Valeria's POV

I was shaking.

Not from fear. Not from exhaustion. But from everything.

From her.

Emilia pressed one last kiss against my inner thigh before moving back up, her hands warm as they smoothed over my body, soothing, grounding. I barely registered the way she pulled the blanket over us, wrapping me in both her warmth and the heat still lingering between us.

She didn't pull away.

She didn't move to the other side of the bed.

Instead, she curled into me, her arms tightening around my waist, her lips brushing over my shoulder in slow, lazy patterns. Holding me like she wanted to keep me from slipping away.

I swallowed, my fingers twitching against her back. I wanted to say something, but my throat was too tight.

She must have felt it because she lifted her head, pressing a kiss to my jaw. "You're quiet," she murmured.

I exhaled shakily, still reeling, my heart still hammering against my ribs.

"I don't know what to say," I admitted.

She smiled, that damn smile, the one that made my chest feel tight, the one that made me feel things I wasn't sure I was ready for.

"So," she teased, propping herself up on her elbow. "Was that as scary as you thought?"

I groaned, burying my face in the pillow, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks.

She laughed softly, her lips trailing over my shoulder, her amusement evident in every kiss, every brush of her fingertips against my skin.

"You're enjoying this too much," I muttered, turning my head just enough to catch the mischief in her eyes.

"Of course I am," she grinned, her fingers tracing over my collarbone. "You're adorable when you don't know what to do with yourself."

I scowled, shoving at her lightly, but she only laughed harder, catching my wrist and kissing my palm—just like I had done to her earlier.

That made me pause.

Because for all her teasing, all her smugness, there was something so tender about the way she looked at me just then.

Like she knew exactly what this moment meant.

Like she knew exactly what I meant.

And just like that, the teasing faded, the warmth between us shifting into something heavier, something real.

She pressed our foreheads together, her breath mingling with mine, and whispered, "I love you."

I exhaled, my fingers tightening against her waist. "I love you too."

I don't know how long we stayed like that, tangled together in the dim light, her fingers tracing patterns against my back, my own breathing finally slowing.

But then, reality came crashing back in.

Tomorrow.

The warehouse.

Dominic.

I tensed, my fingers curling into the sheets.

Emilia noticed immediately. Her hand came up, threading through my hair as she whispered, "Don't think about tomorrow. Not yet."

I clenched my jaw, staring at the ceiling. "I can't help it."

She tilted my chin, forcing me to look at her. "Then let me give you something to come back to."

Her lips met mine again—softer this time, slower, more deliberate. Not desperate, not hungry, but something deeper.

A promise.

She held me there, in that kiss, in this moment, in her warmth, until I finally let my eyes drift shut.

And for the first time in a long time, I let myself sleep without fear.

Emilia's POV

I stirred at the faint rustling sound in the room, the cool air brushing against my skin where warmth had been just moments ago.

My eyes blinked open slowly, adjusting to the dim light. The bed beside me was empty.

Frowning, I turned toward the shadowed figure near the dresser.

Valeria.

She was getting dressed, her movements quiet, precise. The way she moved told me this wasn't an accident—she had meant to leave without waking me.

I glanced toward the clock. 5:30 AM.

Too early. Too soon.

"Where are you going?" My voice was thick with sleep, but the worry in it was unmistakable.

Valeria didn't turn around as she pulled her shirt over her head, adjusting the hem. "I have to go before the sun rises."

I pushed myself up on my elbows, watching her carefully, my chest tightening. "Why?"

She finally turned to face me, her expression unreadable in the dim light. "It's safer this way. No one can see me leaving."

A heavy silence stretched between us.

I swallowed hard, my fingers gripping the blanket beneath me. I had known this moment would come—I had always known she would have to leave.

But knowing didn't make it easier.

Didn't make me any less afraid.

She must have seen it in my face because she sighed, stepping closer. "Emilia," she murmured, voice softer now, like she was trying to steady me, like she knew I needed it.

"Stay a little longer," I said, hating how weak my voice sounded.

"I can't."

I clenched my jaw, my throat tightening. "I don't like this."

She exhaled, sitting on the edge of the bed, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. "I know," she whispered. "But it won't be like this forever."

I turned my face into her palm, closing my eyes for a second, trying to memorize the feel of her touch, the warmth of her skin. "I'm scared."

Valeria leaned in, pressing her lips to my forehead, holding them there for a long moment.

