by LP Lovell
But this…I take simple joy in knowing that Dominges is going to be considerably weaker without his older brother. Both strategically and emotionally. I inhale, focus, hold the breath… and then there’s a bang. Miguel drops out of sight, and I swear under my breath. Sam moved too fucking soon. When I take in the scene in the warehouse, it’s chaos. Miguel lays dead, but his men barely get a chance to do anything about it before several more bangs ring out and they start dropping like flies. Glancing through the doorway, I find Samuel storming towards me.
“What the fuck?” he asks.
“It’s not me. I didn’t get a single shot off.”
We crouch down, and my eyes scan over every inch of the warehouse, and it’s then that I catch the muzzle flash, high up on one of the gang walks. Narrowing my eyes, I can just about make out the figure lying down on the metal flooring, sniper rifle in front of them. The black hood covers their face, so I can’t see shit.
“Come on.” I jog down the stairs, re-tracing the steps we took to the exterior door. The warm night air greets me as soon as I step outside. Samuel follows as I jog around to the opposite side of the building. The shooting inside has stopped, but I want to know who the fuck is getting involved in our shit. Maybe they want the guns. That would make the most sense here. The metal of the rickety ladder groans under someone’s weight, before the soft thud of feet hitting the floor. I round the corner, gun raised and pointing at the tiny figure clothed all in black.
“Stop.” They freeze, tilting their face down, the hood hiding their face. Narrowing my eyes, I take a step closer. Dressed all in black…tiny; too small to be a guy really…a great shot. “Una?” No sooner has the word left my lips than I feel the nudge of cool metal against the back of my head. Glancing to my right, I see Sam standing with his hands up, his rifle at his feet.
“Did you miss me?” Una says from behind me in that distinctive Russian lilt. “Drop it.”
I drop the rifle, and the figure in front of me whirls to face me, sniper rifle clutched to their side. The hood falls away, and golden blonde hair tumbles over her shoulders.
“Anna,” I breathe.
Those sapphire blue eyes of hers meet mine, and I don’t know what I expect to see, but it isn’t the cool indifference I find. The black clothing clings to every curve, and I can see that she’s firmer, fitter, honed. Different. She’s so different.
“Rafael,” she says, shrugging the strap of her rifle higher on her shoulder.
Turning around, I glare at Una. She places the barrel of the gun against my chest.
“What did you do?”
“Rafe,” Sam warns.
Una only smirks. “To Anna?”
“Of course to Anna.”
“I made her strong, just like I said I would.”
“She was already strong.”
Anna strolls past us, a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Even the way she walks has changed. “We need to go,” she says to Una.
Una lowers her gun and shoves it into her thigh holster, taking a step back.
“That’s it, you’re just leaving?” A hint of desperation creeps into my voice.
Anna turns and drops her gaze to the floor. Despite the front she’s putting on, I know this is almost as hard for her as it is for me.
“We didn’t come here to pay you a visit,” Una says.
“You show up in my city without any fucking prior warning. I’d say Nero owes me at least a heads up.”
“No. Nero doesn’t owe you a thing, and you know it.”
“Does he know you’re here?”
“That’s none of your concern.” So he doesn’t.
“Why are you here?”
“Enough.” Anna steps forward, taking her sisters arm. “Una is helping me. That’s all you need to know.” She goes to move, but I grab her. She pauses, her gaze dropping to my fingers wrapped around her slender wrist. Her eyes lift to mine, and for a second everything disappears the same way it always does when I’m with her. The world fades into the background until all I can see is the perfection of her face, my own personal angel. Her breaths hitch unevenly, and she closes her eyes, tilting her face away from me. “We won’t be here long.”
“You’re killing Dominges’ men…”
“You’re not the only one who deserves revenge, Rafael.”
My thumb skates over the inside of her wrist, and she softens towards me before pulling away. “Anna!”
The two of them disappear into the night like shadows, and I’m left standing with my fucking heart beating like a drum.
“What the hell?” Samuel comes to stand beside me, dragging a hand through his hair. “Anna just shot Miguel. Anna.”
“I’m aware, Sam.”
“This is going to cause problems.”
I glance at him. “Why? Either way, he’s dead.”
He points at me. “Because of that look on your face. Your priorities have already shifted, and you’ve seen the girl for all of two minutes.”
“My priorities are the same as they’ve always been.”
He snorts and scoops his rifle up from the ground. “Please. You might be able to lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me.”
He walks away in the direction of the gate, and I trail after him, unable to form words about the situation. He’s right. Anna is here. In Mexico. And she’s not only in the firing line—she’s walking right at it. I wanted her as far away from this shit as possible. This feels like all my worst fears realized, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified. For her. And for myself.
I’m not sure I can survive losing her.
As soon as we’re in the car, I call Nero. “Rafael.”
“I’m hoping you are unaware of the fact that your girlfriend is currently running around Mexico killing off cartel members. Though somehow I doubt it.
He sighs. “I’m aware that she has gone to Mexico to aid her sister.”
