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“What are we going to do?”

He kisses me. “We’re going to stay in bed together and drink this tea before it gets cold. Then I’m going to find a way out of this.”

I trust him. I believe him. But there’s a voice in the back of my head that whispers, you can solve this problem too.

I have agency. He’s not alone and doesn’t have to be.

Not when we’re in this together.

He switches out the lights when we’re finished drinking and stays with me in the darkness.

27

BASS

Imeet Hector down at the gates to the ranch.

He’s alone and looks scared shitless. The cook fidgets as he lingers beside a beat-up Honda. It’s early and the sun’s still struggling over the mountains.

“I didn’t expect you,” I say. Another five guards are spread out in a small semi-circle behind us.

“I’m a messenger.” Hector keeps his hands raised in the air. “That’s all, man.”

“Then give me your message.”

His eyes flick to the men with guns behind me. But that’s his mistake.

I’m the most dangerous person here.

“These are Ruben’s words, okay? I’m repeating them.”

“I promise I won’t kill you.”

He clears his throat. “Ruben says he changed his mind. Ruben says the deal’s different now. He says you have to send Marisol home and give up your stake in the corridor or else Cruz will die. That’s what he said, man, I’m sorry.”

I let it sink in. The horror quickly turns to rage.

“Go home,” I snarl at Hector. “And don’t get mixed up in this shit again.”

“I swear, man, I don’t want anything to do with this.” He practically dives behind the wheel and peels out backing up to the main road.

I watch him go.

“The fuck was that?” Nico asks, striding over. He waves for the guards to return to their posts.

I begin the walk back to the main house, scowling at the sunbaked ground. “Ruben’s an erratic piece of shit, that’s what that was. He made it sound like he wanted my cooperation last night. Now he’s saying I have to send my wife away and walk from the corridor.”

“We have to kill him.” Nico sounds so sure of himself, but that’s always his solution. My brother’s never met a problem he couldn’t fix with some bullets.

In this case though, I think he’s right.

“But we have to get Cruz away first. I couldn’t live with myself if he died.” And neither could Mari, but I don’t need to voice that.

Nico grunts and rubs a hand through his hair. “How are you going to do that?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“What happens if Ruben gets his way?”