"Don't be," she murmured against my skin. "Soon, we'll be free. Soon, we'll be together."

I exhaled, gripping her wrist tightly as if that would keep her here. "Promise me."

She pulled back, her dark eyes steady, certain. "I promise."

Then, before I could say anything else, before I could try to hold onto her any longer, she slipped away from my grasp.

She walked to the door, pausing only once to glance back at me, something deep and unspoken passing between us.

Then she was gone.

The silence left in Valeria's absence was suffocating. I laid there, staring at the ceiling, my body still warm from where she had been, my mind replaying the night before like a film I never wanted to end.

Flashes of her beneath me, her hesitant hands exploring, learning, trembling against my skin.

The way she had looked at me—like she didn't know if she deserved to be here, if she deserved to be touched, to be loved.

The moment she finally let go, gasping my name, clutching onto me as if I were the only thing anchoring her to this world.

I had never seen Valeria like that before.

So raw. So unguarded.

She had always been composed, controlled, always keeping people at a distance. But last night, she had let me in.

I could still hear the way her voice had cracked when she told me she loved me.

I could still feel the way she had trembled in my arms, the way her body had responded to mine—uncertain at first, then desperate, then completely undone.

I had taken my time with her, wanting her to feel it—all of it.

And she had.

God, she had.

I turned onto my side, gripping the pillow she had slept on, inhaling the faint traces of her scent.

I should have stopped her from leaving.

I should have begged her to stay.

But I knew Valeria.

I knew that even if I had pleaded, she still would have gone.

Because she wasn't just fighting for herself.

She was fighting for us.

I closed my eyes, the echoes of her touch still imprinted on my skin.

I didn't know what would happen tonight. I didn't know if she would come back to me the same.

But I knew one thing.

No matter what, I wasn't letting her go.

Valeria's POV

I stood in front of the mirror, rolling my shoulders, shaking out the tension coiled in my muscles. My mind was sharp, focused, but beneath that, something darker stirred—something I wouldn't allow myself to acknowledge.

Not fear.

Never fear.

The second I let that in, I was dead.

Behind me, Claudia leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching me. "You got this," she said, voice steady, like there was no doubt in her mind.

I met her eyes through the reflection. "I know."

Her lips twitched, just slightly. "You're a shit liar."

I exhaled through my nose, reaching for my jacket. "Doesn't matter. I'll get it done."

She stepped closer, placing a firm hand on my shoulder, grounding me. "Listen to me, Val. You are smarter than Dominic. You are better than the people he surrounds himself with. You've survived worse than this, and you're not going to die today."

I clenched my jaw.

She tightened her grip. "You hear me?"

I nodded once. "Yeah."

Claudia studied me for a moment, then gave me a small nod. "Good. Now go remind them why they should be afraid of you."

I turned, heading out before I could let myself hesitate.

The warehouse smelled like oil and cigarette smoke, a scent that clung to the walls, to the men standing around with their hands resting on their belts, their eyes following me as I stepped inside.

Dominic was waiting.

He sat on the edge of a desk, arms crossed, expression unreadable—dangerous in its calmness.

"Valeria," he said, his tone welcoming, but the sharp edge underneath made it clear this wasn't a friendly conversation.

"Dominic." I kept my voice even, my steps measured as I approached.

He gestured to the chair across from him. "Sit."

I didn't.

His lips curled slightly, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. "Still stubborn, I see."

I didn't respond.

He chuckled, then leaned forward, his presence suffocating, swallowing the space between us. "I have a job for you. A delicate one."

I remained silent, waiting.

Dominic exhaled, dragging a hand over his jaw before tilting his head. "You're going to break into Ignacio's house."

A slow, calculated pause.

"You're going to retrieve copies of any documents you find. Not the originals. Just the copies."

I felt my stomach tighten, but I didn't let it show.

"You cannot be seen. You cannot leave a trace."

He leaned in further, his voice lowering, his presence pressing down on me like a vice.

"And if you fail? If you get caught?" He smiled. "You're on your own."

I met his gaze without flinching.

"If you're exposed, I won't protect you. If Ignacio finds you, you die. If you fail this... I kill you myself."

His words settled like a noose around my neck, but I didn't react.

"Can you handle it?"

I nodded.

Dominic smiled, slow and satisfied. "Then don't disappoint me."

