Standing in the living room I’d been dragged out of twelve hours earlier felt anticlimactic. Not that I expected a welcome home party from the Houston PD, but the silence that greeted me only served as a reminder that they still had Mateo.

Seeing my brother was the last thing I wanted, so I asked one of the officers to drive me home. As much as I loved Brody, I wasn’t prepared to answer the barrage of questions he’d have.

I surveyed the damage left by the morning’s events. Pieces of broken lamp lay scattered everywhere and chairs had been kicked over as the officers forged their destructive path.

And now I’d forged my own by signing the fucking paper.

I caved and agreed to testify against the man I loved.

Even though I had no plans to follow through with it, just admitting the words to myself made my skin crawl. The satisfaction on Alex’s face still made me stick to my stomach, but he could have his moment. He needed to remember how good it felt because as soon as I figured a way out of this, we were leaving Houston for good.

Kicking my way through the mess, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My face was pale and sullen, my eyes swollen from crying. But it was my clothes that disgusted me the most. The Caliente uniform I wore represented everything I hated, and I wanted to rip it off and burn it in the courtyard.

However, I’d settle for a shower and a pair of scissors.

Stumbling into the bedroom, I turned on the light just as my phone rang. I considered ignoring it, but a sliver of hope bloomed in my heart, causing me to dive toward the nightstand. My hands shook as “unknown” displayed on the caller ID.

Stella...

“Hello?”

“So, we finally meet, Leighton Harcourt.”

I didn’t have to ask who it was. The hypnotic accent and authoritative command in his voice gave him away. “Why, Valentin Carrera, as I live and breathe.”

“For now.”

So, he already knew. Good news traveled fast.

“Are you going to kill me?” I asked, my voice surprisingly calm.

“Do you want me to?”

“It would solve a lot of problems.” The logical side of my brain screamed at me to shut up, horrified at the invitation I just presented. However, the side that had just endured twelve hours of hell had already checked out.

“True, your family has certainly put my business in some unfortunate situations I have to clean up.” Maybe it was the fatigue, but I could’ve sworn I heard a hint of respect in his voice.

“So why are we still having this conversation?”

Apparently my indifference amused him because Val laughed. “Leighton, you are so bound by cartel blood, and you have no idea what the stain on your hands even means.”

I was sure that meant something important, but I’d grown tired of their cartel code bullshit. “In English, please?”

“Your brother is a lieutenant,” he said, as if it were some shocking revelation. “My second is a man who’s willing to defy me to save you. You’re bound to us. Call it a gift or a curse, but for the rest of your life, eyes will be on you.”

It was my turn to laugh. “And that’s supposed to be a good thing?”

“You’re still alive, aren’t you?”

“My wrists were in handcuffs.”

“Better than your head on a wooden stake, yes?”

“Ah, and there’s the veiled threat,” I mocked. “Kudos for waiting this long to throw it out there.” I held my breath. I may have checked out, but even my reckless side knew the kingpin of the Carrera Cartel would only be pushed so far.

“Leighton, this life is not for the soft-hearted. It’s ruthless and criminal, but we take care of our own. That especially includes Mateo.” The ease of our conversation shifted, his tone now deadly and direct. “I’ll say this once. Do not implicate him.”

“That sounds like a warning. What happened to our bond?”

“Your brother saved my life, and I’ll honor my vow to save yours.”

“But?”

“But trust me, I won’t break the one to my cartel to do it.”

“Ha,” I shouted. “Trust. Why should I believe a cartel member?” Val Carrera was probably the last person I should’ve been venting to, but he started it, and desperate times called for psychotic measures. “You want the truth? The man I saw arguing with Luis had a tattoo—some disgusting half skull covered in black roses and shit. The same one I saw on Mateo.”

“Niña tonta,” he muttered under his breath, and it spurred my irritation on even more.

“For the record,” I snapped, “I speak Spanish, and I’m not foolish or a little girl. I am, however, very cautious.”

He sighed. “Do you trust your brother?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“One I’m not sure you know the answer to. Ask him to see his tattoo. Someone has betrayed us, but it’s not those two lieutenants. You’re the key to destroying him.”

I continued hiding behind my brazen audacity. “If I don’t, are you going to kill me too?”

“You’re familia now. We don’t strike our own unless struck first.”

I took a deep breath. “Okay, Valentin Carrera. If familia is so important to you, then it’s time to let you in on a little secret I have a feeling you don’t know anything about.”

I sat quietly, listening to Brody plead his case. When he finished, he stared at me, his expression hopeful, and maybe slightly fearful.

Good. He should be scared.

Earlier this morning, he showed up at the townhouse looking and smelling like he’d rolled around in the landfill before taking a swan dive into the sewer. I offered him some soap and water, but he declined, asking for coffee instead. His nervous silence concerned me. Since my surprise call from Val last night, I questioned everyone’s motives.

And after what he just asked me to do, I seriously questioned his sanity.

“You both can go to hell,” I blurted out, swiping my coffee mug from the table and dumping it into the kitchen sink.

Brody shifted in his chair and frowned. “You don’t believe he killed Hector any more than I do.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” I snapped, slamming the dishwasher closed.

“Everything, Lil’ Bit. He’s being set up, and you know it. This is the only way to help him.”

He didn’t get it. Maybe in another lifetime this would be what I wanted, but not now. What he was suggesting should be entered into with a promise of love and security, not force and threat. Besides, we weren’t only playing with fire, we were playing with lives.

I threw a heated glare over my shoulder. “I’m not being forced to marry anyone, Brody.”