“You didn’t think to give me a damn heads up?” I’m seething, but trying to keep a lid on it. Emotions are nothing but weakness when dealing with men like Nero.
“I told them I can’t get involved in the politics of it. It’s bad for business. So no, I didn’t tell you because you were never supposed to know they were there.” So they thought they could hide from me in my own city.
“Well, now I do.” I hang up and toss my phone on the dash.
Samuel clears his throat. “I’ll send guys for the guns and to torch the warehouse.”
I’d normally just leave his brother’s body for Dominges to find, let him know it was me. But it wasn’t me, and I’m now worried about inciting him too much with Anna this close. She shouldn't be here. Tension contracts my muscles until my entire body screams with it. The lights of the city pass by the window in a messy blur.
“What are you going to do about Anna?” Well now, that was the question. I sent her to New York to keep her safe, and instead, her sister turns her into some kind of…assassin, and brings her head first into my war. I want to hunt her down and lock her away from all this because if my enemies get even a hint of the fact that she’s here, it will be open season, and that’s without the fact that she’s just killed off the boss’ brother. I’m mad, but I’m also terrified for her. But this is my city, and nothing happens here without my say so. Not even her.
62
Anna
I sit at the tiny table in the run down motel room and watch my sister pace, peering through the bedraggled curtains every so often. She decided that we needed to come here instead of going back to our hotel, in case Rafael has compromised us. Whatever that means. Rafael would never do anything to hurt me. I know that much. He was never supposed to know we were here though, and his appearance caught me off guard.
“Fuck,” Una swipes her gun off the tiny coffee table and goes to the door, yanking it open. She fires a single shot into the night, and I leap up, grabbing my own gun.
“Walk away!” she calls into the shadowy parking lot.
“Can�
��t do that,” a familiar voice drawls.
“Carlos?” I go to move past Una, but she yanks me back, her finger twitching dangerously over the trigger.
“You need to come with us, Anna.” I still can’t clearly see him, only the cloud of smoke that drifts out of the shadows hidden from glow of the sign.
“Or what?” I dare, my temper spiking. Who the hell does Rafael think he is to just send his man after me? “How did you find me?"
He steps forward, and the neon red light bathes his form, making him look demonic beneath that hood. “This is cartel land, Señorita. You can’t run, and you can’t hide. It would be easier if you just come.” A small smirk touches his lips before he places a cigarette between them.
“I’ll take that as a threat,” Una takes aim.
“No!” A car door is thrown open before a figure scrambles in front of Carlos. Lucas.
“Stop.” I force Una’s gun away from my friend.
“Please, just come with us, Anna,” Lucas begs.
I take a few steps out into the dirt-covered parking lot. “Tell Rafael that this doesn’t concern him.”
Carlos sucks on his teeth, exhaling a cloud of smoke on a laugh. “Somehow I don’t think that will go down too well.” Carlos pushes his brother out of the way and takes a few steps towards me until we’re only a few feet apart. “You see, he’s not rational where you’re concerned. But do not mistake his weakness for you as weakness in general. You forget who he is, Anna.”
“I know exactly who and what he is.” I know he’s a bad man, but I just cannot believe that he would ever harm me. If I refuse to go now, what will he do? Una and I will move locations, and I don’t care whether he’s God himself, if she doesn’t want to be found, Una could disappear like an apparition.
Carlos tosses his cigarette to the ground, sending sparks skittering into the darkness. “Last chance. He’ll send more than just me next time."
I hear the click of a gun behind me, before Una shifts beside me. “A man at war shouldn’t be so eager to waste good men.”
“Ah, you’re welcome too, Russian.” Carlos turns away, strolling towards the Hummer and yanking the door open. “What will it be?”
Lucas moves into my line of sight. “Please, Anna.” He looks like a puppy, and I can’t bear to reject him.
With a sigh, I turn to Una. “I’ll go. Talk to him and come back before the end of the day.”
“Seriously, Anna? You’re so naive.”
“He won’t hurt me.”
"That’s not what I’m worried about.” She holsters her gun and closes the door before storming in the direction of the car. Lucas smiles at me as he holds the car door open. I ignore him and get in. Rafael practically sent him as a human shield. We both know it.
Lucas closes the door and gets in the front seat. He turns and smiles at me, but I don’t return it. He’s a traitor. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“So you’d betray me?”
He drops his gaze and slowly turns around, but I don’t miss the hurt expression on his face. For a moment I feel really bad. Lucas is and has been a good friend to me, but this should have been my choice. If I go to Rafael, I want it to be on my terms. Not like this. This is taking away my choices.
Una takes her phone out and dials, very deliberately leaving it on speakerphone. “Morte,” Nero answers, and the way he says that one word makes me blush.
“I’m en-route to Rafael D’Cruze. Maybe you should call ahead for me and remind him that I will not hesitate to kill him and all his men should he try and detain my sister against her will.”
“I’ll be sure to have a chat with him, but Una…”
“Yes?”
“Do try to play nice. Too many bullets are bad for business.”
She hangs up, and Carlos laughs. I hope to God that Rafael doesn’t try anything crazy because I know Una, and I know she’s absolutely serious when she says she’ll kill him.
