Chapter 4
four
Natalia
I barely scurry out of the way when a pack of police officers rush past me.
“Sorry!” They don’t bother looking my way. Of course not. The cavernous precinct buzzes with action, each person more distracted than the last.
Where is Dom?
He said he would be here at noon. I fumble in my purse for my phone and check the time, slowing when I notice a man in a suit watching me.
I break eye contact immediately, sweat beading on the back of my neck from the brief interaction. God, there’s nothing more awkward than a staring contest.
But he’s still looking at me after I text Dom.
Maybe I look like someone he knows. I hide behind one of the large concrete pillars, counting down before risking a peek and looking again.
Yep, still there.
“Hey!” I bite back a scream, my body as stiff as a log as Dom wraps his arms around me.
“Oh, my God. Why are you wet?” He doesn’t take offense when I push him away.
“This is called, ‘I chased a suspect ten blocks in the California sun’.”
“They don’t have showers here?”
He shrugs. “You said it was an emergency.” Our friend, Nolan, stands on the other side of the precinct, giving me a quick wave before turning to face their commanding officer.
“You’re right. I need your help.”
He takes a step closer. “Everything okay?”
“No. No, Dom.” I swallow. “I was watching Desperate Housewives last night, and then all of a sudden…a mouse ran out from behind the fridge.”
“…You’ve been blowing up my phone over a mouse?”
“This is an emergency!” My voice comes out shrill, several people breaking their conversation to glance at us.
“Okay. Relax. Jesus.”
“Sorry. I need you to come over and help me set the traps.”
He freezes. “What?”
“I bought them, but every time I walk next to the fridge, my body just freezes up. Your grandma said to call you.”
He looks around. “Nat, I’m gonna be here like, all day. I’m working overtime.”
“I can wait. I’ll even treat you to dinner. I don’t mind—I swear.”
“Well…I think it may just be better if you call the exterminator.”
“I did. They won’t be able to come until next week.”
He gives me a pained look, and suddenly his hesitation is so clear I almost laugh.
“…Are you…scared of mice?”
“I just…don’t like them…” But I see the fear in his eyes.
It matches the look in mine.
“You’re supposed to be a big tough guy. What the hell, Dom?”
“I’ll do anything for you—except go near a disgusting rodent.”
I turn to look at him, sizing him up. Anything, hm? Well, in that case…
“There’s something else I could use your help with.”
“I got you.” He says easily.
“Sylvia keeps nagging me to date. You know, get out there.”
“Okay…?”
“So…if she thinks I have a thing for you…”
Understanding dawns in the SWAT officer’s eyes. “Oh, so you’re using me.”
“Well…” I shrug. “A little?”
“Just because I’m a man doesn’t mean I like to be used for my good looks.” An apology is on the tip of my tongue when he speaks up again. “At least buy me dinner.”
“There’s this taco spot on the pier?—”
“No, no. I’m not going to get treated like a cheap date off Tinder. I want to eat at Lucia’s.”
It takes me a moment to place the restaurant. “…That new Italian place?” He nods, and I bite my lip. “But they’re so…romantic.”
“Well, yeah. We want it to be believable, right?” He’s not wrong about that, but…
“They’re also really expensive.”
“Hey, my help ain’t cheap.”
I give up with a sigh. “You’re lucky your grandma’s rent is so cheap.”
He beams. “Great. Tomorrow night work for you?”
I nod. “See you there.”
He waves me off and disappears into the back of the station, swiping past an access door and disappearing from view a moment later.
Would Alma still count this as a date if it was fake?
Probably not.
I’m wondering how I’m going to break the news to her when a pair of leather shoes step into my path.
“Natalia Hernandez?”
It’s the man from earlier. The one with the suit.
“Yes?”
He reaches into his pocket and flashes a badge. I’ve seen enough of them to recognize him as an FBI agent.
“I’m Agent Bryce. I’m actually in town finishing up some details on your sister’s case. You’re on my list of witnesses to speak with, do you have a few minutes?”
