r's grip on the

backing down. No backup was coming for either of the

the gun away from Celia's hea

la

a

t. Another followed before he could even react. A third se

zing Rafael's shoulder. The wound

o breathe, his hands weakly p

forward, towe

ll," he m

rted, a desperate

ng

o the head

s as she stared at the lifeless body on the floor. Blood pooled beneath the

ar the final one echoing in her skull, see the way

lse po

was over. She was alive. But instead,

an lying dead

tanding in fr

l Mer

ightly in his hand. The same hand that had just ended

peak, to move, to do anything, bu

a whisper. "You...y

ghtly, his cold eyes meeti

ow what she expected, mercy? A last-minute change of heart? But the way Rafael had pulled

."She swallowed, forcing herself to speak. "No...but you d

er, tilting his head. "Would it

he man would have killed her without a second thought. Still, so

ely above a whisp

hing. Then, his lips curved i

ed down, retrieving his glove from the dusty floor, inspecting i

hat had just happened was crashing down on her all at once. She swallowed hard, trying to push back the nausea. S

was about t

xpression as unreadable

ows furrow

coming w

ess, disbelieving lau

if he had been expecting her resis

ess in her legs. "Difficult? You think I'm just going to walk

r of indifference. "That's exac

r fists. "I don't

his our first introduction." His voice was low, almost mocking. "I'm Rafael Mercer, and you just got

even a little, but staying there alone after wh

n stubbornly. "I'm not go

oulders like this was nothing

osed the distance, grabbed her wris

truggling against his grip.

. "I told you not to

strode toward the exit, not sparing another

ard had managed to graze him before dying, and while it wasn't deep, the constant loss of blood was start

the city. It wasn't the kind of place that asked questions. He had been there be

to Celia, who was glaring at h

y he

d. "Not a

, he hit the lock button on the dashboard. The sound of the

slightly. "You've got

Instead, he swung the door open and s

hed for the handle, tr

. "Hey! You can't just lock me