Page 34 of Echoes and Oaths
"Things can’t return to how they were, Mateo."
He shook his head. "I’m not asking for that. I’m asking for a chance to get to know you again. To know my son."
The afternoon light slanted through the barn’s wooden planks, casting stripes of gold across her face, across the dust motes dancing in the humid air between them. Outside, a cicada hummed loudly, a sharp, electric buzz accompanying the tension in the air.
"When things start to happen," Jinx continued, "I need you to trust me. And I need you to trust Raven."
Her brow furrowed at the mention of his partner, but she didn’t speak.
"I need you to understand something," he added softly. "It might take months before I’m able to finishwhat I came here to do, perhaps longer. But maybe … during that time … I can show you that my love never stopped. And maybe you’ll let yourself trust me with your heart again."
Before she could respond, he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. A kiss so light and tentative it felt like a question. Because it was; he was begging for a chance. One more chance. He wouldn’t screw it up this time. When he pulled away, her eyes fluttered open, wide and uncertain.
"I’ve missed you so much," she whispered. "And I’m so confused, Mateo. I don’t know what to do, feel or what to think. One minute, I’m so angry. The next, I’m crying, and I miss you so much. I don’t know how to feel."
His thumb traced gently over the back of her hand.
"Until you do," he murmured. "Until you trust me again, we’ll protect you. I love you, mi amor. Just give me a chance."
Eira’s lips curved slightly, almost reluctantly. "A chance? A chance to prove you are here for me because you love me, not just because of your mission? That will take a lot of work. Nothing in this life is easy, and gaining my trust will be the hardestthing you’ve ever done. Prove your words, Mateo," she said. "Thatis your only chance."
As a weight lifted slightly off his shoulders, he nodded, swallowing past the knot in his throat.
"That’s all I ask."
She stepped back, her smile sharpening with a hint of mischief.
"Now," she said, "you need to go talk to my mom."
The relief that had settled in his chest vanished like smoke in the wind.
Jinx groaned. "So much for relief."
CHAPTER 12
Eira stood in the front room, her arms crossed protectively over her chest as her gaze flicked between her mother and Raven. The tension in the air pressed against her skin like the oppressive humidity outside. Through the open window, the distant sound of cicadas buzzed in the background, mingling with the faint rustle of the Venezuelan jungle beyond the rolling hills of their cattle farm.
Her mother’s eyes narrowed, pinning Raven with suspicion, her voice sharp and clipped. “What do you mean she’s going to protect us? Why didn’t Mateo say something when he talked to me? She doesn’t look like she could protect anyone. Mateo said he would do that now.”
Eira answered evenly, trying to keep her mother calm. “Mom, I told you. Mateo still has some work he needs to do. We both know who Mateo was, and what he does. What he’s going to do now will cause waves in the cartel. He wants her here in case someone tries something.” Despite the heavy heat, she rubbed her arms as a chill skated down her spine. “I can’t risk someone trying something against you or Teo. If Mateo believes this woman can protect us, I believe it, too.”
Her mother frowned, her gaze sweeping toward Raven, unimpressed. “We don’t have a place for her to stay. Mateo has the small room. You’re sleeping with Teo. I have my bed.”
Before Eira could answer, Raven replied casually, her tone firm but easy. “That couch is fine for me. Or even the floor. Doesn’t matter.”
Both Eira and her mother turned sharply toward her, surprised she understood.
Raven gave a little shrug, the corner of her mouth twitching. “I know three or four languages.”
Her mother narrowed her eyes further. “Do you even have a weapon?”
The woman Mateo had left to care for them smiled. It was a sharp, predatory smile that had nothing soft or comforting about it. “I’m armed rightnow. I have at least five weapons on me. And I don’t need a weapon to kill. I’ve been trained by the best. I promised Mateo I would take care of you, your mother, and your son. No one will get through me to reach you.”
Eira’s mother shook her head, her jaw tight with disapproval. “How are we supposed to explain her presence here? The cartel is suspicious. They’ll want to know who she is and what she’s doing here.”
Raven shrugged again, her voice light but unwavering. “That’s simple. I’m your niece. Your father’s brother’s daughter.”
Eira blinked, startled. She tilted her head. “How do you know my father had a brother?”
