When Lies Unfold

Chapter 60

“She’s gone.”

Lola’s words act like someone reaches in and cracks open my ribs, barin’ my goddamn heart. “Where the fuck were you?” I demand.

Tears track down her cheeks, her features stamped with anguish. Clutchin’ the butterfly chain she gave Alma, guilt shimmers in her eyes. She swallows hard before risin’ to her feet a few feet away from the tutor’s dead body.

“Alma went with her tutor, and I went for a walk.” More tears spill free as she tries to stifle a sob. “All I wanted to do was get my thoughts straight. I didn’t intend to be gone long, but?—”

“I really fuckin’ hope you got your thoughts straight.” My voice rises incrementally. “While they raided my motherfuckin’ home and took my daughter!”

Lola’s mouth quivers before she presses her lips thin. “She left behind some clues.” Gesturin’ to Alma’s desk, she clears her throat. “She scribbled on paper.”

Eyein’ her warily, I step over to the desk, and when I spot what she’s referrin’ to, I see nothin’ but a red haze of fury.

“Santy.” Gordo barrels through the doorway. “Miguel just came to. He’s in rough shape, but he’ll live. He saw what went down.”

As if I’m not dealin’ with enough already, my cell phone starts ringin’. When I slide it free of my pocket and glance down at the screen, the vein in my temple throbs to the thunderin’ beat of my heart. My jaw turns to granite as I answer the call and place it on speakerphone.

“Are you looking for someone, Mr. Hernández?” The bastard’s voice bleeds with evil-fuckin’-glee. “You fuck with my business and all I hold dear, I fuck with the most important people in your life.”

He makes a disappointed sound. “Unfortunately, your current whore wasn’t around. I planned to take her, too, because the more, the merrier.”

“I’m tellin’ you right now, Hidalgo”—I grind out each word from between clenched teeth—“if you lay a goddamn finger on her, I’ll fuckin’ kill you.”

Unbothered by the threat, he laughs. “Oh, how I enjoy your pointless threats. You should be thanking me for sparing the lives of your staff. After all, you’ll need them to clean things up.”

He hums thoughtfully. “My men eliminated those who directly interfere with my business. Unfortunately, the tutor tried to fight back, so she had to be dealt with. I’m sure you understand.” Hidalgo’s tone is so fuckin’ condescendin’, I wish I could reach through this phone and rip out his throat. “Oh, and would you thank your nephew for me? He was ever so helpful in coordinating things.”

“I’m gonna tear you apart.” I grind out the words, my jaw tight as hell. “Limb by motherfuckin’ limb.”

“It’s not wise to threaten me, Mr. Hernández. Otherwise, I’ll be tempted to have my next shipment of girls include an additional, special one.” His threat has bile risin’ up my throat. “She’s a pretty little thing, so innocent and untouched. I’m sure she’ll bring in even more money for me.”

I’m tempted as hell to empty bullets into the drywall, imaginin’ it’s Hidalgo’s motherfuckin’ face. “The fuck you want?”

“I want you to leave my operations alone and return the territory in Ecuador. If you do that, I’ll return your daughter.”

“You’ll return my daughter.” My jaw turns harder than granite. “Untouched and alive.”

“Yes, yes, of course.”

My eyes pinch closed because that response isn’t the least bit reassurin’. A sense of helplessness unlike anythin’ I’ve ever experienced sinks deep into my bones.

“I expect a fuckin’ proof of life right the fuck now.”

“You’re not in the position to be making demands, Mr. Hernández.”

“If she’s already dead”—my chest constricts just sayin’ the words—“then I’ve got no reason to do anythin’ for you.”

Silence lingers before I hear some shufflin’ and doors openin’ and closin’. His voice sounds like he’s holdin’ the phone away from his face when he says, “Take the gag out.”

I can tell the instant they remove it ’cause my girl starts screechin’ at the top of her lungs. “My daddy’s gonna kill you! You messed with the wrong girl! You wait and see?—”

Alma’s voice turns muffled before Hidalgo’s exasperated sigh travels through the phone. “Your daughter is as much of a menace as you are, though primarily in the verbal sense.”

Before I can respond, he cuts in with, “Two days, Mr. Hernández. Get everything back to me within two days, or your daughter gets sold to the highest bidder.”

When Hidalgo ends the call, rage overtakes me, and I hurl my phone against the wall. It ricochets before skiddin’ across the floor. “Motherfucker!”

“Santy,” Lola starts.

I whirl toward her with steel encasin’ my voice. “Tell me what the hell was so fuckin’ important that you had to leave.”

Her top teeth sink into her bottom lip briefly before she blurts out, her words rushed. “My head was a mess with my feelings for you and what to do about them, and when I found myself near my casita, I…”

My gaze narrows on her. “You what?”

“I saw men there. They were looking for me. That’s when I ran back here as fast as I could.”

“Fuck.” The realization hits as the pieces fall into place. “They were there lookin’ for you.”

She nods, eyes bright with tears. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been here. I should have protected her—” A sob cuts off her words, her shoulders shakin’. “I tried to get back…” Tears track down her cheeks, and pain is etched in her eyes. “I’m so sorry. It’s my fault that monster has her now.”

“Boss.” Gordo draws my focus from Lola. “Doc’s on his way, and we found the staff locked in the conference room—still alive, thank fuck. But you’re gonna wanna talk to Miguel.”