“Leanna Rivera,” Joshua said. “I am extremely displeased with you. You came to Mexico with that hitman over there with the intent of kidnapping my daughter. I would be well within my rights to have you executed, but I have a soft heart when it comes to you.”
Leanna lifted an eyebrow. Cano’s heart was anything but soft. He was setting her up for a big fall. He probably wanted her to kill Axe, but she wouldn’t do it. No way.
“You see our gorgeous daughter,” he continued talking. “You stood up for her, and you spoke for her. You would have made a wonderful mother, my Leanna. And because I love my daughter, I want to give you an opportunity to be a part of her life. I want you to be her mother. To live with her and to teach her how to be a woman.”
“Okay, I agree,” Leanna said. “I would like to take her back to San Francisco.”
“No, sweet Leanna. You will not take her anywhere. She will stay with me and travel with me. You will be employed as her maid, but between me and you, we’ll allow you to be her mother. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
Leanna swallowed and nodded. She could feel Axe and his father’s disapproving eyes on her. They probably knew what was next. He would have her kill one of them for the privilege of living with Carmelita. His offers never came cheap.
“Good,” Cano said. “Leanna, take the gun and approach the prisoners. All three of them deserve to die. But I’ll be gracious and let only one of them die. Leanna, I want you to choose one and execute him. Execute him for his high crimes.”
“Why me?” Leanna asked. “Why not turn them in to the police and let the system work?”
“Because I am the system here.” Cano rose from the bench and roared. “You want to protect your daughter? You want to be there every moment of her life? You want to watch her grow up? Be at her wedding? Help with her firstborn child? Then do it. It’s all on you. Bailiff, have the executioner approach the prisoners.”
Leanna’s father gently prodded her toward the three men. His hand trembled, which was strange, since as long as Leanna had known, her father was grace under pressure and calm as a glassy lake.
Axe’s father and Ivan looked down at her feet, but Axe raised his head and locked his gaze with hers.
“I can’t do this,” Leanna said, flooded with the warmth and love he telegraphed with each blink of his eyes. Her heart melted, and she looked on him and shined all the love she had over him. “I cannot kill anyone, Capo Cano.”
She turned the gun to herself.
“No,Mija!” Leanna’s father cried.
“Leanna, shoot me,” Axe said in a calm, dull voice. “Shoot me and take care ofourdaughter.”
Leanna’s father grabbed her arm, wrenching the gun away from her heart. “Cálmate,” he said. “The gun is loaded.”
“Order in the court. Order in the court.” Cano stood and pointed a gun at Leanna. “Bailiff, leave her side.”
“Capo, please calm down,” Leanna’s father said. “I’ll make my daughter obey you.”
“Then move aside.” Cano gestured with the gun. “Keep going.”
Leanna’s father backed up until he was in the dark corner.
“Leanna, pick your poison,” Cano said in a jeering tone. “Is it Vincenzo, who’s well past his prime? Axe, the young Turk who’s bad in bed, or Ivan the wannabe gangster with the worthless tattoos?”
“Why are you making me do this?” Leanna asked. “Why? Can’t I help you with our daughter without having to kill someone?”
“That’s exactly the point,” Joshua said, leaning toward her with the gun. “Once you kill someone in cold blood, I have you forever. Like father, like daughter.”
“I don’t want to kill anyone.” Leanna walked over to Carmelita’s side to get one last look at her. There was so much she wanted to say to her. So many moments she would have liked to spend with her. They could have had that special mother-daughter bond. But she had to give it up.
Carmelita looked at her, trembling and withdrawn. She didn’t know Leanna from anyone, and as far as she was concerned, the only parents she knew had been murdered. She was traumatized and lost. She needed Leanna.
“Mija,” Leanna said. “I’m so very sorry. I wanted so much to be your mother, and I’ve lost so many years with you. I love you very much, but please understand. I cannot kill anyone just so I can be with you. Remember me,Mija.”
The girl bit her lip and wiped her eyes. “I understand.”
“But I don’t.” Cano advanced toward Leanna. “You forgot something, Leanna. I told you to abort the baby, and you disobeyed me. For that, you have to pay.”
Joshua Cano yanked Carmelita by the hair and butted his gun against her temple. The girl screamed, eyes closed and fists clenched.
“Why? Are you nuts?” Leanna cried. “Why would you kill our daughter?”