The car winds through the city and out into the desert. I’ve only been to the warehouse a couple of times, but I know that’s where we’re going.
When we pull up outside the massive building, I get out and the scent of the desert brings with it both awful and pleasant memories. My time in the Sinaloa and my time with Rafael. Steeling myself, I follow Carlos and Lucas inside, my sister lingering behind me.
When we head for Rafael’s office, my chest tightens.
“He wants to see you,” Carlos says to me. I know Una’s going to argue, but I place a hand on her arm, something I rarely do because she hates being touched. “He won’t hurt me. I’ll be fine.”
I can tell she’s on edge being here, but she says nothing, simply glaring at Carlos with a gun in hand. That’s more than enough.
“Don’t kill anyone,” I say as I move away and follow Carlos to the office door. Earlier, I was caught unawares and didn’t have a chance to process seeing Rafael, but now, my stomach flutters with nerves, my heart squeezing in my chest. It seems he was just as surprised earlier, because when the office door opens, the full weight of his dark gaze lands on me, and he does not look happy.
Seeing him again ignites this longing in me. He’s like gravity, sucking me in, and oh, how I want to fall into the warmth of his embrace. But he no longer offers it. I loved him and he sent me away. I still do, and I hate it.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” he says when the door closes behind me.
“That’s funny because you and Carlos didn’t give me much choice.”
“I didn’t expect you back in Mexico.”
I steel myself against my pathetic heart, trying to fight my emotions. He doesn’t want me here. Well tough. “I didn’t come here for you.”
“This isn’t your fight, Anna.”
“My fight is my own. Like I said, I didn’t come here for you.” Because he doesn’t want me here in any capacity.
Moving around the desk, he approaches me, and I tense. “You can’t be here.”
“You sent me away, Rafael. You don’t get a say in where I should or shouldn’t be.”
His fist clench at his sides, jaw ticking. He looks every inch the terrifying mafia boss everyone else see’s. “I sent you away to keep you safe.”
My temper spikes, tearing through my carefully erected wall of indifference. “That wasn’t your call to make!”
“It was absolutely my call to make!” He’s so close now I can feel the warmth of his breath on my face, smell the smoke that clings to him. "Maria should have been untouchable. She was family. I won’t lose you too.”
And that breaks my heart on multiple levels.
63
Rafael
She looks good, her tight curves are covered in black, a gun holster is strapped to her thigh. Una has rubbed off on her. I should have expected it, and yet I can’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. When I sent her away it was under this foolish premise that she would be protected and safe, not that she would turn into the very assassins I sent her to.
“You lost Maria, so I had to lose you? Was that it?" she whispers. And there it is, just a glimpse of the girl I know. The pain in her eyes, that’s all her; my Anna. Sweet, breakable.
I can’t stop myself from sweeping a golden curl off her face. “I won’t put you at risk.”
The fragile vulnerability washes away in the blink of an eye. “Fuck you, Rafe. You did it because you were scared.”
“I did it because I love you!” She squeezes her eyes shut and I sweep my fingertips over the soft skin of her cheek. “I love you.”
When she opens her eyes, there’s nothing but hurt and anger. “No, you don’t. I thought I loved you because you saved me. You thought you loved me because I was innocent and broken…”
“Stop.”
“It was all a lie.”
“Stop!”
“I see that now.”
I slam my hand over her mouth because I can’t listen to her spew fucking poison. I’m on the cusp of losing her. I
can feel it. Our eyes lock, and a thousand unspoken words pass between us. Everything we’ve been through together, the precious moments and the ugly horrors; it all lingers in that small space between our bodies. I thought nothing could break this, break us. Perhaps Nicholai Ivanov, or Dominges couldn’t, but I could. Maybe I did. “I’m sorry,” I breathe. Sorry for sending her away, because I see now that my abandonment cut her deep, and Una healed her by putting a gun in her hand and turning her into this.
Anna’s fingers wrap around my wrist, and I allow her to pull my hand from her mouth. My heart thumps heavily and time seems to stand still as her lips part, and she sucks a sharp breath into her lungs, getting ready to deliver her next words like a wielded knife.
“Don’t be. You did me a favor.”
Loving her has always been painful, but this is torture.
We stare at each other for a long moment. There’s not a hint of a chink in that armor she’s wrapped around herself. I don’t have time to win her over right now. I’ve spent the last few months being a man she wouldn’t even recognize, and now is not the time to revert back to the man she once loved.
I re-take my seat behind my desk. “You will stay here.”
She cocks a brow and that look is all Una. I don’t know whether to be pleased that she’s gained confidence or gutted that my sweet Anna has been so buried in my absence. “No, I won’t.”
“It wasn’t a request.” Her hand slides to the gun at her thigh. I smirk. “You didn’t think you could just walk into my city and run riot?”
She steps forward until her thighs bump the edge of my desk, and she braces her hands on the wood. My eyes drop to her cleavage before meeting her gaze again. “Funny, from where I’m standing, it looks an awful lot like I took out your enemies.”