I turned and walked out, my heartbeat steady, my mind already working through the plan.

This wasn't just a job.

This was suicide.

And I wasn't going to fail.

---

I moved through the quiet backstreets, my body tense, my senses on high alert. I had changed my route three times, taken unnecessary turns, waited in the shadows, watching and listening.

No one had followed me.

At least, no one who wanted to be seen.

I slipped into the meeting point—a rundown storage lot that had been abandoned for years. Claudia and Salvador were waiting inside.

Claudia was pacing. Salvador sat on a metal crate, his arms crossed, cigarette smoke curling around him.

I didn't sit. I didn't give them time to argue or to talk me out of it.

I placed both hands on the table, leaning toward them. "Listen carefully, because I'm only saying this once."

Claudia crossed her arms, already looking like she hated whatever was coming next. Salvador raised a brow, waiting.

"Dominic is already on edge with Ignacio. We've made sure of that. But we need one final push," I said, my voice firm.

I paused, making sure they were following before continuing. "Dominic sent me to retrieve copies of whatever documents Ignacio keeps in his study. Not the originals—just copies."

Salvador frowned. "Why not just take the real thing?"

"Because he'll know. If I take the originals, he'll have a direct reason to suspect Dominic, and that's not what Dominic needs."

I continued. "But that's not all. Once I retrieve the documents, we're going to slip in fake ones—ones that reinforce the falsified reports Emilia planted for Dominic. We'll doctor some of Ignacio's real files, making it look like he's been pocketing millions behind Dominic's back."

Salvador let out a low whistle. "You're making Dominic certain that Ignacio has been screwing him over."

"Exactly," I said. "Once Dominic sees those reports mixed with the real ones, he'll be convinced Ignacio has been lying to him for years. He won't stop to question it. He won't think it's a setup. He'll only think about revenge."

Claudia exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down her face. "Okay. Great. But tell me how the hell you're getting inside Ignacio's house? That's the part that sounds like a death sentence."

Salvador sighed, tossing his cigarette to the ground and crushing it under his boot. "She might have a way in."

Claudia and I turned to him.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I've got a guard on Ignacio's payroll. Low level, nothing special, but he can get you past the first checkpoint."

I narrowed my eyes. "And after that?"

Salvador gave me a grim smile. "That's on you."

Claudia groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You people are insane."

I ignored her, turning back to Salvador. "Do you trust him?"

Salvador hesitated, then shrugged. "I trust him enough."

Not a great answer. But it would have to do.

"Call him," I said.

Claudia muttered a curse under her breath. "Val, just stop and think for a second—"

"We do this now," I cut her off. "Before I overthink it. Tonight, everything ends."

Salvador pulled out his phone, already dialing.

Claudia sat heavily on the crate next to him, rubbing her temples. "At least go over the plan again. Properly."

I gave her a tired smile. "The plan is not to die."

She groaned. "That is not a plan, you reckless idiot."

I didn't argue. Because she wasn't wrong.

The night swallowed me whole.

I kept to the shadows, moving carefully along the outer perimeter of Ignacio's estate, every step calculated, every breath measured. Salvador's guard had done his part—getting me past the first checkpoint. But that was the easy part.

Now I was alone.

And if I was caught, there would be no escape.

I crouched behind a stone wall, surveying the courtyard ahead. The property was a fortress, just as Claudia had said. Armed guards patrolled every entrance, security cameras scanning the grounds, tripwires embedded into the fencing.

I took a slow breath, keeping my body pressed against the cold stone. Timing was everything.

One guard paced past me, his footsteps steady on the gravel. I waited—counted in my head—until he turned toward the other side of the courtyard.

Then I moved.

Quick and silent, I darted across the open space, slipping into the side of the house where the garden entrance was. The door was locked—of course it was—but Ignacio had always been paranoid about his own men.

Which meant his security was strongest against intruders but weakest against insiders.

I crouched low, pulling a small set of tools from my pocket, my fingers steady despite the tension in my gut. The lock was high-end, but locks were just puzzles. And I was good at solving puzzles.

I twisted the pick, listening for the shift in the mechanism.

Click.

I exhaled, turning the handle and slipping inside.

The hallway was dark. I kept my steps light, pressing myself against the wall as I moved. I had memorized the blueprints Salvador managed to get me. The study was two floors up, past the grand staircase and down the hall to the left.

