Page 139 of When Lies Unfold

I drop heavily to my knees, my hands trembling as I reach for the bracelet I gave her when we first met. My fingers fumble in my attempt to collect the butterfly chain, and it’s evident it was yanked off her, judging by the broken clasp.

Alma would’ve never ripped this off. She cherished it as much as I do the butterfly figurine she gave me.

A sense of helplessness ravages through me, my vision growing blurry from tears as I cradle the butterfly chain in my palms. But it’s interrupted by a barrage of heavy footsteps and male voices shouting.

“Alma! Lola!” Santy’s voice thunders down the hallway.

A paralyzing sensation freezes my limbs and revokes my ability to move. I should have been here. I should have protected her from him. Clutching the delicate chain to my chest, I rock back and forth as a sense of helplessness ravages me.

Santy yells again, his booming voice ripe with panic. “Alma! Lola!”

He’ll hate me, and with good reason. I never should’ve left.

He appears in the doorway, gun drawn, features taut, eyes urgent as he scans the room for his daughter.

A hollow pit of my stomach gapes open while a mix of rage and grief threatens to suffocate me. On the edge of a sob come the only words I can muster.

“She’s gone.”

60

SANTIAGO

“She’s gone.”

Lola’s words act like someone reaches in and cracks open my ribs, barin’ my goddamn heart. “Where the fuck were you?” I demand.

Tears track down her cheeks, her features stamped with anguish. Clutchin’ the butterfly chain she gave Alma, guilt shimmers in her eyes. She swallows hard before risin’ to her feet a few feet away from the tutor’s dead body.

“Alma went with her tutor, and I went for a walk.” More tears spill free as she tries to stifle a sob. “All I wanted to do was get my thoughts straight. I didn’t intend to be gone long, but?—”

“I really fuckin’ hope you got your thoughts straight.” My voice rises incrementally. “While they raided my motherfuckin’ home and took my daughter!”

Lola’s mouth quivers before she presses her lips thin. “She left behind some clues.” Gesturin’ to Alma’s desk, she clears her throat. “She scribbled on paper.”

Eyein’ her warily, I step over to the desk, and when I spot what she’s referrin’ to, I see nothin’ but a red haze of fury.

“Santy.” Gordo barrels through the doorway. “Miguel just came to. He’s in rough shape, but he’ll live. He saw what went down.”

As if I’m not dealin’ with enough already, my cell phone starts ringin’. When I slide it free of my pocket and glance down at the screen, the vein in my temple throbs to the thunderin’ beat of my heart. My jaw turns to granite as I answer the call and place it on speakerphone.

“Are you looking for someone, Mr. Hernández?” The bastard’s voice bleeds with evil-fuckin’-glee. “You fuck with my business and all I hold dear, I fuck with the most important people in your life.”

He makes a disappointed sound. “Unfortunately, your current whore wasn’t around. I planned to take her, too, because the more, the merrier.”

“I’m tellin’ you right now, Hidalgo”—I grind out each word from between clenched teeth—“if you lay a goddamn finger on her, I’ll fuckin’ kill you.”

Unbothered by the threat, he laughs. “Oh, how I enjoy your pointless threats. You should be thanking me for sparing the lives of your staff. After all, you’ll need them to clean things up.”

He hums thoughtfully. “My men eliminated those who directly interfere with my business. Unfortunately, the tutor tried to fight back, so she had to be dealt with. I’m sure you understand.” Hidalgo’s tone is so fuckin’ condescendin’, I wish I could reach through this phone and rip out his throat. “Oh, and would you thank your nephew for me? He was ever so helpful in coordinating things.”

“I’m gonna tear you apart.” I grind out the words, my jaw tight as hell. “Limb by motherfuckin’ limb.”

“It’s not wise to threaten me, Mr. Hernández. Otherwise, I’ll be tempted to have my next shipment of girls include an additional, special one.” His threat has bile risin’ up my throat. “She’s a pretty little thing, so innocent and untouched. I’m sure she’ll bring in even more money for me.”

I’m tempted as hell to empty bullets into the drywall, imaginin’ it’s Hidalgo’s motherfuckin’ face. “The fuck you want?”

“I want you to leave my operations alone and return the territory in Ecuador. If you do that, I’ll return your daughter.”

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