Page 93 of Loco

I slipped the phone into my jacket pocket and leaned forward, glancing over at Roque. He hadn’t moved much, staring out the windshield like he could see through the trees and right into the building where the people he loved were being held. But his grip had loosened slightly on the wheel, and his breathing was steady.

“How’d you do it?” I asked him quietly. “How’d you get Sayla to trust you and take a chance?”

He blinked slowly, then gave a half-smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I used a snowstorm,” he began. “A bath through the ceiling, and two kids who needed someone to love them.”

I pictured Cyn’s house—neat, single-story, definitely not in danger of dropping plumbing fixtures into the living room anytime soon, and huffed out a laugh. “Right, so not exactly replicable.”

Roque let the corner of his mouth tick up. “Nope.”

“So, what about the trust part?” I pressed. “How’d youearnthat?”

He was quiet for a beat, thinking it through. “I screwed up at first,” he admitted. “But what I did right was I slowed down, I listened and watched her body language. I gave her space when she needed it, and I stayed close when she didn’t. The rest was luck and a little disaster.”

I shook my head and chuckled, settling deeper into the seat. “So, what you’re saying is, I need a natural disaster and a household semi-demolition?”

Roque’s laugh was quiet but real this time. “You alreadyhavea natural disaster if you’re talking about Cyn Dahl.”

I grinned despite myself. “That obvious, huh?”

He nodded once, his eyes softening just a little. “But those are the best ones. Sayla came in like a storm, too. She turned my whole damn life inside out, and now I’m just grateful for the mess she made.“

The weight in his voice hit me square in the chest.

I looked at him, steady and certain. “We’ll get her and the kids back, I promise you.”

Roque didn’t speak, he just nodded once. But that was enough because it wasn’t just a nod—it was a promise, too. One we’d both die keeping.

Chapter 30

Kapono

I’d finally carved through the last stubborn strip of paint, sealing the window shut, and my wrist ached from the strain by the time the blade slipped free with a satisfying little flick. I leaned back, wiped the sweat from my brow, and gave Sayla a nod.

"Try it now," I mouthed.

She reached for the latch with careful fingers and pushed. For a second, it resisted, groaning softly like it hadn’t been touched in years. Then—snick—it gave way.

We eased the window up together, inch by inch until the cool night air spilled in. I didn’t need to say anything—Sayla knew what to do. She vanished into the shadows of the room and reappeared with Kaida bundled in her arms. Her eyes found mine briefly, and I steadied myself just outside and held out my arms.

"Got her," I whispered.

She handed Kaida over carefully, like a glass sculpture, and I cradled the little one tight against my chest. A few seconds later, she came back, this time with Kairo. He was half-asleep, his arms dangling as Sayla hoisted him up and passed him out to me. I took him with the same care, then crouched to set them both down just beneath the window on the grass.

Sayla’s hands gripped the frame, and she made a go at pulling herself through. She got halfway up, then slipped back down with a frustrated grunt.

"By the way, I lackfuckingupper body strength," she muttered, trying again. “My muscles are like cooked spaghetti.”

I smothered a laugh and reached a hand toward her. "C’mon. Spaghetti or not, I’ve got you."

I reached in, lifting her until I could slide one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back. She muttered something about being fine, but I didn’t have time to argue. The moment I shifted my weight forward, leaning into the window to lift her out, I heard it.

Footsteps above us. Slow, heavy, and deliberate. Someone was coming—heading toward the basement door. My heart kicked into high gear.

“Shit,” I hissed.

I hauled Sayla through the window with a grunt, not caring if I scraped my knuckles or if she landed rough. The second her feet hit the grass, I shoved the window down and heard the click of the latch shutting behind us. It wouldn't buy us much time, but it was something.

“Run,” I whispered sharply, grabbing Kaida and tucking her into Sayla’s arms. “Go.”

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