I moved swiftly, but I wasn't stupid.

Guards were stationed inside too—watching, waiting. I heard them before I saw them, their voices low, their footsteps heavy. I ducked into an alcove just as one passed by, my heart pounding in my ears.

I waited.

Five seconds.

Ten.

When he was gone, I moved again, slipping through the hallway and up the back staircase, staying low to avoid the cameras mounted near the ceiling.

I reached the second floor.

The study door was locked, but unlike the entrance, this one had a keypad.

Shit.

I scanned the area. No obvious way to brute-force it without alerting the entire house. But Ignacio had a bad habit—one I had been counting on.

He never bothered to change his codes.

I took out my phone and entered one of the old codes I had from previous intel.

Beep.

The light turned green.

I was in.

I slipped inside, shutting the door carefully behind me. The study smelled like cigars and leather, expensive and suffocating. But I didn't have time to linger.

I went straight to the safe behind the bookshelf.

I had already known it would be there.

I crouched, running my fingers over the edges, feeling for the hidden mechanisms. Ignacio was paranoid, but he was also predictable. I found the small indentation near the bottom—his emergency override switch.

A minute later, I had the safe open.

Stacks of files, ledgers, USBs. Everything Ignacio kept hidden.

I worked quickly, pulling out a small, portable scanner and photocopying everything. My hands were steady, but my pulse was racing.

If anyone walked in now, I was dead.

Halfway through scanning, I heard footsteps.

I froze.

The hallway. Someone was outside the study.

The doorknob twisted.

Shit.

I grabbed my knife from my belt and ducked behind the desk, heart hammering.

The door didn't open.

A guard's voice filtered through the wood. "Yeah, second floor is clear."

A pause.

Then the footsteps retreated.

I let out a slow breath, forcing my hands to stay steady.

I finished copying the files, tucked everything back exactly as it was, and closed the safe.

Now, I just had to get out.

I moved toward the door, pressing my ear against it. The hallway was silent.

I opened it carefully, slipping back out and retracing my path. The house felt tighter now, the air thicker, as if the walls themselves knew what I had done.

I reached the back staircase.

Almost there.

I took the steps slowly, ensuring my weight didn't creak against the wood. I reached the first floor, staying close to the shadows, my heart pounding in my throat.

A guard stepped into the hall ahead.

I pressed myself against the wall, holding my breath.

He lingered, scanning the area, then turned and walked in the other direction.

I didn't wait.

I moved quickly, slipping out the same door I had come in through.

The night air hit me like a slap.

I had made it out.

But I wouldn't feel safe until I was far, far away from here.

I melted into the darkness, my mind racing ahead to what came next.

Tonight, everything would change.

I moved quickly, the adrenaline from the break-in still humming beneath my skin. Claudia was waiting when I slipped into the safehouse, her arms crossed, her sharp eyes scanning me for any signs of failure.

"You have it?" she asked.

I nodded and pulled out the USB. "Do you have the fake documents ready?"

She grabbed a folder from the table and handed it to me. "Everything we prepared, down to the last forged signature."

I wasted no time. I scanned each document, making sure the falsified records aligned perfectly with the real ones. Numbers, dates, signatures—it all had to match.

Once I was certain everything was seamless, I transferred all of them onto the USB. The real documents. The fake ones. Everything Ignacio would never see coming.

Claudia exhaled. "What now?"

I closed the laptop, shoving the USB into my pocket. "Now I go to Dominic."

She frowned. "Now? You just got the mission six hours ago. Won't that seem—suspicious?"

I smirked, shaking my head. "On the contrary. To him, I had no time to plan. No time to fabricate anything. In and out. Just like he wanted."

Claudia folded her arms. "And what if he still doubts you?"

I pulled out my phone, showing her a few freshly taken pictures of Ignacio's study. The dim lighting, the precise angles—it made the place look like I had only been focused on one thing: retrieving what Dominic wanted.

"To make sure he believes it, I added a couple of pictures of Ignacio's study," I said. "Now he'll have no reason to think the documents are fake."

Claudia let out a slow breath, shaking her head. "You're either a genius or suicidal."

"Maybe both."

Then I turned and walked out the door.

The drive to Dominic's warehouse felt longer than usual. My mind was sharp, calculating my every move, my every word.

By the time I arrived, I had my expression perfectly controlled. No tension. No hesitation.

Just results.

