Page 145 of Boulder's Weight

"Don't thank me yet," Amara warns. "First, we finish this. Then the vote. But I wanted you to know where I stand."

I nod, understanding what she's not saying.

A president doesn't promise a patch without knowing they have the votes to back it up.

Amara wouldn't bring this up unless she was certain.

"Now go check on your ol’ lady," she says, dismissing me. "We've got a long night ahead."

I find Kelsey still sleeping in our room, her face peaceful for once.

Part of me wants to wake her, to tell her about the raid, about what Amara just said.

But she needs rest more than anything, so I lay down beside her and try to get a little bit of sleep… but I’m too restless.

Afraid to wake her, I scoot out of bed and press a kiss to her forehead, leaving a note on the pillow, explaining where I'll be.

Three hours later, we're rolling out.

Three SUVs and four bikes, loaded with enough firepower to start a small war.

The cartel boys are with us too, Alejandro's most trusted men, adding another four to our numbers.

The ride to Sally's compound is tense, everyone mentally preparing for what's coming.

I check my weapons, run through the plan again, think about everything that could go wrong.

But mostly, I think about Kelsey, about the promise I made to come back to her.

Dawn is breaking as we reach our positions around the estate.

It's an imposing structure, all white stone and wrought iron fences, surrounded by the kind of landscaping that costs more than most people make in a year.

From my vantage point with Razor and the cartel boys, I can see three guards patrolling the rear perimeter.

My radio crackles.

Amara's voice comes through, calm and collected. "On my mark. Three... two... one..."

The initial explosion at the front gate is our cue.

I signal to the men with me, and we move, using the distraction to take out the rear guards silently.

Razor is efficient, deadly, a knife appearing and disappearing so quickly it's almost invisible.

Two guards drop before they can even reach for their weapons.

I take the third, my hand covering his mouth as I drive my blade between his ribs, aiming for the heart.

He struggles briefly, then goes still.

I lower him to the ground, retrieving my knife and wiping it clean on his shirt.

We breach the rear entrance, moving through a kitchen area that's all stainless steel and marble countertops.

No staff in sight—either they fled when they heard the explosion, or Sally doesn't keep a household.

The interior of the house is eerily quiet compared to the commotion outside, where Zorro's team is making a hell of a scene to draw attention.

---