The shopping center was alive with noise and color. Marina, Eva, and Ema vanished into the crowd, their arms laden with bags, almost immediately. I, however, had no interest in shopping.
I found a quiet coffee shop tucked into a corner, ordered a black coffee, and settled into a chair by the window.
As I lounged in the coffee shop, my fingers tracing the rim of my espresso cup, a familiar presence prickled at the edge of my awareness.
My gaze lifted, and there she wasâa woman in a crisp police uniform, her boots clicking against the tiled floor with deliberate, predatory rhythm.
The badge glinted under the cafĂ© lights, but it was her face that made my pulse kick up. Sarah. Carolinaâs sister-in-law.
She didnât just walk toward meâshe stalked, like a panther whoâd finally cornered her prey.
A slow, dangerous smile curled her lips as she stopped directly in front of my table. The scent of her perfumeâsomething sharp, like gunpowder and jasmineâmingled with the bitter aroma of coffee.
"Well, well," she purred, her voice dripping with venomous satisfaction. "If it isnât Jack Reynolds himself. Slumming it in a Mexican coffee shop? How... pedestrian of you."
I leaned back in my chair, my smirk never wavering. "Officer Sarah. What a pleasant surprise."
Her eyes flashed, and before I could react, she lunged forward, her fingers clamping around the collar of my shirt like a vise. She yanked me upward, the fabric straining against my throat.
From my seated position, I had a very up-close view of her uniformâhow it hugged her curves, the way the buttons of her shirt strained just enough to tease. Damn, she looked good in that uniform. Too good.
"Finally got you, you arrogant piece of shit," she hissed, her breath hot against my face.
I swallowed hard, but my voice remained smooth, unshaken. "Officer, I think thereâs been a terrible misunderstanding. You wouldnât want to make a scene in front of all these innocent civilians, would you?"
Sarah let out a sharp, mocking laugh, her grip tightening. "Misunderstanding?"
She leaned in closer, her lips brushing the shell of my ear as she whispered, "I know everything about you, Mr. Billionaire. Every dirty secret. Everybody youâve buried. And I know I canât touch you in Americaâtoo many of your little puppets in high places. But here?"
She pulled back just enough to meet my gaze, her fingers still twisted in my collar. "This is Mexico, Jack. And in Mexico, money doesnât buy everything."
I raised an eyebrow, my voice cool. "Youâre making some very serious accusations, Officer Sarah. Care to enlighten me? What exactly am I supposed to have done?"
Her grin was razor-sharp. "Oh, youâre going to love this." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, slapping it against my chest. "Youâre under arrest for the murder of Alejandro Ruiz. Ring any bells?"
I didnât even glance at the paper. "Never heard of him."
Sarahâs laughter was a dark, velvety sound. "Of course you havenât. Because he was just another pawn in your little games, wasnât he? But hereâs the thing, JackâI know. And Iâve been waiting for this moment for a long time."
She released my collar with a shove, sending me stumbling back into my chair. "I knew youâd come back eventually. You took Marina and her sister-in-law to America, but you left Grandma behind. Stupid move."
She leaned down, her hands braced on the arms of my chair, caging me in. "I had my men watching her like hawks. Just waiting for you to slip up."
I kept my expression neutral, but my mind raced. SERA had wiped everything clean. No evidence. No trail. Sarah was bluffing. She had to be.
As if reading my thoughts, she straightened and turned her head slightly, her voice carrying across the café. "Officers! Take him into custody."
The men whoâd been blending into the backgroundâjust ordinary customers sipping coffee, scrolling on their phonesâstood in unison. Their jackets parted just enough to reveal the glint of badges. Undercover. Of course.
One of them stepped forward, handcuffs already out, but Sarah held up a hand. "No. Iâll do it."
I couldnât help itâI laughed. This was rich. "Youâre really going to cuff me yourself, Sarah? Afraid your boys wonât do it right?"
Her eyes burned with fury, but she didnât rise to the bait. Instead, she grabbed my wrists, her fingers digging into my skin as she jerked them behind my back. The cold metal of the handcuffs clicked into place, the weight oddly comforting. I twisted my hands experimentally, testing her grip.
Sarah leaned in again, her lips brushing my ear as she fastened the cuffs. "That smirk is going to be the first thing I wipe off your face," she murmured.
"You think your money makes you untouchable? That everyone can be bought?" She pulled back, her gaze raking over me with disgust.
"Not me, Jack. I donât care how many zeros are in your bank account. Iâm going to enjoy watching you rot in a Mexican prison."
I met her glare with a slow, deliberate smile. "Youâre adorable when youâre angry, Sarah."
Her hand snapped out, gripping my chin hard enough to bruise. "Iâm not angry," she spat. "Iâm ecstatic. Because I finally have you right where I want you."
The commotion had drawn a crowd now. I spotted Marina first, her heels clicking furiously against the floor as she stormed toward us, Ema and Eva trailing behind, their faces pale with shock.
"Officer Sarah!" Marinaâs voice was a whip-crack. "What the hell do you think youâre doing?"
Looking at Marina like this... I guess she also remembers Sarah.
Sarah didnât even glance at her. "Stay out of this, Marina. This doesnât concern you."
Marinaâs eyes were wild, her chest heaving. "Like hell it doesnât! You canât justâ"
"Master!" Ema and Eva cried in unison, their voices trembling as they clutched at each other.
Sarah finally turned, her expression dripping with false sympathy. "Oh, donât worry, girls. Iâll make sure your master gets a very fair trial."
She grabbed my arm, yanking me to my feet. "Now, if youâll excuse us, we have a date with a prison cell."
I let her drag me, but not before throwing one last smirk over my shoulder at Marina. "Donât worry, darling. Iâll be fine."
Marinaâs gaze locked onto mine, her dark eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and something far more dangerousâ
trust
. A slow, knowing smile curved her lips, the kind that promised secrets and shared understanding.
She didnât need to say it out loud; we both knew the truth.
Iâd be fine.
No handcuffs, no prison cell, not even Sarahâs burning vendetta could keep me down for long. But the smirk playing at the corners of her mouth told me she was enjoying the show just as much as I was.
Still, she sighed, crossing her arms as she leaned against the café doorway, watching Sarah drag me away. The fun
had
been ruinedâat least for tonight.
And Marina
hated
when our plans got derailed. Not because she feared for me, but because she
lived
for the chaos, the thrill of the game. And Sarah, with her dramatic arrest and her undercover goons, had just stolen the spotlight.
She tilted her head, her voice dripping with faux concern as she called after me, "Try not to make
too
many friends in there,
mi rey
. You know how jealous I get."