of the barn.
The man stepped back to admire his handiwork. Rafael kicked at him and writhed against his restraints.
“Who ordered you to kill me? If it wasn’t Camila, then who?” When the man only laughed, he said, “How do you know my name?”
“You don’t get to ask questions, Madero.”
The man balled his big fist and thrust it hard into Rafe’s ribs. He pummeled his body as he side-stepped around him, using him as a punching bag. Every blow brought stars to Rafe’s watering eyes. When he felt a rib break and heard the crunch, he nearly lost consciousness.
Take it. Don’t pass out. Do it for Athena.
Rafael winced at every blow. The man wasn’t letting up. He fought to escape the mounting pain, struggling to hang on. If he died at Camila’s hands, he would’ve understood, but this made no sense. He tried to kick and fight back, but hoisting the weight of his body exhausted him. He wasn’t going to win.
He would die in this barn and no one would ever find his body.
When he stopped his struggle, a soft sound came to him. He heard it plainly, beyond the grunts of his punisher. The sound filled his ears until everything else faded to nothing and he dared to say her name.
Ariana.
The sound came again. Yes , he heard her soft gurgle and a sweet coo. Ariana. Her morning baby talk echoed in his mind, a distant memory that grew louder. It felt as if he could reach out his hand and touch his baby girl. When he peered through the darkest shadows, he saw what his eyes craved.
Elena held their little girl in her arms and smiled at him. She was with him, both his girls.
Elena, mi amor.
Rafael didn’t feel the pain any more. It ebbed to a dull ache before it vanished.
Te quiero, mi vida. He told Elena how much he loved her, and in Spanish she said, “ Yo te quiero más” I love you more.
He kept his eyes on his wife and child—even when the machete cut into him.
Chapter 10
Borrego Ranch
Camila’s wall of muscle stood around her, the woman’s soldados ready for a fight. Athena heard the Vice President’s men move. Dirt crunched under their boots and the metallic sound of weapons shifting in their hands made her skin crawl. Rafferty and Landry put distance between her and tensed their bodies, ready to move.
“This has cluster fuck potential. Split up. Don’t be a bullet magnet,” Rafferty muttered under his breath.
Athena knew if anyone got trigger happy, she and her men would make a tougher target if they weren’t lined up like bowling pins. Smart. Anything could set off the mounting and palpable friction.
She slowed her breathing and stilled her heart to a dull thump in her ears as she stared at the woman cartel boss. She didn’t want to be the first to blink as she waited to hear what Ruiz would tell Camila Borrego. Would the man back her play—a foreigner—or would Camila’s threat of violence be too much hostility for him?
“There is no need for blood here today, Camila.” Ruiz said. “Miss Madero only needs reassurance her brother isn’t with you. That is all. We are not accusing you of anything. I am only asking your cooperation, in a sign of good faith.”
Camila glared at the man as if she willed his head to catch fire. If Athena didn’t need Ruiz on her side at the moment, she might’ve considered fanning the flames.
“Very well. I can provide such assurance, but only under two conditions.” Camila fixed her eyes on Athena and her men. “Only one man will trespass on my private property to look for Rafael Madero.”
The woman pointed to Sam Rafferty and said, “That one. Only him.”
Rafferty glanced to Landry and smirked.
“Don’t feel bad. I’m just havin’ a good hair day,” he whispered.
Landry rolled his eyes, but the tension never left his face.
“What else?” Ruiz asked. “What’s your other condition?”
“I want time alone with Athena Madero. Woman to woman.”
Before Ruiz could object, Athena spoke up.
“Agreed.” She nodded and said to
The man stepped back to admire his handiwork. Rafael kicked at him and writhed against his restraints.
“Who ordered you to kill me? If it wasn’t Camila, then who?” When the man only laughed, he said, “How do you know my name?”
“You don’t get to ask questions, Madero.”
The man balled his big fist and thrust it hard into Rafe’s ribs. He pummeled his body as he side-stepped around him, using him as a punching bag. Every blow brought stars to Rafe’s watering eyes. When he felt a rib break and heard the crunch, he nearly lost consciousness.
Take it. Don’t pass out. Do it for Athena.
Rafael winced at every blow. The man wasn’t letting up. He fought to escape the mounting pain, struggling to hang on. If he died at Camila’s hands, he would’ve understood, but this made no sense. He tried to kick and fight back, but hoisting the weight of his body exhausted him. He wasn’t going to win.
He would die in this barn and no one would ever find his body.
When he stopped his struggle, a soft sound came to him. He heard it plainly, beyond the grunts of his punisher. The sound filled his ears until everything else faded to nothing and he dared to say her name.
Ariana.
The sound came again. Yes , he heard her soft gurgle and a sweet coo. Ariana. Her morning baby talk echoed in his mind, a distant memory that grew louder. It felt as if he could reach out his hand and touch his baby girl. When he peered through the darkest shadows, he saw what his eyes craved.
Elena held their little girl in her arms and smiled at him. She was with him, both his girls.
Elena, mi amor.
Rafael didn’t feel the pain any more. It ebbed to a dull ache before it vanished.
Te quiero, mi vida. He told Elena how much he loved her, and in Spanish she said, “ Yo te quiero más” I love you more.
He kept his eyes on his wife and child—even when the machete cut into him.
Chapter 10
Borrego Ranch
Camila’s wall of muscle stood around her, the woman’s soldados ready for a fight. Athena heard the Vice President’s men move. Dirt crunched under their boots and the metallic sound of weapons shifting in their hands made her skin crawl. Rafferty and Landry put distance between her and tensed their bodies, ready to move.
“This has cluster fuck potential. Split up. Don’t be a bullet magnet,” Rafferty muttered under his breath.
Athena knew if anyone got trigger happy, she and her men would make a tougher target if they weren’t lined up like bowling pins. Smart. Anything could set off the mounting and palpable friction.
She slowed her breathing and stilled her heart to a dull thump in her ears as she stared at the woman cartel boss. She didn’t want to be the first to blink as she waited to hear what Ruiz would tell Camila Borrego. Would the man back her play—a foreigner—or would Camila’s threat of violence be too much hostility for him?
“There is no need for blood here today, Camila.” Ruiz said. “Miss Madero only needs reassurance her brother isn’t with you. That is all. We are not accusing you of anything. I am only asking your cooperation, in a sign of good faith.”
Camila glared at the man as if she willed his head to catch fire. If Athena didn’t need Ruiz on her side at the moment, she might’ve considered fanning the flames.
“Very well. I can provide such assurance, but only under two conditions.” Camila fixed her eyes on Athena and her men. “Only one man will trespass on my private property to look for Rafael Madero.”
The woman pointed to Sam Rafferty and said, “That one. Only him.”
Rafferty glanced to Landry and smirked.
“Don’t feel bad. I’m just havin’ a good hair day,” he whispered.
Landry rolled his eyes, but the tension never left his face.
“What else?” Ruiz asked. “What’s your other condition?”
“I want time alone with Athena Madero. Woman to woman.”
Before Ruiz could object, Athena spoke up.
“Agreed.” She nodded and said to
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