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I moved instinctively to go down the stairs, but Leo’s hand shot out, grabbing mine. “No,” he grunted, his eyes locked on the SUV. “Someone’s in the car with her.”
I froze, focusing on the vehicle. My breath caught as I spotted a shadow in the back seat, the movement behind Bristol. She was crying hysterically, gripping the steering wheel like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.
Apollo and Creed flanked us, guns drawn, their eyes narrowed on the car.
“We’re not going to shoot her,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the adrenaline roaring in my ears.
Apollo didn’t even look at me. “I’ll do whatever I need to do to keep us safe.”
“Bristol isn’t a threat,” I insisted, my heart aching as I saw her shoulders shake with sobs. I knew they knew that too. Whatever was happening here, it wasn’t Bristol’s fault.
Before I could process the next moment, Bristol opened her door and stumbled out of the car, tears streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry!” she cried, her voice breaking as her feet hit the ground.
Then the rear door swung open, and a woman with bright red hair stepped out, gun in hand. She yanked Bristol toward her, pressing the barrel against her head. “Anyone fucking moves an inch, and the fat bitch gets it,” she warned, her voice cold and full of venom.
Bristol’s sobs grew louder, her body trembling. “Please don’t kill me,” she pleaded, her voice barely recognizable through her tears.
My stomach twisted. I wanted to run to her, to rip her out of that woman’s grasp, but I knew that would only make things worse. I took a shaky breath, my mind racing. This had to be Candace.
Leo, ever calm even in situations like this, stepped forward slightly. “What the hell do you want, Candace?” he called out, his voice steady, though I could feel the tension rolling off him.
Candace’s eyes snapped to Leo, filled with fury. “Your blood,” she spat, her lips curling in a sneer. “All of you. I want you dead and rotting in the ground.”
Well, at least Candace wasn’t one to dance around the point.
“That’s not going to happen,” Leo said, his voice still calm but with a deadly edge. “Let Bristol go, and you can leave. Nothing will happen to you.”
Candace scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping her throat. “Like I’d fucking believe a damn word that comes out of your mouth. You killed my brother like he was nothing, and you’re going to pay for it.”
Revenge. I felt a chill creep down my spine, but I forced myself to focus. If we didn’t handle this right, Bristol was going to get hurt—or worse.
I took a step forward, but Leo’s grip on my hand tightened. He shot me a look that told me to stay put, but I couldn’t just stand there. Bristol’s sobs echoed in my ears, tearing at my heart.
“Candace,” I called, forcing my voice to be as steady as possible. “You don’t need to do this. What happened with your brother… it was complicated. It doesn’t have to end like this.”
Candace’s wild eyes shifted to me, her grip on Bristol tightening. “Shut the fuck up, bitch. You think I don’t know whoyou are? You’re part of this, too. Leo’s bitch he’s been pining over for years! You’re going to die, too. I’m going to take everything from Leo, and then I’m going to kill him.”
For a split second, my heart pounded at the thought that she might know more—that she might realize I wasn’t just Leo’s old flame but the widow of Guy Maranga. But her words were pure rage, not informed by any deep knowledge. She didn’t know the truth. Not yet, at least.
But this was a time bomb. If Candace found out I had taken over the Maranga empire, things would only get worse. Right now, she just thought I was Leo’s girlfriend, some minor complication in her twisted revenge.
I noticed movement behind Candace, subtle but unmistakable. Someone was moving silently from tree to tree, drawing closer to her, staying out of her peripheral vision. It was risky, but they were getting into position. Leo, Apollo, and Creed had noticed too; I could tell by the way their eyes flicked to the side, assessing the situation without giving it away.
Leo took a step forward, his voice calm but firm. “Then just take me, Candace. Leave everyone else alone. I’m the one you really want.”
Candace’s lips curled into a wicked grin. “Oh, I’m going to take you, don’t fucking doubt it. You’re my golden ticket into the Maranga Empire.” She practically spat the words out like she already had it all planned. “And when that happens, I’m going to take every inch of your territory and make it mine.”
To the left, I caught sight of another figure. Whoever had been moving behind the trees wasn’t alone. This second person was less cautious, moving too quickly for Candace to miss. My heart stopped when I recognized Clyde stepping out from the side of the house, his gun drawn but too obvious. He wasn’t even trying to hide, his eyes fixed on Candace, no doubt thinking he could help.
Shit. Candace saw him.
Her gun immediately swung toward Clyde, her grip on Bristol loosening as she turned her full attention to this new target.
“Clyde, no!” I shouted instinctively, panic flooding my chest as I watched the barrel of Candace’s gun lock onto him. My mind raced, thinking of what I could do, how to stop this—when suddenly, everything happened at once.
The figure moving behind Candace struck. With the element of surprise on his side, Sig tackled her from behind, his arms wrapping around her in one swift motion. They hit the ground hard, her gun flying out of her hand and skittering across the gravel. Candace screamed in rage, thrashing beneath Sig, but he was stronger, pinning her down with practiced ease.
The second Candace’s grip on Bristol broke, Bristol crumpled to the ground in shock. For a split moment, she just lay there, her hands pressed against the earth like she was trying to ground herself. Then, as if coming back to her senses, she scrambled to her feet and ran up the steps, her breath coming out in gasps.