“Sure. But…can I ask what you want to talk about? I thought the case ended when Reynaldo died.”
He motions down one of the big corridors on my right, escorting me past a restricted area. “That’s correct, but…there’s a few of his associates still on the loose. We’re trying to track them down.”
My sister’s psycho ex didn’t work on his own. He had a big network of employees, men that were loyal to him, going as far as kidnapping to satisfy his supervillain revenge scheme.
I would know.
“Sylvia may be able to help you with that. I didn’t really hang around Reynaldo. I don’t know any of his associates.”
“Oh, that’s all right. There’s only one person in particular I’m after.” We enter a small interrogation room, and although the room is sterile and completely unwelcoming, I’ve been in spaces like these so many times it’s easy to drop into a seat.
He reaches into his briefcase and then slides a photo across the metal desk, and my heart skips a beat.
It’s a photo of Matias. Standing on the street, phone pressed to his ear. That intense gaze of his fixed on something in the distance.
“You recognize this man, right? Matias Rojas.”
“He used to work with my Dad.” I’ve answered questions about Matias a bunch of times after Papa was arrested, but…what does he have to do with Reynaldo?
“You said you were looking for Reynaldo’s associates…?”
His lips press into a thin line. “We’ve come across some information that suggests Reynaldo Mu?oz supplied the drugs he was selling to your father.”
“I don’t understand. Reynaldo was based in New York.”
Agent Bryce almost looks at me with pity. “No, both he and Mr. Rojas moved there. Just a few weeks after you and your sister did. He sought you two out in the city. We’re still not quite sure why, though. That’s where I’m hoping you could give us a hand.”
He’s watching me carefully, and it takes everything in me to keep a blank face.
We’re not good for each other, Natalia. We’re going to get each other killed. And I’m going to end this before that happens.
Those were Matias’s last words to me, right before he walked out of that hospital room. He promised I’d never see him again, and he made good on that.
Why the hell would he follow me across the country?
“I can’t think of a reason why.” I think of Matias’ mouth, sliding down the column of my neck. Of the way his beard scraped against my chest when he smiled.
The way his eyes darkened when he lost himself between my legs.
“I can’t think of a reason at all, Agent Bryce.”
The older man nods, and for a second, I almost get away with my lies. But then he purses his lips, and I quickly realize that like me, this man knows more than he lets on.
He reaches into his briefcase for another picture, and I fight the urge to reach across the table and flip the stupid thing.
“This photo is very blurry—it’s from a traffic cam, but I think if we look closely enough…that is you and Mr. Rojas, right? Back in California, before the raid that put your father in prison?”
There’s no use denying it. I’m sitting in the passenger seat of Matias’s Bentley, a little breathless smile on my face as he reaches over and cradles my jaw, his thumb tracing the seam of my mouth.
My face burns at the idea of this man seeing exactly what that picture would have looked like five minutes later.
“You know…we wondered why Rojas was so loyal to your father. We gathered so much intel, looking for blackmail or some other nefarious reason. It never occurred to us that his loyalty was reserved for you. Until this picture.” He taps the photo.
“My unit just saw you as Antonio Hernandez’s golden child. No priors, striving to get a god-honest education, helpful with our investigations…just an all-round good kid. I’m impressed.” Bryce says, nodding to himself. “I never once suspected you.”
I have a feeling where he’s going with this, so I clear the air before we get there.
“Okay, fine. We had a…relationship…before Papa was arrested. But all of that ended the night of the raid. I’m not sure if you remember, but I was hit by a stray bullet.
” I run a hand over the scar beneath my shirt.
“Right in the chest. I almost died that night, and then—he dumped me. While I was still in the hospital. So, I’m sorry if I wasn’t forthcoming about getting my heart broken.
” I smile sardonically. “Literally and figuratively.”
“And you didn’t know he was in New York? He never made contact?”
“No. If he moved across the country, it wasn’t for me. I haven’t seen him in years.”
“Really? Okay. What can you tell me about that day of July of last year, when you went missing? He had nothing to do with that?”
