“Te metiste con la mujer equivocada,” came the dark and dangerous voice.
You messed with the wrong woman.
Shocked, I realized Navarro was standing in front of me. Protecting me. Wait. How had this happened? The shock remained and I was schooled in my fighting skills when he punched the shit out of the three men. His skills were impressive, his strength like nothing I’d ever witnessed before.
They continued to fight him, throwing punch after punch, but they were no match. The man was masterful, beautiful yet deadly and very enjoyable to watch. A single crack represented a nose crushed. Another sharper thud was an indication of a skull fracture.
And the snap of an arm needed no explanation.
With all three down on the concrete, he took a second to glance in my direction. In the bright moonlight, his eyes were more luminous than before, piercing in a way that captured my breath. He stood at his full height, studying me intently. When he advanced, I couldn’t move, utterly paralyzed from terror.
“Are you okay, myhalcón seductor?”
“I’m fine. Why are you here?”
“Because I sensed you were in danger.” Navarro reached out, but the moment he touched my face, I jerked back. “I’m not going to hurt you, Fallon. If I’d wanted to do so, I wouldn’t have allowed you to walk out the door.”
“You sent those men to abduct me.” I took a step away, chilled to the bone.
“Take a look at them, Fallon. A good look. They are not my men. They are gang members, brutal bastards who have no sense of humanity. There could be a dozen reasons why they selected you, but none of them would have a good outcome.”
After closing my eyes briefly, I glanced down at the three of them, finally looking away as I thought about the threats one had said. Turning away, I pressed my hand against my face.
He inched closer but didn’t attempt to touch me.
We both heard a sound and he grinned before turning around. This time he had his weapon in his hand.
Without hesitation, he fired off three shots in between the eyes of the men. I gasped, shrinking back against the vehicle as if a lifeline.
He’d just killed three men in the middle of a crowded street as if it was just a typical night for him.
“I’m sorry, my little princess. I need to tell you something.” He crouched down to my level, fiddling with my long hair.
“What is it, Papa? Why are you crying?” With one hand, I reached out, running my finger through a fallen tear.
Sniffing, he looked away briefly. “I’m sorry, baby girl, but your mother has gone to live with the angels.”
The vision was sudden, stark and cold. I was shaking, even more so when he spit on them then offered his last condolences. I shoved them aside, still strangled from fear.
“Ella es mía.”
She’s mine.
The shock of the entire event wore heavily on me, but when I heard the screeching tires of a quickly approaching vehicle, I broke free from the ugly spell and took off running again.
“Not so fast,” Navarro growled as he caught me easily, wrapping one arm around my waist and dragging me toward the approaching vehicle. The SUV was jerked to a stop and a door flung open.
“Let me go.” I struggled in his hold, another memory bringing another wave of panic. “Please. Just let me go.”
Images flashed.
Vibrant yet fuzzy.
This time something else. A face. His face.
My heart stopped beating as the reality of my world shattered the precious hold I’d had on something that had never been real.
A long time ago in a life I could barely remember, he’d offered kindness, telling a young girl she was special and that he’d take care of her. He’d saved her, taking her to safety and ensuring she was well taken care of. That was a long time ago and way before he’d turned into a monster.
