I knew exactly where we were going as I turned to face Joaquín for the first time since leaving the complex.

“Did you know that the day I found the key was the first day in months I had hope to free you,” I offered.

Joaquín grinned. “I didn’t leave you the money so you could help me. I left it so I could take care of you.”

“I know, but you had to have known I would do anything I could to get you out of jail.”

“Well, I never thought you would go quite as far as you did. When Grant brought you to see me in jail, I thought you were smoking hot, but I had no idea it was you. Once you flashed the bracelet, you blew my mind. I couldn’t believe you had done all of this for me. That was when I realized how much you loved me, and that I wasn’t crazy. That what we have is real and that you felt it, too.”

It was real. Our love was real, but it wasn’t romantic love. I was smart enough not to point out that distinction, though.

We drove up the winding hill. I knew where we were headed, but I had no idea why he would bring me up here. He’d agreed to give me space, but he’d also asked me for something in return for seeing my son. I had no way to know for sure, so I kept my purse close to me when he finally pulled into the parking area.

My hands shook as we exited the truck. Joaquín put his arm around me and led me to the dirt patch. The same patch where we’d buried our time treasure years ago. The same patch where Grant had made love to me under the stars after telling me for the first time he loved me. The same patch where Joaquín had hid the safe deposit key. The same patch where Grant had proposed to me just last week.

This one spot held all my secrets, all my bliss, all my pain.

Joaquín stood next to me as we took in the view of the mountains. We were on top of the world, but still, I could feel him looking at me. Waiting.

“I need you to show me how much you love me,” he whispered after what felt like a lifetime of silence. “I’ve given up everything for you. Sacrificed my career, my life. We have no one but each other. But I need to know that you feel the same way I feel about you. Prove to me how much you love me, Angelita Mia.”

“I’ve never asked you to give up anything for me.” I closed my eyes and tried to pull myself together. I had snapped at him, and even though he wasn’t touching me, I could feel his anger spike. I forced myself to turn to him and lay a hand flat on his chest before turning my eyes to his. “You said you’d give me time.”

And then his eyes narrowed as he focused on my right hand. “What’s that on your finger?”

Fuck. My ring.

“Nothing, just a promise ring Grant gave me.”

“A promise ring. What? Are you twelve? Show it to me.”

I pulled it off, and he grabbed it from my hands.

“This is a fucking wedding ring. Did you marry him?”

“No,” I lied.

His hand fisted around my ring. “You’re lying to me. It isn’t an engagement ring, either. I saw the one he bought for you years ago. This is a wedding band. You married him.”

My chin quivered. “Yes. I did. The other day.”

His teeth clenched. “You told me you loved me. That you didn’t love him. How could you lie to me? You’re playing me now. Does he know you’re here?”

“Of course not. You’ve been with me the entire time. He’s in jail.”

“Show me, Mia. I don’t believe you anymore. Show me that you love me.” He held my eyes as he reached into his pants. Vomit raced its way up my throat, and I forced it down. If he pulled his dick out, I didn’t know what I was going to do. When his hand rose again, I almost wished it held his dick instead of the gun he pointed at my temple. “Or we end it here. I don’t believe you want me. If I can’t have you, no one can. Take off your clothes.”

“So, you would do that to me again? You would rape me? That isn’t something you do to someone you love.”

He didn’t flinch. Fuck. He was crazy. Completely unhinged. The weight of my gun in my purse beckoned me, but by the time I reached for it, he would kill me.

He’d raped me once. I’d rather die than have him rape me again. At least that time, I had been passed out. I would never be able to get over this trauma.

“Now.”

I slipped my T-shirt off my head and pushed my jeans down over my hips. I felt the burn of tears behind my eyes as humiliation, anger, and shame stormed through me.

He motioned toward my bra, and as I went to unhook it, Joaquín spun, pointing the gun at the two men who just stepped into the clearing.

At Grant and Mitch.

Thank fuck.

Grant approached us, his gun steady on Joaquín. “Put the gun down, Cruz.”

I didn’t give my brother a chance to choose his fate. I reached into my purse, grabbed my gun, aimed at my brother, and before I could talk myself out of it, pulled the trigger, aiming directly at his shoulder.

It was the perfect shot. Joaquín collapsed to the ground, dropping his own weapon, which Mitch quickly retrieved.

Grant ran over to Joaquín and pointed the barrel of his own gun at my brother’s head.

“No!” I screamed. “No!”

I ran over to my brother, bleeding into the earth, and put myself between him and Grant. “Please, Grant. Please. Help him.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? He just tried to kill me! And you! You just shot him. He raped you and kidnapped our kid.”

“I know. . . I know.” I sobbed. “But he’s my brother. I love him.”

“Dammit, Mia.” Grant ripped off his own shirt and tied it around Joaquín’s shoulder to stop the bleeding. “Call 911,” he barked at Mitch.

Joaquín looked up at me. “I’m sorry, Mia. I love you. I just—”

“Shh. You’re sick. You need help, not another bullet.”