Ninety

Find Leo.

Sabrina thought of him, his pale blond head bent over a stack of strawberry waffles, solemn hazel eyes turned toward her. Watching her. Waiting for her to do something—to get him out of here.

She had to get upstairs. She was almost certain that Christina and Leo’s quarters were close to each other and so far, hers was the only bedroom she’d seen on the first floor. Countless sitting rooms, sunrooms, and libraries, but only one bedroom.

The problem was, she couldn’t find a goddamned staircase.

She walked faster and faster until she was practically running. Dodging through rooms blindly.

Slow down. You’re just getting yourself all turned around now, darlin’. Think about where she took you. What she showed you …

Christina had led her through the house. Taken her from room to room—a meandering route that had taken several minutes.

She’d been trying to show her the layout of the house.

Sabrina stopped moving completely and closed her eyes, watching herself walk from room to room, paying attention to where each of them led …

She was now standing in a formal living room, which Christina had called the Blue Room. Beyond it was a music room and a small paneled “conversation area” that housed a fireplace. They’d walked through it on their way to breakfast. There was another sitting room, one with floor-to-ceiling French doors that opened out on the veranda. On the other side of it was a staircase.

Route clearly mapped out in her mind, she opened her eyes. Standing no more than ten feet in front of her was Alberto Reyes. He had a gun in his hand, and it was pressed into the tender flesh of Leo Maddox’s neck.

“I see you and Estefan have been getting to know each other,” he said, flicking his flat, dark gaze over her. “Where is he?”

“With any luck, bleeding out on the floor of my room.”

Reyes laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. Leo’s eyes welled instantly with tears.

“It’s going to be okay, Leo. Everything is going to be fine,” she said calmly, risking no more than a glance at him before fixing her attention on the man behind him.

“She’s lying to you, Leo. She knows that the two of you are very close to dying, and she wants to keep you calm,” Reyes said, pressing the muzzle of the gun just a little bit deeper, the pressure widening Leo’s eyes, spilling tears down his cheeks. “Tell him the truth.”

“The truth …” She looked down at Leo and smiled. “The truth is that this man won’t hurt you because if he does, your grandfather will hunt him to the ends of the earth and destroy everything he’s built.” She looked up at Reyes, her smile dying. “That’s the truth.”

Reyes glared at her for a moment before he dropped the gun and stepped back, releasing Leo. “Run along now, Leo.” He grinned at her. “Sabrina and I would like to be alone.”

The boy hesitated, no longer afraid. He looked worried—for her.

She nodded, licking her lips so that they’d move when she spoke. “Do as he says, it’s okay,” she said. “You’re going to be fine. My friend Michael will be here soon.” She said it like she was sure of it. The sound of it, her belief in him reverberating in her voice, gave her the courage to look Reyes in the eye. “He’s coming for us.”

Neither of them watched Leo as he slipped away, bare feet slapping against cool tile as he did what he was told. As soon as Leo was gone, she relaxed her hands at her sides, palms turned in so that when the time was right she’d have a faster draw on the gun tucked into the small of her back.

“So now you believe that Cartero will come for you?” Reyes cocked his head, regarding her with the kind of morbid fascination a twisted child would find in a wounded animal. “Or were you just saying that to calm our young friend?”

Sabrina shook her head. “Michael isn’t coming here to save me. He’s coming here to kill you.”

Reyes gave her a quiet smile. “Cartero isn’t coming; he is already here.”