Leaving his chair, he stood beside me. “If he gets on the stand, they’ll rip the cartel wide open. Me included. But that’s just a small part, Lil’ Bit.”

He didn’t have to say the words out loud. The sorrow in his voice matched the one burrowing its way into my heart. He knew as well as I did that if this went to trial, Stella’s name would be dragged through the tabloids, forever linked with international scandal. She’d never have a normal life. Everything I sacrificed for her would be for nothing.

“I’m sorry I never told you who her father was,” I whispered.

Brody’s hand covered my back. “I’m sorry you never told me about a lot of things. I could have protected you both.”

I stiffened, the regret and pain in his voice sending a chill down my spine.

Oh, God, he knew about Finn.

“No one could have saved us,” I assured him. Visions of my mother’s stone face burned into my memory.

He turned me to face him. “Our family can keep her safe.”

Looking straight into his eyes, I smirked. “Mommy and Daddy? No thanks.”

“No,” he said, his fingers squeezing my shoulders. “My new family. Yours now too.”

Jerking away from him, I walked back into the dining area and stared out the window. “Don’t lump me in with your cartel world, Brody.”

“Mateo told me he loves you. Do you believe him?”

I watched traffic rush below me. “I don’t know what to believe. I’ve been lied to my whole life.”

“I watched his face when he saw you at Caliente,” he said, moving to look out the window beside me. “The man is as steeled as they come, but the moment he laid eyes on you, he crumbled.” He hooked a finger under my chin, turning my face toward him. “Do you trust me?”

I nodded. “With my life.”

“And I trust him with mine. More importantly, I trust him with yours and Stella’s. I make no excuses. He’s done some fucked up and immoral things, but so have I. Our way is ugly, but it always evens the score. However, mostly, our way protects its own.”

I laughed. “Val said the same thing.”

“You spoke to Val?”

I nodded. “He asked me not to implicate Mateo.”

“Did he threaten you?” Brody’s hands fisted by his side.

I smiled. “Not any more than you just did. What kind of criminal organization are you people running here anyway?”

By the look on his face, he didn’t find my joke amusing. “One that lays down their lives in the name of family…not takes it. Do you understand the difference?”

I thought about Mateo and his promise to die for a daughter he’d never met. “More than you know.” A beat of silence passed between us before Val’s parting words echoed in my head. I placed a hand on his arm. “I need to see your tattoo.”

He tensed under my fingers. “What?”

“Please,” I whispered. I hoped he wouldn’t make me grovel, but if that’s what it took, I would. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that. Without another word, Brody slipped off his jacket, and opened his shirt, dragging it over his shoulder to reveal a skull tattoo covered in black roses.

My voice caught in my throat. “What does it mean?”

“Badge of a leader,” he said so matter-of-factly it almost sounded normal. “It signifies we belong.”

Seeing that same tattoo on my brother strengthened my resolve. “Val also said the cartel doesn’t strike their own unless struck first. Is that true?”

Fierce loyalty flashed bright in Brody’s hazel eyes. “Absolutely. Once we take the oath, inner-cartel violence is one of the worst crimes a soldier can commit. No action can be taken without Val’s approval.” He hesitated, looking away. “Well, not without consequences.”

“So, in someone’s mind, having something stolen from them would constitute the first strike, right?”

“I guess so. Why?”

Because what was stolen was power, and the first strike was me.

I wanted to break down. I wanted to collapse in my brother’s arms and scream for time wasted fighting with Mateo when the man arguing with Luis was right under my nose. But, I didn’t. Instead of drawing more attention toward my brother, I’d agree to his terms, and bring it on myself.

“I’m just trying to understand the world I’m about to be bound to,” I answered.

Brody’s eyebrows lifted in cautious hope. “Does that mean...”

“Mateo didn’t do this.” I waited until he’d fixed his shirt before diving into unholy matrimony. “What do we have to do?”

Digging into his pockets, he pulled out a vinyl booklet and rectangular card and dropped them on the table. “I’ve got Mateo’s passport, and social security number. You just have to take them to the Harris County Clerk’s office over on Caroline Street and ask for Melinda.” I was still focused on the documents he’d tossed on the table when he lightly tapped my cheek. “That’s important, Lil’ Bit. You must ask for Melinda. Usually, both parties have to be there, but she owes me a favor and will push it through. Ask her for a Declaration of Informal Marriage.”

I blinked up at him. “What’s that?”

“A common law one with official documentation.” He shrugged, a little grin pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Basically, if you agree you’re married, they say, ‘why the hell not?’ Since you have a child, it proves you’ve been together for a long time and holds legal validity. Just to cover our asses, I had the lease for your apartment in San Marcos put in Mateo’s name.”

“But how is that even—”

He leveled a stare at me. “Do you really want to know?”

It sounded easy. Way too easy. “And that’s legal? I still can’t be forced to testify?”

“As much as one with all the bells and whistles. Provided you pay them the required thirty-one dollars, of course.”

“Fine.” I sighed.

“You’ll need to tell them you’ll testify so they’ll go ahead and charge him.”

I bit my lip and winced. “I did that already.”

I waited for him to ask for an explanation. Hell, he deserved one and even though I knew a shitstorm waited to rain down on me for my snap decision, I’d give it to him. Instead, he just rolled his neck.

“Well, okay, that just expedites things, I guess. I’m sure they charged him last night, and he’ll be arraigned today. After that, we can post bail.” Reaching for my hand, he gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Ready to do this?”

Mustering all the courage I had, I nodded. “No.”