Page 17 of If Tomorrow Never Comes

I look between the two of them. No one is dying for me. I won’t let it happen. If I could just tell Liam what is truly going on, maybe he will understand.Or maybe he won’t.

Rage is blinding him right now.

“Put. The guns.Down.” Surprisingly Diego listens and Liam lowers his all the way. Liam’s face is twisted into that of disgust.Is he upset that I am protecting Diego?

“You need to go, Liam. The deal was over the second you stepped foot onto this island,” Diego says between clenched teeth.I get it.His whole plan just imploded. If they had just stuck to the plan, this all could have gone differently.

“My uncle is outside in the hallway right now with a fucking gun to my sister’s head.” A gasp leaves my lips.Geraldo is going to kill her.Then this whole thing would have been for nothing. Diego will do whatever is necessary to protect his sister.

He pulls out a cell phone from his pocket with a live feed of the camera in the hallway. Killian has his gun directed at Geraldo and Selena is being held against her uncle at gunpoint. His gun presses angrily into her temple.

“I’m not fucking leaving without Madison,” Liam states between gritted teeth.

I rest my hand on Liam’s arm, leaning over him to get a better look at what’s unfolding.

“If my uncle thinks you are dead, he will count that as retribution for Basilio. Alan’s death will be paid for through Madison. Listen, Liam. I don’t have time to explain everything. This whole thing has become a fucking headache. Nothing went as planned.” Diego pinches the bridge of his nose as he focuses on the feed again. Geraldo is offering Killian a new deal:

“I’m not a forgiving man, Killian. But in my old age, I find myself giving out a few rare second chances. I am changing my offer. You can take Selena with you to do as you please with her. I will be keeping Madison and whoever else my men have captured in your little ambush. Madison will no longer be staying in the dungeon. I think she would warm my bed well or perhaps I’ll gift her to my nephew—El Rompe Huesos. She will do well pumping out a bunch of his heirs. I won’t be around forever.”

Take the deal, Kil. Selena will be safe and so will Liam—if heleaves right now. I can manage to stick around here a bit longer if that means they all leavealive.We can get Geraldo another day.

My decision has been made.

Diego won’t let anything happen to me.

He promised me.

I plant my hand on top of Liam’s and lean in, placing a brief kiss on his lips. If I linger too long, I won’t follow through with this. Liam looks shocked as he processes what I am about to do.

“Get to the beach, Liam.” Diego tosses him what looks like a boat key.

He’s helping him.

Ocean Eyesis definitely redeemable—even if he doesn’t believe it.

“There’s a door in my closet. It will lead you directly to the docks. Lay low until I contact you or Killian. Iwillprotect Madison. You have my word. I’m not the monster my reputation portrays me to be—well—not towardsheranyway,” he laughs, his eyes holding mine for a brief moment as if saying ‘thank you for staying’.

You’re welcome, asshole.The hint of a smug smile tugs at the corner of my lips. With not even a second to get my bearings, he tugs me flush against his sculpted body and shuffles us to the door.

I risk one more look at Liam, afraid to see betrayal, or perhaps anger there. Instead, it’s just confusion and pain. He looks just as broken and angry as he was the night I was taken.

“I love you, Liam. Just trust me on this.”

Diego pushes me roughly through the door and raises his gun to my temple.

Killian’s eyes dart to mine the second we emerge. Horror glazes over his features as he takes in Liam’s blood all over my face and lips.

“Take the deal, Killian. Liam is already dead. Madison hasnothing left to live for. She’s already agreed to stay here if you take Selena and go.”

Poor Killian. His eyebrows come together in pain and bewilderment. The two of them would do anything for each other. They only just found out about being blood brothers a few months ago.

This will wreck him.

I want to scream that it’s all a liejust to wipe away that look on his face.

Diego breaks me out of my reverie by combing his fingers through my hair. “I happen to like this one. I think she would make a great littlepet. Thank you, tío.”

Killian looks between me and Selena. He doesn’t want to have to make this choice. It’s a decision no one should ever have to make. Choosing between the love of their life and their ex-lover/brother’s woman. The brother he just found out he lost a few seconds ago.

---