tone. He tried to give Verónica a reassuring smile. It faltered and sadness emanated from him. “I’m sorry, Verónica. I am, but I’ve got too much blood on me. I’d never be able to live a normal life. But you can. You’re a good person. In his way, Marco tried to keep that world away from you as much as he could. I’m going to stay. I’m going to protect my brother.” He indicated Raize. “He’s going to need me, and you know it.”

“No,” another cracked whisper from Verónica. “No, no, no.”

Raize moved back, his gaze going to the couple. “I need your reassurance that she’ll be safe. You’re going to be hiding Marco Estrada’s sister. You know who Marco Estrada is?”

They shared another look.

The woman nodded. “We do. We’re aware of all the dynamics going on here.”

Right. More crypticness. I was guessing they were indicating they knew who Raize worked for. That’s the only thing that made sense.

Raize’s eyes went flat. His lips thinned. “I need you to say that she’ll be kept safe and alive.”

She frowned. Her eyebrows dipped down, but she said it. “She’ll be kept safe and alive. She’ll be happy, too, eventually. We care about these people. It’s our entire mission.”

His mouth curved down, but he turned to me. “Is she lying?”

Relief flooded me. I was so grateful he worded it that way.

“She’s telling the truth.”

Raize’s eyes went to the guy. “You now.”

“Wha—”

Raize’s gun was in the air. His words were rough. “I need you to say the same words.”

“We don’t do business like thi—” The woman started to step between them.

The guy interrupted her, his hand catching her shoulder and holding her in place. He raised his chin, too. “We will keep her safe and protected. She’ll be happy. That is my promise to you.”

I didn’t know why or how, but this guy understood the need inside of Raize. An understanding was there in his eyes, a dark knowing and it was enough.

I gave Raize a nod when he glanced my way. As soon as I did, he lowered the gun. The fight fled from him. His eyes closed for a beat.

Okay.

Now it was my turn.

I moved to Verónica, taking her into my arms. I hugged her and whispered, cupping the back of her head, “This is the ultimate gift your brother can give you. Both of your brothers. You need to accept it. Your mother would want this.”

She was trembling in my arms, but her arms came up and wrapped tightly around me. She burrowed her head into my neck and shoulder. “I cannot. I cannot. Too much loss.”

“You have to, but Verónica.” I pulled back, framing her face with my hands and I rested my forehead on hers. “Do this for your brother. You have no idea how precious this gift is. Please take it.”

“What do you think, sis?”

I was hugging Raize’s sister, but it was someone else I was saying goodbye to.

Brooke.

Drawing in a breath, I stepped back.

Verónica was still crying, but she moved to Raize.

I turned away, wiping at my eye.

The hugs were hard to watch.

Verónica was sobbing and hugging Raize so tight. Then Abram.

She kept whispering his name, Abraham, over and over again.

In the end, the couple came forward and took her from Abram’s arms.

“Cuida de él. Cuida su espalda. Guárdalo. ¡Prometeme! Prométemelo, mi amor. Yo te amaba Hago. Yo siempre.”

Abram’s dam broke. Tears fell from his eyelids and he choked out, “I will. I’ll protect him.” He had to take a breath. “I love you, too, Verónica. Siempre te he amado.”

Verónica broke again, falling to the ground.

I didn’t know what he said, but it was beautiful whatever it was. It felt right not to know.

The man, Blade, bent down and picked her up. He carried her as if she were a child and walked back how they’d come. The woman, Carol, waited a bit before turning to us. She was blinking back her own tears, and her voice came out raspy. “When you reached out, we did our homework. We know you worked for two cartels and are now in the employment of Roman Marakov. We weren’t sure about taking this booking, but decided to proceed anyways. This is the hardest part. It will get better. Estrada will never find her.” She paused, glancing back before as if coming to a decision. Her shoulders set. “The only people who will know where she is, will be Blade and myself. No one else.”

Raize dipped his head down. “Thank you.”

Abram said, “Gracias.”

A sad smile came from her. “De nada.”

She looked my way, a question in her eyes, but she didn’t say anything.

She turned and left.

I wiped away another tear.

61

Ash

“Heya, little baby doll.”

My mom was at the door and I straightened back from my stuffies. She had that look, and when Mom had that look, it wasn’t good.

I knew my stomach would start hurting soon, but I took a small breath. I held it. Dad told me this was the best way to calm ‘it’ when Mom was around. I never knew what ‘it’ was, but the breath holding and sitting real still always helped. Mom said what she wanted to say and left, and sometimes that look would go away. Other times…