sol's

are you hidin

d my fists against the wa

my

n smirked, his

think you're ready for

know!" I scr

ou owe me

itter, hollow.

brought this on themsel

. Your

e speak about

ce tremblin

top. "Your fath

his city. Rafael was

eight of his w

tim I'd painted him to b

d I was caught

?" I whispered,

di

an leaned in,

"Ask Rafael. He

the corner onl

w

eart stopped

he shadows of

a ghost, her e

bling. "M

, pulling her i

re dead. Where

," she whispe

information about yo

isted. "Who?

," she said, h

l out there, Marisol. And

n, the weigh

. I wasn't safe. No

tell me?" I de

o look

l won't protec

with fear. "He's dangerous

i

as alive with m

n the task at hand. Rafae

package, no q

sked him earlie

arp with

t you," he'd re

rci

d felt like a

d my

nd the club wa

otted the man waiting fo

ad

package?" I

the fear cour

small, unmark

ael. And do

ed to leave,

ess, his presence sendin

a dangerous ga

ice low and

o you want?" I s

ox ti

eyes gleaming

r you'll g

on my kitche

ystery that

," Rafael's vo

ty burned like a

it, my hands

e was a single photog

Standing ne

" I whispered,

a puzzle piece

had hidden from me. But wh

eeping i

came out of n

nd out

nd hard, my vi

er me. "You should've sta

spat, scrambli

, but this tim

ing in as I grabbed a bro

oing to kill

pite the fear co

cruel, hollow

n make you wish

d strike again

d echoing thr

froze, his eye

d to th

Rafael, his gu

ion cold an

" he asked, hi

I exp

nees threateni

d you s

re mine," he

mine. "And

I lay in bed,

in my

re m

id it, with t

ghten in ways I hated to

a shiny new toy for him to

at hinted at s

for even entert

ed the edges of

ow the one of my father an

hat the hell had my

n's words haun

ght this on

ke the feeling

grasp, a shadow I couldn'

why was Rafael

heavy with que

aybe I was just too a

s suffocatin

weight. I tossed and turn

ng memory of Rafael's tou

and unyielding, as if h

le t

ispered into

e. My skin was slick with

zz

s, but more tha

erstand why Rafael had s

thing and leaving me

I demand the

even trus

d of footsteps

h caught in my throat as

king

Rafael's voice

inside without waiti

ing the sheet

u doin

st the doorfram

t made my pulse race. "I

wasn't

defenses snapp

ou killed a man for me? Or

I'm some kin

was maddening

something darker. "I don't

should know

hed the sheet

yours. I'm n

room in three

as he stood over me. "Th

re, in my world,

ike a slap, and

have an

said, my vo

n't move. Inst

against my cheek. The to

ugh my en

ve," he whisper

l, "and

outh to speak

hitched as his hand sli

g me c

are you doing

heart poundi

been thinking

e said, his lips hov

n us was charg

hat left me dizzy. I hate

ted myself more

pered, though

vic

darkened, his

ing to yourself, Marisol.

o

d protest, hi

me with a ferocity th

I let myself d

e, a challenge, and I met

d, I pushed him away

change anythin

e sh

his thumb brus

You keep tellin

that, he was g

heart and a million

have I gotte

burned beneat

el's world was built on s

i

T

he secrets that seemed to

o

lt just out of

was

rld, survival

e if I was willi