I home in on his fingers. “Where’d you learn that?”
“Scouts.”
Ofcoursehe’s a Boy Scout. Because what else would get a fifteen-year-old math genius/gamer out of the house on weekends?
“I’ll get more rope.” I slide a large knife from the sheath strapped to Moisés’s belt and march to the nearest tent, where I cut a long section from one of the cords holding it in place. When I get back, Luke has emptied everything from the gunman’s pockets. He’s found a small fishing kit, a bottle of water, a folding multi-tool, and a large, clunky two-way radio.
“Here.” I hand him more cord to tie Moisés’s ankles together. “Does that radio work?”
“Yeah, but we’re not within range of any others. All I heard when I tried it is static.”
“If wewerein range, we’d hear ... what? The other kidnappers?”
Luke shrugs as he finishes his knot. “Assuming we’re tuned to the right frequency.”
My gaze is drawn back to my brother.
Ryan’s eyes are closed. He looks like he’s sleeping, but he’sgone, and I’m never going to get him back.
My brother is never going to wake up. But Moisés will.
Rage pours in to fill the hole left in my heart as I stare at the unconscious gunman. I pull my foot back and kick his thigh as hard as I can. But there’s no reaction, and that only stokes the fury crackling inside me.
So I kick him in the ribs. Again and again.
Something cracks, and he wakes up screaming.
GENESIS
“Silvana,” I call in a loud, clear voice as I make my way to the front of the line. Holden gives me a small shake of his head, and Penelope looks terrified. Indiana’s gaze skips from captor to captor, assessing their reactions with his usual quiet intensity.
Rog watches me somberly, and I have no idea what he’s thinking.
“What’s wrong,princesa?” Silvana sneers. “Need a break to repair your nail polish?”
“Let’s end this.” I still don’t want to deal with her, but if that’s what it takes to drive a wedge between our captors ... “I’m prepared to give you whatever you want.”
Sebastián shakes his head at me in warning.
“You’re prepared ... ?” Silvana laughs, and most of her men chuckle. “You’rejust a spoiled little girl.”
“You’re right. My dad will give me whatever I ask for. Let me talk to him.”
“So you can tell him your cousins are dead?” She shakes her head, and her earrings jangle. “Get back in line.”
“I swear I won’t tell him.”
“And I should believe you because you look so sweetand innocent? Hernán Valencia’s daughter would take food from orphans, if that’s what it took to get her way. Just like her father. Let’s go.”
Anger burns beneath my skin like hot coals. “Iamjust like my father.” In the sense that she hasno ideawhat either of us is really capable of. “I’m not going to tell him about Maddie and Ryan, because pissing you off wouldn’t be in my best interest. So just tell me why you need his resources and I’ll make it happen.”
Silvana stomps toward me, mud splattering around her boots with every step. She grabs my jaw in a bruising grip, and I fight the urge to pull free, because I know what this is. Like Holden, she needs to believe she’s in control—right up until the moment I show her that she’s not.
“Resources?” Her furious gaze slides from me to Sebastián, confirming that I’ve just driven the wedge between them deeper. He wasn’t supposed to tell me that.
“What do you want? Trucks? Boats? What are you trying to sneak across the border? Or,whoare you trying to sneak across?”
Silvana snorts, and her men grumble angrily.
