Prologue
THOREN
Three Years Before
I go around the room, ensuring both our bags are packed.
Today is the day, we won't get another opportunity. I told Sergio I was going into the city, to one of our sister locations, Sterling Tower. Made up some lie about having to check some reports one of our contracts was needing. It’s a fancy high-rise in downtown Atlanta, so the trip would logistically give me a few days, given I’ll be starting my trip from Galveston, Texas.
Sergio thinks that I’m following in my dad’s footsteps to take over my half of the empire they both built.
After all, I was bred for this role. Our dad’s met in college and founded S&M Technologies, a corporation specializing in cybersecurity systems and advanced weapons development.
While our primary contracts have always been with the military and the U.S.
Government, Sergio has grown greedy over the years, making increasingly shady deals with the Bratva and various Cartels. He’s become a liability.
I was twenty-one when I took over my father’s responsibilities and his seat on the board.
Although I would have had my own role at that age, losing him sped things up and got me higher on the totem poll.
But that was the stipulations they both set in place when they started this company.
Their kids would go to work for them at twenty-one, acquiring 25% of the company and then take over when the time was right.
Stassi still has a few more years before it’s her turn, but he thinks he’ll be able to control his assets better if he marries her off. He also thinks doing so, will get him favors as he’s trying to arrange a marriage deal with the Jalisco Cartel.
Sergio thinks I can be trusted. That I’d let him go through with this deal and watch her be used like a meaningless pawn.
I can’t. Not when it comes to her.
I promised her mom and mine that I’d always look after her.
The letter her mother wrote her burns a hole in my pocket.
I was meant to give it to her when the time was right.
But the time is never right. Maybe once we're finally out I’ll be able to give it to her.
I’ll be able to tell her the truth I’ve kept hidden for 1o years. I’m the only one who can.
Sergio might know the truth, but he would never tell her. He’d keep it buried. It holds too much power for him to give it up so easily. He has too much to lose.
“You got everything you need Stass?” I ask as I grab our fake passports and the cash I’ve been saving for this moment. “Yes, just about,” she answers back as I watch her scramble around trying to gather the few things she's taking with her, since we can't grab everything, only a few essentials.
We don’t have much time to pull this off.
Little does Sergio know, I’m not coming back.
Anastasia and I are leaving today, I’m getting her out.
It’s not safe for her here anymore. He put a target on her back the moment he made a deal with the Rivera family.
They are known for being associated with the Jalisco Cartel.
Nothing screams misogyny more than your dad selling you to the highest bidder in order to get more money and control. Always small dick men trying to play in the big boys club, forever playing with their toy soldiers.
She’s supposed to marry Sebastian Rivera.
Prick. I’ve seen the asshole a few times during business meetings I've been privy to. The guy is a self-centered asshole, and I’d love nothing more than to beat his face in.
He’s not good enough for Anastasia. Sergio was even in conversations with the Ivanov’s.
Which would have been the better choice.
“This will solidify the future of the Díaz Family,” Sergio had said. I take a few calming breaths, just thinking about it gets me all worked up.
Anastasia and I were raised together, even though I’m 5 years older. Our father’s built their homes next to each other, as they were very close in those early years. Our mother’s became fast best friends and were always together.
“Ok, ready?” I ask her.
“Uhh, yeah I think I grabbed everything.”
I watch her look around frantically, her chest extending out then in with every quick breath she takes. She’s nervous.
“Stass, breathe,” I tell her.
“I am, what?.. Hey did you know that we share 50% of our DNA with a banana?”
“Banana? What?”
“Yeah, ooo and every time you learn something new, your brain gets a new wrinkle.”
I look at her with a smirk on my face.
“So you’re welcome, I’m making your brain seem older and wiser.”
Anastasia likes to spew out random facts whenever she’s anxious or nervous. Which definitely checks the box off with what we're about to do.
“Ok, I got the car packed and the hallways are cleared,” I tell her as we are closing the door to her room for the last time.
How convenient that her dad left on a trip this morning so we don't have to worry about running into him.
But the house is too quiet. I was able to disengage the security cameras and system temporarily, but something doesn't feel right. But I don’t have time to focus on that feeling.
We're leaving.
We hurriedly walk through the hallway leading to the main room.
Anastasia's room is on the second floor all the way to the right. Her room overlooks the courtyard. We make our way downstairs and go through the kitchen. It’s the quickest way to the garage.
We get to the garage door and I motion for her to wait.
“Stay here, I need to make sure it’s clear.”
I crack open the door and peek through. No one in sight.
I grab my keys off the wall panel to the side.
Sergio’s vast collection of cars are here.
All the keys are available for anyone to take, no one ever does, though.
I lead her through and we make our way to my car, a forest green 1970 Dodge Charger R/T that I rebuilt from scrap, with murdered out windows ‘cause I like my privacy.
