Page 178 of Forbidden Fate

“The guy who worked for Vega.”

“Yes.”

Hawk’s jaw flexes. “What about him?”

I wrap my arms around myself. “He wasn’t just guarding me,” I say. “He’s the one who took me from Texas.”

“He’s the one who fucking kidnapped you?” Hawk rises. “I’m going to kill him.”

“No.”

He turns on me. “No?”

“No.”

“He took you.”

“I know.”

He crosses his arms. “And you’re saying no?”

“I’m saying no because I’m not done.”

Daniela reaches for Hawk’s hand. He resists for half a second and then lets her pull him back onto the couch.

Good.

Anchor him, Daniela.

“There’s more,” I say.

“Of course there is,” Hawk mutters.

“He got me out. He didn’t have to. He could have left me there. He could have turned me over. He could have kept following orders, and instead he got me out, drove me through the night, took me to the only safe place he knew.”

“Where?” he asks.

“A brothel.”

Hawk goes rigid. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

“It’s not like that,” I say. “The women there raised him. His mother was⁠—”

“Of course she was.” Hawk shakes his head.

“Stop it, Hawk.” I rub my forehead. “They let us stay there. Risked their own lives. And one of them—I guess she was the madame—she—” I choke up.

“What happened?” Daniela asks softly.

“She was killed. Her name was Señora Valentina. One of Vega’s goons shot her.” I gulp. “Then Cruz killed him. To keep me safe.”

Hawk looks away, jaw working.

He doesn’t want to feel sympathy for Cruz.

I understand.

Neither do I.