Page 13 of Branches of Betrayal

She looked around the room, the blank walls reflecting her empty heart. Hadina had always thought that keeping the office lookingprofessionalwas all that mattered, but now it just made her feel isolated. Had she really been so alone before Peyton that even her everyday life was nothing but blank walls and bloodshed?

Yes, that wasexactlyhow lonely she had been. Maybe it hadn’t been clear to her before, but it certainly was now.

Without Peyton, Hadina was drifting in a sea of darkness and she no longer had the energy to command the shadows to keep her afloat. If she didn’t find her love soon, she would let herself be consumed.

“Jefa!We have a lead!”

The sound of Harris’ voice breaking through her cloud of dark thoughts was a welcome relief. Hadina shot out of her chair and practically ran down the corridor and into the tech room. It was technically more of an office section, with more than thirty monitors and a couple of data analysts working, furiously typing at their keyboards.

Harris stood behind one of the analysts, Josie, and beckoned Hadina over. Her sisters were already there, peering at the computer.

“What is it?”

“I think we know where thatpinche panochais hiding. There’s an old house that used to belong to Isaac’s family. When he died, they picked up and moved away, abandoning the house,” Zellie explained. “It’s right at the edge of the city, crumbling to pieces in the middle of one of the dying forests there.”

“Pull up the photos,” Hadina commanded. She watched as Josie clicked at her keyboard and pulled up the enlarged images on the screen mounted to the wall above the computer. As soon as she saw the old cottage-style house, Hadina felt a tug in her stomach.

“She’s there.”

Harris coughed. “We don’t know that. We should check it out first.”

Zellie looked at her sister and Hadina could see the understanding in her eyes. She didn’t know if their relationship was reparable, but Zellie had stepped up and done what she hadagreed—she’d been by Hadina’s side to aid her in finding Peyton. Her expertise was the missing piece in their search for her girl.

“She’s there,” Zellie confirmed, nodding her head to Hadina. “If Hadina has a feeling, we should trust her gut. She knows what she’s doing.”

It cut Hadina deep to hear those words from her big sister. She had longed for her acceptance and approval for so many years that she’d given up; to hear her give it so freely now was overwhelming.

“It’s time to bring mytentadorahome.”

It only tookthem two hours to come up with their game plan. Hadina went into a fugue state as she ordered her team about, yelling at them to move faster. Both Zellie and Piper were the embodiment of Adis daughters as they stormed through the building, ensuring Hadina’s commands were being followed out to perfection.

Harris, however, stayed by Hadina’s side. She knew he was apprehensive about them going full on SWAT team without more information and reconnaissance, but Hadina didn’t give a flying fuck. She would send her team across the fucking world if it meant she would find Peyton.

She just hoped they reached her in time.

The drive to the outskirts of the city was only ten minutes and yet it felt like hours as Hadina bit at her thumbnail nervously. She needed to focus, but her mind was filled with horrific scenes of what they could be turning up to, what version of Peyton they may find.

“Almost there,jefa. Are you ready?” Harris asked quietly from the driver’s seat beside her.

Hadina remained silent until they pulled up to the edge of the trees, grateful for the silence of the vehicle. She let out a quick breath and squared her shoulders, throwing a glance at Harris. “I’m always ready.”

The teams jumped out of the five parked cars, grabbing their guns and lifting them into position. Hadina nodded at each of them respectively, her eyes lingering on Zellie for just a moment long enough to see the determination in her eyes. If anyone was ready to annihilate whoever stood in their way, it was Zelina.

Hadina led the front of the charge as the teams fanned out around each side, spreading throughout the brush of the trees. She could hear the crunch of twigs beneath their heavy footsteps but she forced herself to concentrate on only her own steady steps as she progressed.

A twinge of unfamiliar panic hit her gut as the decrepit cottage came into view. It looked like something from a horror scene, with its dilapidated roof and busted up windows. Planks of rotting wood covered some, though she could see that time had weakened their hold. Overgrown weeds tangled around their ankles and Hadina cursed at them.

The hair on her arms stood tall as a bloodcurdling scream broke through the air. She felt goosebumps cover her entire body and before she could even think, she had taken off in a sprint towards the building. She didn’t care that her thumping steps would alert anyone inside, or that Harris and Zellie were both calling to her to wait.

She burst through the front door, following the sound of Peyton’s screams. She had her gun poised and the safety off, ready to shoot everyone who tried to stop her from saving her girl. Turning the corner, she stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening at the scene before her.

Hadina heard Harris and Zellie coming through the door to stand behind her but she couldn’t bring herself to look at them. She couldn’t take her eyes off Peyton before her.

Alive.

Broken.

Her beautiful, gentle love was broken.

---