Page 29 of Kade

Angel looked up when the nurse stopped talking. A man stood behind her, a gun pressed against her temple.

“Hello, Angelique.”

She knew him. He’d been to her brother’s house many, many times. Emilio. That was his name. This man was hard to forget. Dark eyes, black hair pulled back in a braid, with a scar that ran from his temple to the center of his cheek. For most men, that kind of scar would detract from their looks, but not Emilio. It made him look scarier, yes, but he was gorgeous.

“Hello, Emilio.”

He grinned. “You remember me.”

“You’re a hard man to forget.”

He tipped his head to her. “As are you,chica. As beautiful as ever.”

“Thank you.” She did her best to keep her voice steady, but on the inside, she was falling apart. He was here to kill her. She knew it. He knew it. It was just a matter of how long he was going to taunt her.

“Perhaps I will have you dance for me tonight.” He pushed the girl toward her. “Now, Angelique, stand up and have the nurse take your seat.”

“Don’t kill her.” Angel did as she was bid and stepped out of the way so the nurse could sit. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“Witnesses,chica, witnesses.” Before Angel could do anything, he pulled the trigger. It wasn’t loud. He had a silencer on the gun, and it sounded more like a softwhoosh. He’d shot her between the eyes. At least it had been quick.

“You’re not going to get out of here.” Angel debated screaming and alerting Jasper. “My guard will only wait outside for so long, and Kade’s in the hospital.”

“I know all that.” His grin, all male and full of teeth, appeared again. “You’re going to come with me willingly.”

“You’re insane.”

“My mother says the same thing, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re going to come with me. Someone wants to meet you.”

Going with him wasn’t an option. If she went, she was dead.

“Who would want to meet me?” She had to buy some time. Jasper would come in if it took too long.

“Your son.”

Her brain froze for half a second before the anger surfaced.

“My son is dead.” How dare he? As terrified as she was of Emilio, no one was ever going to use the memory of her child against her.

“Is he?” Emilio took out his phone and tapped a few times before handing it to her. “Look.”

She reached out and took the phone, her eyes darting between Emilio and the screen. It was the same little boy from yesterday, and her inner mama instincts roared to life. This was her son? No. She tamped all that hope down. Her child died.

“This is a lie.” She threw the phone at him. He caught it mid-air. “My baby died before he was even born.”

“No, he’s not dead.” Emilio pocketed his phone. “Since you won’t come with me, you leave me only one option,chica.”

“What’s his name?” All those feelings from yesterday surged up. It didn’t make sense, but Emilio wasn’t lying. That little boy was hers.

“Mateo.” Emilio cocked his gun and pointed it at her.

“Why tell me right before you kill me?”

Emilio smiled. “So you know your child is being raised to kill for us, the same people who took everything from you. You will die knowing all this.”

The knock on the door interrupted them. Emilio’s eyes narrowed as he weighed his options. Jasper would open the door any second.

Emilio put the gun to her forehead, and she braced her knees to keep standing. She wouldn’t show him fear.

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