Page 80 of Twin Deception

Struggling to get my gun and end her, she got the upper hand and pushed me into the door. We slammed into it, shoving it open with a huge burst of action.

30

ISABEL

Iscreamed.

Miguel crashed into the office so suddenly that opening my mouth and letting out a loud shout was all I was able to do. I couldn’t get up to help him. I couldn’t stand and block that woman?—

That woman?

I stared, aghast with my mouth hanging open, as she attacked Miguel and tried to wrap her fingers around his throat. To strangle him. To kill him. He’d entered my life with the order to kill me, an order my father duplicitously put out there so he could favor my twin. And now it looked like “I” was trying to kill him.

Graciella was a carbon copy of me, yet not. Posh and elegant, even in a fight. Not a strand of her black hair hung out of place as she fought my love. Smooth, flawless skin showed no ink or scars, just muscles tightening as she fought. Her athleticism was another difference that told me that it wasn’t me, that it wassomeone else, but it was the cold malice that shone in her eyes that stunned me the most.

This was my twin. We shared DNA. She was so close to me, but so distant and apart. Murderous and evil. Ready to kill my future husband and hopefully, the father of my children.

“No! Stop!”

I fought to stand, unable to rise with my hands tied behind my back. I couldn’t stand the sight of his being attacked, and this wasn’t a simple little scrimmage. She wasn’t slapping him or merely keeping him back. She was trained to attack and kill, skilled like I wasn’t. She could very well end his life, and I strained and struggled to prevent that from happening.

“Graciella, careful!”

I wasn’t the only one determined to end this fight. I wasn’t the only spectator desperate to mediate these two.

But, perhaps unlike Louis, I knew there would be no peace met between them. No mediation was possible. Miguel had to kill her. I had yet to tell him and explain that she was the one that the Cartel wanted dead because she’d fucked with one of their bosses and tricked him before she could kill him. She was the one who had done wrong and earned the wrath of others wanting her dead.

Revenge. The Cartel wanted an eye for an eye—hers. Not mine, even though we were identical.

Miguel had to kill her, and I knew he planned to. He wasn’t joking when he said he would protect me for the rest of his life, that he would dare anyone to harm a hair on my head.

But he was struggling to gain the upper hand and shoot her. He couldn’t get to his gun on the floor that she’d knocked away.

“Graciella. Please be careful!” Louis stepped back when they crashed against the other wall. He was afraid for his beloved daughter, the only one he’d ever cared about, but she didn’t reciprocate the sentiment.

In a fast spin, she growled, kicking out at Miguel’s head and landing facing Louis. As Miguel fell back, slumping to the floor behind her, my heart stopped. I stared, so worried and scared for him as he dropped down and didn’t get back up.

“Miguel!” I screamed it, resisting the sting of tears that threatened. He had to get back up. He had to be all right. He had to?—

A gunshot fired, yanking my attention away from my lover on the floor. He still didn’t move, not even when Graciella aimed the gun at Louis and fired.

Hands together over the gun, arms locked straight as she pointed the barrel at our father, she glared at him as he gasped.

“I’m done listening to you,” she said, seething and watching the blood ooze out onto the front of his shirt.

She’d shot him. Not Miguel. My twin sister shot our father.

I’d cut ties with him. I wanted nothing to do with him. But that didn’t mean I was prepared to witness his being shot within close range. My ears buzzed, sensitive to the loud blast. Gaping and staring, I fought not to watch as realization dawned in his eyes.

“I’ve had enough of you calling the shots.”

“Graciella…” He struggled to swallow, dipping his chin to look at where she’d shot him. “But…”

She shot him again, through his hand over his heart. “I am done listening to you. It’s my time to rule.”

Without lifting his head, staring at where he’d been shot twice by his chosen daughter, he closed his eyes.

She shot the last time, through the top of his head, and I shuddered as I whipped my head to the side and squeezed my eyes shut.

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