I take a quick circle around the car with my GPS detector, doing a second check for any tracers that might have been installed.
“Ok, I need to open the compartment and get you in,” I tell her.
I open the door to the backseat, retrieve the special key from my keyring, and unlock the hidden compartment beneath the seat.
“I need you to hide in here until we can make it through security and outside the community gates.”
There’s hesitation in her eyes. She’s never liked confined spaces.
“You’ll be ok, I won’t let anything happen to you. Do you trust me?”
She takes a breath and nods, “With my life.”
I help her in and close the latch, then make my way to the driver seat.
I start the engine and back out of my spot, the garage door already open for me. I hold my breath as we make our way down her drive way. I’ll breathe easy once we’re through security and the gates.
I've done this a hundred times before. It’s business as usual. As I approach the gate I tell her low enough for her to hear me.
“We’re almost through, just a little longer Stassi.”
I get to the gate and roll my window down.
“Heading out, Alvarez?” Javier the gate guard asks me.
He’s been working with the family and this gated community for a little over ten years and knows me well.
“Yeah, boss's orders. You know how it goes.” I give him my best fake smile.
“How long will you be gone this time?”
“I’ll be back before you know it, maybe three days tops. Nothing I can’t handle.” —I’m never coming back.
“Alright, well you hurry up and make it back, don’t let her worry for too long.”
By her he means Anastasia, I’m all she has left these days. Little does he know I’m not leaving her behind. I’ll never leave her behind.
He waves me off as we make it through the gates that have been keeping us all our lives.
I make sure we’re a couple miles out before slowing down and stopping down a dirt road. This will give us enough coverage while I get her out of her hiding spot and up front with me. Safe and buckled in. Safety first.
“Buckle up, you know the rules.”
She rolls her eyes but does as I ask. I don’t need us getting in an accident and having her get hurt.
She reaches over to put on her favorite station, getting comfortable in her seat as I pull off and continue down the road. We have a bit of a trip ahead of us, but it will all be worth it in the end. Years of planning is finally about to pay off.
We’re passing mile marker 23 when I see a sign for gas next exit. We better fill up now, before night catches up to us. I rather be on the road than some janky gas station filling up in the middle of the night.
I pull up to the pump and notice an SUV that seems out of place parked off to the side. My nerves have been on ten since leaving the property. I survey the area best I can before getting out. I’ll need to go inside and pay in cash. I don’t need a digital trail telling him where I’m at.
“Stay in the car and lock the doors,” I tell her. “I’m just going to pay and be right back.”
I need to be quick, the uneasy feeling I’ve had since leaving her room hasn’t gone away.
Aside from the sketchy SUV, were the only other car out here. This doesn’t seem to be a popular stop. A bell dings as I open the door and walk through, signaling the attendant of my arrival.
I make my way down the aisles, grabbing us some waters and her favorite snacks. Lord knows we don’t need a hangry Stassi.
“I need $50 at pump… four,” I tell the gas station attendant as I place the few things I grabbed on the counter for him.
I pay for our snacks and gas and make my way back to the car. “Here you go sunshine.” I pass her a water, bag of sour gummy worms and hot Cheetos…xxx hot cause she’s a menace.
Her face lights up. “Thank you Thor,” she beams at me.
“How do you eat those things?” I give her a quizzical look.
“You know a janitor invented these babies right?” She beams back
I’ll never get sick of hearing her random facts.
I smile at her and pull out of our space to get back on the freeway. I check the mirror and notice the SUV is no longer parked to the side. No, now they are behind us. I switch lanes to let them pass but they switch and get behind us again. They are definitely trailing us.
“Hold on princesa,” I try to keep my voice from sounding panicked.
“What’s going on?” she asks, worry in her tone.
“Nothing I can’t han— ”
Just then the SUV picks up speed and bumps us, making our car lurch forward. Fuck!
Stassi lets out a scream.
I pick up speed to try and get away. There’s an exit coming up in three miles. If we can make it there we may have a chance of losing them, given that there’s nothing but grass and flat ground all around us. Not really anywhere else I can go.
The SUV speeds up and bumps into us again.
“It’s ok, I’ve got you.”
They get out of our lane and pick up speed. What are you up to? Just then they swerve into us. Perfect pit maneuver. I reach over to grab on to Stassi and brace for the tumble we’re about to have.
Hit.
Stassi screams and the world around me spins.
I don’t know which way is up by the time we stop rolling.
Smoke fills the car and I feel wetness run down my face.
The windows are shattered. I reach over to Stassi and she’s unconscious, head drooped downwards.
Not moving. “Sta—ssi..” My words barely coming out.
I try to reach over but can’t move my arm, it’s pinned under something.
Her side door opens and I see her getting dragged out.
“Leav—ve her—a—alone,” my words caught in my throat. Tears stream down my face.
Fuck I failed. I failed her.
I feel a prick on my neck then everything goes black…