Page 700 of One More Kiss

Taloned fingers of anxiety squeeze my ribs, puncturing my lungs, and robbing me of breath. I stagger backward, gauging my chance to run. My gaze darts from Tomás to Shane, and returns to the devil demanding my death.

Tomás nudges his father's elbow and guides him a few paces away from me. “I’ll deal with her. It’s under control, Papá,” he says through gritted teeth, his spine poker straight.

Elias shirks his arm free. “I gave you twenty-four hours to find out if she’s working for Blanco and you fucked the bitch instead. You let your dick jeopardize everything.”

“Look…” Tomás’ persona changes from amicable, a veil of darkness creeping over his features. “Maria Rebello sent the girl here because your dick screwed her mother. This one is an innocent. She knows fuck all about Blanco or anything else we do.”

“She’s a liar,” Elias hisses, with an angry vein popping at his temple. “You screwed the enemy.”

“No, Papá. I fucked around with the enemy, so she’d trust me, and now you’re messing up my plans.” His admission rattles me. I clutch my stomach as he continues to speak. “Go back inside and get washed up for breakfast. I’ll join you when I’m done.”

Elias angles into his son's personal space and juts out his hand. “Give me the gun. That’s an order.”

“I said I’d deal with it,” Tomás growls low and foreboding, his fists clenching.

“Gun. Now!” Elias snarls, his face turning crimson with anger.

I immediately scan the area, adrenaline pumping in my veins. In a blur of panting breaths and racing heartbeats, Tomás snaps the weapon from his waistband and points it right at me.

We’ve finally reached a deadly impasse. The rebellious Prince is ready to prove himself worthy.

I shudder when our eyes lock. My knees go weak when I notice the slight squeeze of his chest and the subtle flare of his nostrils. I shake my head from side to side, desperately wishing a stranger would pick my life over his own flesh and blood. There’s a tremble to his hand that quickly rectifies itself, and then he pulls the trigger.

Searing pain splinters through me like scorching lava erupting from a sleepy volcano. A loud breath expels my lungs in a gust of shock. The force of a speeding bullet clipping my shoulder knocks me off balance.

My vision blurs and my knees give way. The floaty sensation of falling brutally meets a million stabbing stones. All of them burrowing into my heavy torso.

The high sun eclipses behind a broad silhouette. Rather than pinpoint the man who shot me, my terrified gaze settles on Shane who’s with me in a second. Cigarette smoke billows around him and ash twirls in the breeze.

I freeze in utter fear, feeling the weight of a large palm press down on my sternum after he crouches beside me. I’m immobilized by the searing pain rocketing through my biceps and the pressure of his large hand.

He whips his sunglasses from his eyes, lowers his face. “Stay down,” he says quietly, the breath releasing a cloud of thick smoke. My eyeballs widen like glassy marbles as I quietly hold his stare. Warm fingers move across my throat. “Good shot, Tommy,” he shouts, drilling his green eyes into mine like he’s sending me a subliminal message. “She’s a goner. I’ll dispose of the body before I drive to Bogotá. Save me some breakfast for the road.”

I hear clapping as if the final curtain has fallen, and the show is over. A single tear escapes the corner of my eye. I remain where I am, perfectly still, with blood oozing and a tangle of emotions twisted around my heart like choking vines.

“Well done, son. You always fall in line, eventually. Next time, don’t fucking hesitate or I’ll shoot you instead. Now, tell me about your mother. Have you seen her this week?”

I close my eyes and try to control my breathing. Nausea roils in my stomach. A wash of sweat drenches my brow as I bravely pretend to be dead.

Shane rises, his weight on me vanishes. Yet, I still don’t move. I feel numb beneath the hum of confusion festering under my skin. Anesthetized by the actions of a man who had tried to steal my life—and failed. He shot me. Tomás was going to kill me all along.

“Don’t move, kid.” Shane flicks his cigarette butt away. “As soon as they’re out of sight, we’ll hit the road. I’ll drop you off in the city if you promise to behave.”

I whimper, choking on a hiccupping sob. I’ve no right to feel betrayed. He didn’t claim me as his. Hell, he didn’t even want to fuck me after all of his threats. Nonetheless, I’m left bereft of a dumb fantasy with a beast toying with me for intel. Once he'd realized I didn’t hold the secrets he wanted, his interest waned.

Tomás Souza is a callous bastard.

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