Page 95 of Loco

There was a pause, and then Roque called quietly, “Sayla?”

Sayla blinked fast, like she hadn’t expected to hear her name just yet. “Yeah,” her voice broke around the edges. “It’s me. We’re okay, Roque. I—God, I can’t wait to see you.”

A soft, strained, but genuine laugh came from the speakers. I could hear the wind rushing past his windows, the sound of tires on the road, and something in my chest twisted up tight. It felt like I was eavesdropping on something sacred.

I looked out the window, giving them a second, and then cleared my throat. “Roque,” I kept my voice low. “You want us to meet you halfway?”

There was a rustle of movement on the other end, as if he were fiddling with something. “Nah, I’m bringing Judd, Kai, and Keir with me. We’re close, so just sit tight. I’ll take you somewhere safe.”

I nodded, even though he couldn’t see it. “All right.”

We were about to hang up when Kairo’s voice floated out from the back seat again.

“I’m sorry about your wall.”

There was stunned silence for a second—then the whole car filled with laughter. Sayla bent over, hand over her mouth to keep from waking Kaida. Even I couldn’t help it, letting the sound slip out like a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Roque was laughing, too. “We’ll talk about the wall later, kiddo.”

The call ended with a quiet click, and we were back in the silence of the abandoned farmhouse. But this time, it didn’t feel heavy, it felt like hope.

Sayla

Once Roque arrived at the farmhouse, none of us said much. No reunions, no long hugs—just quiet, focused movement. We transferred to his SUV without a word, the kids staying half-asleep in our arms. I climbed into the back seat with both of them—Kaida cradled against my right side, and Kairo curled up securely on my left, tucked beneath my arm. Then, all five vehicles pulled out together, like pieces in a carefully choreographed dance.

We didn’t speed, but the route was anything but normal. Every turn felt deliberate. Sometimes we turned when we should’ve gone straight, or we’d loop around the same block twice. Our SUV rode in the middle of the formation like a queen’s carriage in a convoy—protected and shielded. It was over the top, but I wasn’t rolling my eyes. I just watched the road through the window, holding the kids close in case we stopped suddenly.

When we reached the edge of town, the formation broke. Each vehicle split off in a different direction, like we’d never been together in the first place. I had no idea where the others were going, and honestly, I didn’t need to.

Roque made one final turn, pulling behind a small house that backed up against a fence and had a half-covered swimming pool. He parked in a spot that looked like it was meant for storing outdoor furniture. Definitely not a driveway. But again—none of this felt accidental.

As we got out, still mostly silent, a light clicked on, and a door opened. Imogen stood there, silhouetted in the frame, her voice low. “I set up the sofa in the home office for the kids, but there’s a bedroom you can use if you’d rather.”

Roque gave her a tired smile. “Sofa’s fine for now.”

Inside, everything was soft and quiet. We laid the kids down, Kairo on one end and Kaida curled beside him. Roque knelt, pulling Kairo in for a hug, his hand lingering on the back of Kairo’s head.

“Watch your sister, yeah?”

Kairo nodded seriously. “I love you.”

Roque smiled, voice low. “Love you too, kid.”

Kairo leaned back slightly, rubbing his eyes. “Watch Sayla, okay?”

Roque and I both smiled at that, something soft and warm passing between us.

We stepped out of the room, Roque gently closing the door behind us.

The moment it clicked shut, he turned to me and pulled me in. His kiss was warm, fierce, and full of everything we hadn’t been able to say yet, and his hand slid up to the back of my neck and held me there like he wasn’t ready to let go.

“I was so damn worried about you,” he murmured against my hair.

I let my forehead rest against his, my voice barely a whisper. “I was terrified.” I took a breath. “But I knew you’d find us.” And somehow, that had made all the difference.

Roque didn’t let go of me right away. His arms stayed around me, steady and warm, like he still needed to be sure I was real.

His voice was quieter now, close to my ear. “I’d have moved mountains to find you.”

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