9. Hope
9
HOPE
T hose bastards were going to kill Vaughn. They kept shooting at him again and again, like they wanted to tear him to shreds with their bullets. I felt sick. It was only a matter of time before they found their target.
My hands balled into fists as fear, anger, and helplessness raged through me. Today was not the day I’d lose the man I’d fallen in?—
Nope. Not thinking about that now. I had to move.
Staying low, I scurried behind the bar. Mari’s body came into view, and I choked back a sob. The sight of her heightened my determination to end these murderous sons of bitches before Vaughn wound up the same way.
Then it all happened so fast. I snatched up one of Vaughn’s Glocks. Without hesitation, I aimed at one of the assholes unloading his weapon on my man. I fired twice. The chest shots put him on his ass.
The remaining shooter looked up from reloading his pistol behind an overturned table. His eyes met mine, and he mouthed something that might’ve been mierda . I fired, and the bullet found his forehead. He hit the deck hard, sending his gun skittering across the floor.
Aside from the ringing in my ears, a deathly quiet filled the restaurant. The scent of burnt gunpowder tainted the air.
Something moved in my periphery. I swung my aim to meet it and found Vaughn shoving the bullet-riddled corpse aside.
I ran to him, dropped to my knees, and laid the pistol on the tiles. “Are you hit?” He was covered in so much blood, but I couldn’t be sure of its source.
“No.” He sat up fast and clasped my face in his hands. “You?”
“I’m fine.” I threw my arms around his neck and held on tight. “I thought they were going to kill you.” I didn’t know what I would’ve done if he’d been hurt or worse.
“Thought I told you to hide if a firefight broke out.”
I didn’t even care that he sounded mad. I only felt relieved that in all the chaos, he’d somehow survived.
“I couldn’t help it. I got angry when they started shooting at you.” My breath caught in my throat, and Vaughn turned blurry as tears stung my eyes.
“You got angry?” He surveyed the restaurant, taking in the carnage. “Hell, woman. Maybe we’re more alike than I thought.” He drew me in for a kiss. I savored the feel of his warm, soft lips. Vaughn pressed his brow to mine, and I clung to his shirt with shaking hands.
“Breathe, Hope. I promise later we’ll unpack what just happened, but right now, I need to get you out of here.”
My brow pinched. “Okay.” I was trying really hard not to fall apart.
Vaughn grabbed his Glock from the floor, and as he stood, he brought me with him.
“Wait.” I tugged on his hand. “We can’t just leave.” There were bodies everywhere. The restaurant was a mess of blood and bullet holes. Javier was going to kill me .
And then there was Mari.
Oh God. Mari.
She was really dead. Guilt clawed at me in an all-too-familiar way. I fought back nausea as the image of Mari’s body flashed through my mind. My best friend had been executed by men loyal to my father. Men who were here because of me.
“We…we have to do something for Mari.” I babbled the words as years of built-up emotions threatened to overwhelm me. “We can’t leave her on the floor like that. We need to take her someplace. Call her family. We have to?—”
“Hope, listen to me.” Vaughn clasped my shoulders firmly. “Playa de la Palmera isn’t safe for you anymore. This situation has escalated beyond a grievance, which means the cartel will send more men. A lot more. Who knows how high up the food chain the news will travel?” He followed his question with a pointed look. “I can’t do anything to bring Mari back, but I can protect you, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
My stomach plummeted through the floor because Vaughn was right. If this turned into war, Playa de la Palmera would draw the attention of the Pacific Coast Cartel’s upper ranks. My father was too cautious to show up here himself, but there was a chance a senior member would recognize me.
What if Jorge comes?
A shiver racked my bones at the thought of facing my barbaric ex-fiancé. He was the only person who terrified me more than my father. What brutality would he unleash on the people who’d welcomed me into their community? How many more would end up like Mari?
I was a blight upon this town. Everywhere I went, everything I touched, turned to rot. If I stayed, even with the intention to fight, my presence would only endanger this village more. It broke my heart to consider it, but fleeing Playa de la Palmera was my only option, and I couldn’t return until Carlos was dead and his cartel destroyed .
The street-side door swung open, and Javi entered, shotgun raised. He lowered it when he spotted us. His brothers walked in behind him.
Two people rose from where they’d been huddled in the corner of the restaurant. I immediately recognized them as Roberto and his wife, Sofía, who’d taken on kitchen duties during Javi’s absence. They appeared shaken but uninjured. They were the only staff present since it was early in the day, and I was grateful. I dreaded to think how many people would’ve been harmed if the restaurant had been full of customers.
“?Están todos bien?” Javi asked. Are you all okay?
Roberto and Sofía gave assurances before Javi approached Vaughn and me. He had to step over a body to reach us, and it was only then that he allowed himself to take in the disaster zone his restaurant had become.
“I’m so sorry, Javi.” My voice quavered as I delivered my useless apology.
“It’s okay. We’ll get through this.” There was little strength to his words, and for good reason. Mari was dead, the restaurant was ruined, and Playa de la Palmera had just become the cartel’s next target. Javi exhaled a deep breath and removed his hat. The tightening of his features told me how much this hurt him.
The restaurant was Javi’s pride and joy. He’d started it with money his parents had left to him, and he’d worked hard every day since to make it a success. Seeing the place in such a state must be crushing for him. Not to mention the cost of repairs and the loss of income when his wife had just had their first child. I had to find some way to help.
I shook my head. “I should’ve told you earlier about the trouble we had here last week. You could’ve warned people the cartel was causing problems. You could’ve been prepared.”
Maybe Mari would still be alive .
“Yeah. You should have.” Javi held his arms out wide in disappointment. “Why didn’t you?”
I winced as I hesitated with my answer, because all I wanted to do was spill my secrets and accept full blame for this nightmare. Then I felt Vaughn’s arm curl around my shoulders. He drew me against his tall, hard body, and the reassurance of his hold was the only thing stopping me from breaking down and confessing every one of my sins.
“She didn’t say anything because I told her not to,” Vaughn said in a harsh tone. “And because I didn’t think they’d be stupid enough to come back. It doesn’t matter now, anyway. The cartel wants Hope dead, so I’m taking her far away from here. If they come looking, tell them she’s gone.”
Javi snorted. “You think that will stop them from turning over every home in the village looking for her or from questioning the people in the community until someone gives her up?”
The cartel would use whatever means necessary to flush me out, just like they’d tried to today.
“No,” Vaughn replied. “That’s why I’m sending you backup.”
“What kind of backup?” I asked. I thought his team was busy on other missions.
Vaughn dragged a hand through his hair. “A general in the Mexican Army owes the team a favor. It’s a big ask, but if anyone can make it happen, it’s Brandon. We’ll request they bring in a unit to provide protection until we can sort something else out.”
I turned to face him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if my eyebrows had merged with my hairline. “A general in the Mexican Army owes you a favor?”
“Long story. His daughter was kidnapped, and we were able to help out.”
Sometimes I forgot that Vaughn did crazy black-ops missions for a living. It was hard to reconcile this version of him with my tattooed control freak.
Javi narrowed his eyes on Vaughn. “Who are you?”
“ Not Hope’s cousin.” The two men stared at each other while an uncomfortable silence brewed between them, but thankfully, Javi didn’t push Vaughn for a better explanation.
“Time to go,” Vaughn said. He held out his hand, and I took it.
Then we left Javi’s and the village center.
I didn’t know if I’d set foot here ever again.