The moment I stepped inside, the air felt heavier. Dominic was seated at the same desk, surrounded by his usual men, his piercing gaze cutting straight through me.

"Valeria," he greeted, his tone calm, but there was always that underlying threat in the way he spoke. "You're early."

I stepped forward, reaching into my pocket and placing the USB on his desk. "The job's done."

His eyes flicked to the USB, then back to me. "That fast?"

I smirked. "You gave me an order. I followed it."

He leaned back, studying me with that unreadable expression, fingers tapping against the wood. The room was silent except for the faint hum of the warehouse lights.

Then he grabbed the USB, turning to one of his men. "Check it."

The man took the drive, plugging it into a laptop at the side of the room. The screen flickered as he opened the files, scrolling through document after document.

For a moment, I felt the weight of Dominic's stare. He was watching me, not the screen.

He was looking for something.

Cracks. Lies. A reason to doubt me.

I didn't blink.

Then the guy at the laptop nodded. "It's all here. Reports, ledgers, financial records." He hesitated before adding, "There are even pictures from inside Ignacio's study."

Dominic's gaze didn't shift from me.

"Pictures?"

I shrugged. "Thought you'd like proof that I did the job myself."

A slow smile curled at his lips.

I had him.

He turned back to the screen, eyes scanning the files, his amusement growing the more he saw. "Well, well..." he murmured. "Would you look at that?"

He leaned back in his chair, exhaling as if satisfied.

Then his eyes snapped to me again, and the amusement was gone.

"You really are as good as they say."

I smirked, keeping my posture relaxed. "I get the job done."

Dominic nodded slowly, tapping a finger against the desk. "Good." A beat of silence, then— "You've earned yourself another job."

I clenched my jaw, but I kept my expression neutral. "What job?"

His smile was razor-sharp.

"Ignacio is screwing me over. And now, thanks to you, I have proof." He leaned forward. "I want you to help me take him down."

I kept my breathing steady, my heart pounding against my ribs.

I had expected this.

But that didn't make it any less dangerous.

I nodded once. "Tell me what you need."

Dominic smirked.

I had stepped deeper into the fire.

Now, I just had to make sure I didn't burn.

---

I moved like a shadow through the night, slipping between alleyways, backstreets, and paths I knew wouldn't have eyes on them. My breath was steady, but my body was running on pure adrenaline.

Dominic had bought the lie.

But that didn't mean I was safe.

Not yet.

Not until all of this was over.

I parked a few blocks away from Emilia's house, cutting the engine and scanning my surroundings. The streets were quiet, empty except for the occasional car passing in the distance. I stayed in my seat for a few seconds longer, watching, waiting—making sure I wasn't followed.

Satisfied, I got out and moved toward her house, my steps quick but careful. The back entrance was my safest bet. The staff entrance near the garden. I had memorized the weak spots of her security—not because I didn't trust her, but because I didn't trust anyone.

The window to the servants' wing was slightly cracked open. Careless. Lucky for me.

I pulled myself up, slipping through the gap without a sound.

The hallway was dimly lit, quiet. But I knew I wasn't the only one awake.

I could feel her.

Even before I reached her bedroom, I knew she was waiting.

I pushed the door open, and there she was—sitting on the edge of the bed, her arms wrapped around herself, her foot tapping anxiously against the floor.

She wasn't asleep.

She had been waiting for me.

Her head snapped up the second I stepped inside, and for a long moment, she just stared at me.

Her eyes—relief, anger, worry, love—all at once.

Emilia's POV

The room was quiet. Too quiet.

The kind of silence that wasn't peaceful, but suffocating.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my arms wrapped around myself, my foot tapping anxiously against the floor. My body was still, but my mind wouldn't stop moving—playing out every possible scenario, every possible outcome.

How long had it been since she left? Five hours? Six?

It felt like a lifetime.

And I hated myself for it.

I hated that I was here, sitting in the comfort of my own house, untouched, unscathed, while she was out there walking through the fire.

Because of me.

Because of the plan I made.

Because I was the one who set this all in motion.

I had nothing to risk.

But I had everything to lose.

Valeria.

I clenched my jaw, inhaling deeply, but it didn't help. The ache in my chest, the relentless pounding in my head—it wouldn't ease.

I had sent her into danger, and all I could do was sit here and wait.

Useless.

Helpless.

I closed my eyes, swallowing the guilt that sat like a stone in my throat.