Oh, fuck. He knows.
“I wasn’t missing. I was home sleeping off a bout of food poisoning. I already told your agents this.”
Bryce shakes his head. “See, if I didn’t have this picture of you, I would have believed you. But now? At this point, withholding information could get you arrested, Miss Hernandez. So I suggest you start telling the truth.”
There’s no point in keeping up the farce. Not anymore. Not with this agent, who clearly knows more than he’s owning up to.
It’s time to lay my cards on the table.
“Reynaldo’s men snatched me off the street when I was walking to work.” I admit slowly. “I was drugged—so I really don’t remember what happened. I just didn’t want to freak out my sister. Please don’t tell her.”
He gives me a scrutinizing look. “How did you end up back home?”
“That’s the part I’m not sure about. I think…I think Matias showed up. But I don’t know if it was a figment of my imagination. When I opened my eyes again, I was home.”
“Why didn’t you mention this before?”
It’s my turn to smile. “Do you know how crazy that sounds? ‘Oh, hey, I was totally kidnapped—except I wasn’t, because I woke up back home in my bed.’”
“You really haven’t had contact with Mr. Rojas since your father’s arrest?”
“No—why do you keep asking me about him?”
“Because he’s back in Los Angeles. It’s like everywhere you go, he’s two steps behind.” My stomach drops at that, my heart suddenly dropping a beat before speeding up.
Matias is in Los Angeles?
“Would you consider helping us gather evidence against him?”
I rock back in my seat. “What?”
Agent Bryce waves a hand. “It’s the least you could do. After all, if you’d been a little more forthcoming about New York, he’d be behind bars right now.” He pauses. “But you knew that, didn’t you?”
I bite my lip, and Agent Bryce leans back in his chair with a gusty sigh.
“This doesn’t have to be so hard, Miss Hernandez. You just said it yourself—he dumped you at the hospital. If you’re protecting him out of some misplaced sense of loyalty, don’t. He wouldn’t do the same for you.”
I eye the agent across the table. What does he know about protecting someone out of misplaced loyalty? He doesn’t know Matias. He doesn’t know how things were between us.
Agent Bryce never felt the terror of being stuffed in the back of a van that day, or the drug-laced relief that washed over me that day, when I got a glimpse of Matias’ face. How just seeing him stilled my racing heart.
“He looks a little different these days.” The agent says casually, reaching into his folder. He comes out with another picture, sliding it slowly across the table until it’s in front of me.
I finally break his gaze and look at the photo in front of me.
My stomach lurches.
He does looks different. Sporting a short beard, now, eyes smiling as he stares at the person taking the photo. Matias wasn’t one to hang in big groups, but I recognize his closest friends in the picture. They’re in a darkened room of some kind—maybe a nightclub.
I recognize everyone except the woman in his arms.
My hands shake, heart punching into my spine. I blink, gulping down a breath and forcing a smile on my face.
“He doesn’t look that different to me.” Agent Bryce must have altered this image. The FBI does it all the time. Right?
I look down at the photo again, my heart twisting when I see the joyous grin on my ex’s face.
“Do you recognize the woman?”
“No.” I say, harder than I intended. No matter, though. Agent Bryce just shakes his head like this is a simple inconvenience for him.
“She’s not showing up in facial recognition.” I glance down at the woman again, ignoring the way blood roars in my ears. She’s got soft features. Almond-shaped eyes and a full mouth. Latina, like me. Dark raven hair slung across her shoulder, like I used to have, when I was with Matias.
She’s smaller than me, though. And although it’s so inconsequential, it’s all I can think about. My hands shake as I slide the photo back to Agent Bryce.
“Keep it.” He says. “I have more. Call me if you change your mind, hm? You can help us put him behind bars, if you put your mind to it.”
He winks—and suddenly, I know exactly what this is. He’s taunting me. Testing me to see how far this picture will get him. The agent isn’t subtle at all—and somehow, when he leaves the room, there’s a fire roaring in my stomach that wasn’t there before.