CHAPTER 29: HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

Xitllali

Guillermo leaned back against the pillows. His jaw was tight, but there was absolutely no fear in his eyes. He wasn't a man who knew how to be afraid.

Slowly, his dark eyes shifted to me.

"We go straight to San Cristóbal," he said, his voice low and commanding. "Right back to your flower shop."

I stared at him, sure I had misheard.

"Are you insane?" I stepped closer to the bed, my heart hammering against my ribs. "The shop was destroyed. They know it's connected to us. They could have men watching it right now!"

"That is exactly why it's the safest place for us to be," he replied calmly.

"No, Guillermo!" I shook my head, my voice rising with panic. "I am not walking back into a place they already attacked. If they see us…"

"If I were alone," he interrupted, his voice turning incredibly dark and dangerous, "I would walk down this mountain and slaughter every single man Severo brought to this valley. I would leave their bodies in the plaza for the police to find. I fear no one, Xitllali."

He paused, his eyes softening just a fraction as they locked onto mine.

"But I am not alone," he continued quietly. "I have you. And I will not risk a single stray bullet coming anywhere near you. We are not hiding because I am afraid of Severo. I am doing this to hide you."

I opened my mouth to fight him on it again, but the words died in my throat. I hated it, but his logic was flawless.

"Human nature makes men lazy," he explained, seeing that I was listening. "Those men will search the forests, the caves, and the roads heading out of town. But they will never believe that we just walked right back into the shop. It's the ultimate blind spot. We hide in plain sight."

I let out a shaky breath and rubbed my forehead. He was El Crotalo. This was exactly the kind of arrogant, brilliant move he would make.

"Fine," I whispered. "But how do we get down there without being seen?"

"We rest," he said firmly. "And then we move in the dead hour of the morning, right before dawn."

Valdo, who had been listening quietly, finally stepped forward to break the tension.

"The perimeter is secure for now, Boss," Valdo said respectfully. He then looked at me. "You need your strength, Señora. There is a pot of chicken broth left on the stove. Go eat and I'll watch the door."

I nodded numbly. As Valdo stepped outside, I stared at Guillermo for a long moment before retreating into the kitchen. I served myself a bowl of the hot broth, forcing it down right there at the counter before heading back to the bedroom.

Guillermo was resting his head against the pillows when I walked in.

"You should get some sleep," I whispered.

I grabbed clean clothes from the ones Valdo had brought for me and headed to the bathroom, locking the heavy wooden door behind me.

The moment I was finally alone, my knees gave out completely.

I sank down to the cold tile floor, pressing both hands hard over my mouth to muffle the ugly sob that tore out of my throat. I couldn't stop thinking about the gunshot on the ridge, and the sniper falling backward into the wet grass

I had killed a man.

I sat there on the floor, crying silently until my chest physically ached. When I finally found the strength to stand up, I turned on the shower, letting the hot water fill the room with thick steam. I stripped off my clothes and stepped under the spray.

The heat felt amazing, but the moment I looked down at my hands, my stomach twisted violently. Guillermo's blood was still crusted under my fingernails, mixed with the dark mud from the ridge. I grabbed a bar of soap and scrubbed my hands until my skin turned bright red.

I scrubbed desperately, trying to wash away the memory of pulling that trigger.

When I couldn't scrub anymore, I dried myself quickly and pulled on the clean, warm clothes.

When I walked back into the bedroom, Guillermo was lying on the right side of the bed. He had purposefully left a large, empty space on the left side just for me.

"Lie down," he commanded softly. "You need to rest."

I didn't argue. I crawled onto the mattress and pulled the thick wool blanket up to my chin. I lay on my side, facing him. Even with the space between us, I could feel the intense heat radiating from his large body.

Carefully, I reached my hand across the gap. I didn't touch his injured shoulder. Instead, my fingers found his large, rough right hand resting on the mattress.

I gently wrapped my fingers around his.

He went completely still. Then, slowly, his large fingers curled around my hand.

"Sleep, mi vida," he murmured, his voice dark and soothing.

The rest of the day and night dragged on in a blur of rain and quiet tension. We didn't leave the bed. We rested and let his body heal while I periodically checked on him and gave him his medication. Every single time I woke up in the dark, Guillermo's hand was still holding mine tightly.

When my eyes finally snapped open for good, the room was freezing.

I checked the digital clock on the nightstand. 4:00 AM.

It was time to leave.

Guillermo was already sitting on the edge of the bed, he pulled a black coat over his broad shoulders. He looked pale, but the dangerous, lethal energy was completely back in his eyes.

"It's time," Valdo whispered from the doorway, Mateo right beside him.

I quickly pulled on my boots and followed them out into the freezing air. The sky was pitch black, and the mountain was covered in a thick, blinding white mist.