Then the door pushed open.

And I felt it—the moment my soul returned to my body.

She was back.

Valeria stood in the doorway, her breathing even, her face unreadable in the dim light.

For a second, I didn't move. I couldn't.

I just stared at her, taking in every detail, every sign that she was whole, that she had kept her promise.

That she had come back to me.

My breath left me in a rush, and before I even realized what I was doing, I was on my feet, moving toward her.

She didn't speak. Neither did I.

But the second I reached her, my hands were on her face, my fingers tracing the angles of her jaw, the line of her cheekbone—searching, scanning.

She was real.

She was here.

"Are you okay?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

She exhaled slowly, her eyes fluttering shut for just a second, like she was absorbing the moment too.

"I'm fine," she murmured.

A lie.

I knew it the second she said it.

My fingers tightened on her jaw, forcing her to meet my eyes. "Don't lie to me."

Her throat bobbed, but she didn't pull away.

Then, finally, she spoke.

"I got it."

The words barely registered before my heart lurched.

"The documents?"

She nodded. "Dominic believes it. Every part of it."

The relief that hit me was instant, but it was quickly drowned by something heavier—something sharp and painful.

I had sent her into this.

I had been sitting here safe, while she had been out there risking everything.

And that realization broke something in me.

Without thinking, I shoved her—hard.

She stumbled back, eyes wide. "What the hell—"

"Do you know what it's like sitting here for hours not knowing if you'd come back?" My voice trembled, but my anger burned through the cracks. "Do you know how many times I imagined the worst? How many times I thought I'd get a call that you—"

I couldn't finish.

Couldn't say it out loud.

Valeria reached for my hands, but I pulled away, shaking my head.

"You can't just walk in here like nothing happened," I whispered, my throat tight.

She exhaled, her voice quieter this time. "I don't know how else to walk in, Emilia."

And just like that—whatever walls I had built, whatever anger I had clung to—collapsed.

Before I could think, before she could react—I grabbed her again.

But this time, I kissed her.

Desperate. Fierce. Angry.

Because I was so mad at her.

But I was even madder at myself.

Her arms wrapped around me, her body pressing into mine, and I felt it—the fire, the fear, the relief, all of it tangled together in one chaotic, devastating kiss.

I forced myself to step back, my hands sliding from her shoulders to her wrists, holding her there, grounding myself.

"What did Dominic say?" My voice was calmer than I felt.

Valeria exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "He believes it. All of it. He thinks Ignacio has been double-timing him."

A sharp pang twisted in my chest.

It was working.

But at what cost?

Valeria looked at me, and I already knew there was more.

"What else?" I pressed, my fingers tightening around her wrists.

She hesitated for just a second, then sighed. "He said he'll need me by his side when he goes to confront Ignacio."

I froze.

My pulse spiked, my stomach twisting with unease.

"No," I said immediately.

Valeria arched a brow. "I didn't realize I needed permission."

"Don't," I snapped. "Don't act like this is just another job."

She sighed. "Emilia—"

"No." I shook my head, stepping away, trying to collect my thoughts, trying to control the panic clawing at my throat. "You're not going into that."

Valeria crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "I don't have a choice."

I clenched my jaw, my heart pounding. "Dominic going to Ignacio isn't just a meeting, Valeria. It's a declaration of war."

Valeria's silence told me she already knew that.

And that scared me even more.

I dragged a shaky hand through my hair. "This isn't just about playing them against each other anymore. If Dominic walks in there, convinced Ignacio has been lying to him, this won't end in threats. It won't end in words."

Valeria didn't argue.

Because she knew.

"You can't stop this," she said finally, her voice softer, like she was trying to ease me into accepting it. "It's already in motion."

I turned to her, my eyes burning with frustration, with fear. "And what happens when it all explodes? What happens when bullets start flying, Valeria? You think Dominic is going to keep you safe?"

"I can handle myself," she said.

"You shouldn't have to."

Silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.

I wanted to grab her, shake her, make her listen—but Valeria had never been the type to listen to warnings.

And I had never been the type to let someone I love walk into certain death.

I swallowed hard, forcing the words out.

"There has to be another way."

Valeria's jaw tightened. "There isn't."

I hated that she believed that.

I hated that she might be right.

And worst of all—I hated that for the first time since this started, I wasn't sure if either of us was going to make it out alive.