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She hesitated, her entire face becoming pinched. “Why?”

“In case something happens. If you need me. Just don’t tell anyone where you got it. Okay? But if you see anything, strange men or just have a sense you’re being followed, call me.”

“And then what the hell will you do? Come to my rescue? Really?”

I hated the sound of her laugh. “Yeah, really. I can’t promise you when this will be over, but it will be over. Just… Just take care of you and my little girl. Please.”

“Of course I will.” She took the card and on the spur of the moment, she threw her arms around me. “Don’t let anything happen to you, brother.”

“I’m trying not to.” I hugged her back and doing so felt more awkward than before. Too much so. I was truly losing all sense of who I was.

Just before she pulled away, she kissed me on the cheek.

Stunned, I backed away with Maria shaking her head. Then she closed the door and there was no doubt she was saying a final goodbye to her brother, Jeffers Sanchez, someone she’d once looked up to.

But no more.

In her eyes, I was nothing but a criminal.

* * *

“What the fuck are you doing?” I threw open the door to the SUV, ripping Gio from the car.

He barely opened his eyes, gasping for air as he tried to reach for his weapon. I tossed him against the back door with enough force, he grunted in pain.

“What the…” His words were slurred.

When I glanced back into the vehicle and noticed Bronco was also asleep, barely rousing, I immediately reached for my weapon.

They’d been drugged.

“What the hell, Gio? Talk to me. Fast.”

“Boss. I…” He struggled to stand upright, blinking several times. There was a noticeable fog in his eyes for a few seconds longer. “Jesus. What the fuck?”

“What happened? Think. Don’t give me any shit.”

“I don’t know. We were fine. Then I just… Felt lightheaded.”

I backed away, glancing behind me. The door was closed and there was no apparent sign of any attempt at a forced entry. Plus, the security system hadn’t gone off. I would have received notification on my phone.

Bronco stumbled out of the passenger side, almost tripping and falling. “Goddamn. Why do I feel so bad?”

“Because you were drugged. By whom? Who the hell stopped by?”

“No one. Not a soul. Not even a delivery guy,” Gio insisted.

“Then what? Think!”

“Brownies.”

Bronco’s single word answer was framed with a harsh laugh.

“What?”

“Mrs. Banderas brought brownies to us.”

I glanced from Bronco back to Gio, who nodded. His eyes were opening wide at the same time as the dots connected.

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