Total pages in book: 180
Estimated words: 170747 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 683(@250wpm)___ 569(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 170747 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 683(@250wpm)___ 569(@300wpm)
“Anna.” There’s a pause. “You didn’t say goodbye.”
“I’m sorry.” I left him sleeping in the cinema room. I couldn’t bring myself to say goodbye to him, to admit that it’s the last time I’m going to see him. “There wasn’t time,” I lie.
“You’re coming back though, right?” He sounds so hopeful.
“No, Lucas. Rafael and I…”
“He loves you.”
“I know,” I whisper. “That’s the hardest part.” If he didn’t love me, this would be so much easier. Instead, I’m left denying him the woman he loves because I don’t want to be her anymore.
“What will you do?”
I inhale a deep breath. “I’m going to go to New Zealand.”
“What?”
“There’s nothing for me here.”
“But that’s half the world away, Anna. What if something happens to you?”
I half smile at that. “Like what, Lucas? Get sex trafficked? Taken by a cartel boss? Or maybe encounter an assassin?”
“You shouldn’t go alone.”
“I can take care of myself.” He still see’s me as Rafe does. This helpless girl. I’m not.
“I’ll come with you,” he offers.
“No, you won’t.” I laugh at his enthusiasm. ‘The cartel needs you.”
“What are you going to do for money? Where will you live?”
“I’ll get a job like everyone else.”
“What if you can’t get one?”
I love him for not wanting me to leave, but I know this is what’s best.
“I’ll be in touch, okay?”
“Anna. Please just come back. If you walk away now, you’ll regret it.”
“I love you, Lucas.” And then I hang up before the emotions get the better of me and my best friend hears it.
“So you want to leave?” I jump and whirl around, finding Una leaning against the doorframe.
I place my hand over my hammering heart. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Why not? This isn’t my life, Una. It’s yours.”
“And New Zealand is yours?”
I drop my chin to my chest. “No, Juarez was mine, but we all have to move on at some point. It’s a big world out there.”
Her usually hard eyes soften, and she steps forward, reaching out and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear in a rare show of affection. “I know you’re hurt, Anna. But please don’t just run away.”
Her rare kindness has my emotions at breaking point. My eyes prickle, and then a stray tear breaks down my cheek.
“I have to. I need something of my own, more than just revenge and hate.”
“Just wait until tomorrow. Sleep on it. If you still want to go, I’ll take you to the airport myself.”
“Okay.” I’ll stay here tonight, but then I have to start my life, without my sister. Without Rafael.
72
Rafael
I knock back my third glass of Brandy, relishing in the burning sensation as it washes down my throat.
There’s a knock on the office door, and I sigh. “Come in.”
Carlos steps inside without his crutches but limping on his wounded leg. “Boss, we might have a problem.”
“What?”
He steps outside, and then drags a girl back into the room. “This one was hiding a phone.”
A spark of anger ignites in my gut. There’s only one reason she’d hide a phone. She’s a rat. I help these girls, and this is what I get. She keeps her head tilted down, dark hair falling in front of her face like a protective wall. Pain spikes through my chest because she reminds me so much of Anna when she first came here. “Who are you working for?” I ask. It’s sure as shit not Dominges anymore. She trembles at the sound of my voice, and her shoulders slump so much that she’s physically curled in on herself. Carlos grabs her wrist again, and a whimper slips past her lips.
“Give me the phone,” I demand.
Carlos places it on my desk in front of me, and I power on the little burner. I go to the contacts, and there’s only one number. I’d usually call and see who was on the other end, but I don’t need to. I know that number by heart.
“Anna,” I breathe, falling back in my chair. That fucking pain intensifies. My Anna: good and kind and selfless… she gave this girl a phone with her number on. “Anna gave you this phone?”
She peeks at me through her hair, green eyes the shade of polished Jade. “Y-yes.” She can’t have given all of them phones. Which means she took a liking to this girl. She wanted to protect her or at the very least comfort her. “She said if I need her, she’ll come back,” the girl whispers.
“Of course she did.” Bracing my elbows on the desk, I clasp the phone in both hands and touch it to my forehead. “What’s your name?”
“Bella.”
“Can you cook, Bella?”
Her gaze darts from me to Carlos, suspicion coating her features. “Yes.”
“Good. Carlos, find Bella a room. She’s going to be our new maid.”
“Boss.” He nods and goes to grab Bella again, but she flinches. “Gently, Carlos,” I warn.