Page 189 of Forbidden Fate

“No,” I say before he can speak. “No, they didn’t see it. They never saw it.”

Only Vinnie saw it.

Not Hawk.

Not Falcon.

Not Eagle.

I let out a shaky breath. “My God.”

Cruz stays still.

There are two Diego Vegas.

One is dead. Both should be.

I look at Cruz again.

Really look.

He’s standing on my family’s porch. He came here after I told him not to. After I kissed him goodbye. After I told him we were even and that he should disappear out of my life and live honestly far away from me.

He came to Texas anyway. I should be angry. But I’d be lying if I said it isn’t good to see him.

God help me.

He looks terrible, of course. He hasn’t slept, and he’s still wearing the same black shirt. If you look closely, you can see Zabala’s blood. Probably Señora’s too. His knuckles are crusted, and his face—his gorgeous face—is hollow and bruised.

But to me he looks wonderful. Seeing him standing here makes something in my chest loosen that I didn’t even realize was still clenched.

I’m just so fucking happy he survived.

And he came.

But can I trust him?

Can I trust Cruz Moreno?

The man who helped abduct me.

The man who staged Eagle’s overdose.

The man who exhumed the body from the barn.

The man who got me out of Colombia.

The man who killed his own coworker when Zabala came to the brothel.

The man who crossed a continent to stand at my door and tell me he loves me.

The man who just told me something that changes everything.

Something useful.

Something true.

Something that makes one piece of the puzzle simpler than it was five minutes ago.