Page 24 of Twin Deception

Everyone had layers to them, and this game of chase she was initiating by hiding from me only spurred me on to peel hers away, to dig deep and learn even more about her.

If her only “crime” was to be born Louis Flores’s daughter, that wasn’t her fault.

Her fault?I huffed a laugh and shook my head slightly, amused and surprised by my turn of thoughts. I never put this much thought into a target, whether they deserved to die or not. I never invested this much attention into any man or woman I had to kill. They were just a job. I learned just enough about my given targets to do my job well, and then I moved on to the next job that would pad my bank account.

Isabel was the exception. For the first time, I wanted to dive deeper under the surface and knowwhyshe had to be killed. To lure Louis out of hiding. Sure. That was the motivation that was being orchestrated. Her father was the target, and she was supposed to just be collateral damage.

Of all times to grow a conscience, now should’ve have been it. This was supposed to be one last gig before taking off and maybe quitting this shit. Taking out Isabel was going to be a done-and-dusted thing.

What bothered me was how last-minute the plans were changed on her. While I’d been stalking Louis and counting down the time to kill him, someone, somewhere, was planning to use her as a chess piece in all of this.

Why did he change it from kidnapping to killing her?

Without any thought or any reasons…

It nagged at me, and not just because I was growing attached to finding out all I could about her. It seemed sloppy. It led me to suspect something fishy was going on. Or something far more complicated than the hit job it seemed to be on the surface.

If they wanted her alive but captured, why change to wanting her dead?

Just because I protested that I didn’t deal with kidnapping, only killing?

Did Drago change it so swiftly just to appease me?

If the purpose was to use Isabel as a target, I supposed it didn’t matter if she were dead or alive. The strange conditions about it all kept my mind running, though. Adding in the fact thatsheran made it even trickier to figure out and unravel.

“You a cop?”

I didn’t flinch or react to the old woman’s gnarly voice. Standing hunched behind a vendor cart that sold the gimmicky junk that tourists wasted their money on, she cleared her throat and arched one white brow at me. Wrinkles lifted as she narrowed her eyes.

“Hmm?” I feigned innocence, looking past me and around this area near the ocean. I’d been leaning against a railing thatseparated the beach from the paved walkway, hoping that Isabel might show up near what seemed to be a graffiti contest. I searched for artsy things and events, thinking she might gravitate toward them.

“You a cop?”

I shook my head.Fuck no.I started out in the military—on the “good” side—only to quickly learn and realize how corrupt they were. They screwed me over when I wouldn’t lie, and because of that, I was scorned to ever play nice or team up with the law enforcement side of violence again.

She huffed a laugh, squinting her rheumy eyes closed even more. “Is that right?”

I nodded. “Why would you think I’m a cop?”

“Because ain’t no man standing around looking thoughtful like you are without scheming or being on the lookout. You with the Cartel?”

I grinned at her. “TheCartel?”

She didn’t follow along with my charm or joking tone. Staring blankly, she put me on the spot.

“I’m just a man enjoying the view.” Brandishing my hand at the waves crashing on the shore, I shrugged.

“Better to enjoy a view with a lady, ain’t it?” She tipped her chin at the others on this section of the boardwalk. Her indication of the three couples leaning against the railing—all of them displaying a variety of public affection with kisses and hugs—was plenty of emphasis.

Yeah, I was the odd one out over here at this scenic spot.

But so what?

Screw this old woman, watching me too closely for her own good.

Fuck, am I slipping again?First, Isabel was noticing me as I stalked her, and now this ancient vendor was picking up on the cue that I wasn’t merely sightseeing but spying?

“My lady’s unavailable at the moment,” I told the woman.

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