I answer.
“Hello?”
Silence fills the line for a second.
Then a voice slides through the speaker like a bruise being pressed.
Soft.
Smug.
Familiar in the worst way.
“Hola, Darling.”
Ice floods my veins.
Rico.
Lady straightens across the room the moment she sees my face.
“You miss me?” Rico asks with amusement.
My throat tightens.
“Where’s my bird?” I force out.
He chuckles.
“Relax. He’s fine.”
I grip the phone until my fingers ache.
Lady mouths hang up, but I can’t. My whole body is locked in place, trapped by the sound of his voice like it’s a hand around my throat.
Rico lowers his voice as though we’re sharing a private joke.
“I’ve got something that belongs to you,” he says. “And I’ve got something I want.”
My stomach drops.
“Don’t you fucking—”
He cuts me off sharply.
“You’re gonna do what I say, mami. Or Disco’s gonna learn how to fly without wings.”
The room spins.
Lady grabs her keys, already moving like she’s preparing for war.
Rico’s tone softens again, almost playful.
“I’ll text you an address,” he says. “Come alone.”
The line goes dead.
A second later my phone buzzes again.
