The estate rose before us, its cracked facade a silent witness under the midday sun, the air thick with the musty scent of damp stone and tangled ivy. The drive from the docks had been a taut silence, Diego's car slicing through New York's wet streets, Salvador's bloodied sleeve a grim reminder of Valentina's last attack.
My pulse raced as we entered, the floorboards groaning underfoot in the hall where I'd once known my father's rare smiles. The hearthstone, hiding the USB with its secrets of gun deals and blackmail, thrummed in my thoughts.
Diego's presence beside me was a coiled storm, his suit immaculate, his gray-streaked hair damp with tension. "Get it," Diego ordered, his voice a low growl, his hand hovering near his pocket where the gun's outline pressed against the fabric.
His eyes, hard as flint, challenged me to defy him. Salvador stood at my side, his leather jacket creaking, the scar on his jaw tight as he nodded respectfully. "Boss's word, ocean girl," he said, his gravelly tone carrying a pirate's edge.
I crossed to the living room, kneeling by the hearth, the cold stones scraping my fingers. Memories of my mother's laughter clashed with the sting of her recordings evidence of Diego's empire that had cost her everything.
I lifted the stone, its scrape slicing the silence, and retrieved a scratched metal case, the USB's green light blinking faintly. Diego's breath sharpened, and he loomed closer, his shadow darkening the floor.
"Give it to me," he demanded, his hand outstretched, the gun's click sounding as he drew it partway. My grip tightened, the case's edge cutting into my palm.
Salvador's hand grazed my shoulder, a steady anchor, but his gaze darted to Diego, loyalty warring with instinct. "Not yet," I said, my voice trembling but resolute. "What's on it? Why's Valentina after you?"
The questions were a calculated risk, and Diego's laugh was a bitter snarl. "You dare bargain?" He raised the gun, its barrel gleaming, aimed at my heart.
"Valentina wants it to burn me down. Hand it over, daughter or this ends."
Salvador stepped forward, his stance protective yet restrained. "Boss, she's got leverage. Hear her," he said, his respect a shield, and Diego's gun dipped slightly, his jaw clenching.
"Leverage?" Diego hissed. "She's a pawn. Salvador, take it make her comply." His tone was a command, and Salvador nodded, kneeling beside me, his hand pausing over the case.
"Trust me, ocean girl," he whispered, his breath warm against my cheek, his gold-flecked eyes holding mine. I faltered, then passed it to him, our fingers brushing, a current of uncertainty sparking.
He rose, offering it to Diego, but his grip lingered, a subtle rebellion. Diego seized it, flipping the case open, the USB's light steady.
"Satisfactory," he said, pocketing it, but his stare bore into me, a mix of ownership and threat. "Silence, or Valentina won't be your only enemy."
A shadow flickered at the window, Valentina, her black cloak swirling, a pistol in hand. Glass exploded as she fired, the bullet lodging in the wall near Diego.
I dropped, Salvador yanking me behind the hearth, his body a barrier, the leather and blood scent sharp. "Down," he growled, drawing a knife with a pirate's flair, his injured arm taut.
Valentina burst in, her voice a silken blade. "Diego, you discarded me for her mother now I'll destroy you!" Her gun swept between us, her eyes blazing with a lover's scorn turned mafia fury.
Diego raised his weapon, a mirror to hers, the room teetering on the edge. "Valentina, stop this!" Diego roared, but she laughed, a jagged sound, and shot, clipping his arm.
Blood soaked his sleeve, and he staggered, his gun skidding away. Salvador lunged, knife flashing, but Valentina sidestepped, snatching the USB case from Diego's pocket with a triumphant sneer.
"You're finished," she spat, firing a warning shot that splintered the hearthstone. She retreated into the estate , her footsteps fading into a taunt. Silence crashed down, broken by Diego's labored breaths as he gripped his wound. Salvador supported him, his respect unshaken. "Boss, we need to go," he said, firm. Diego nodded, pain etching his features, and glared at me. "You've weakened me," he rasped, "but you're still mine. Salvador, guard her." His order faltered, and he limped out, leaving chaos behind.
Salvador knelt by me, his hand on my arm, steadying. "She took the decoy," he said, his grin faint. "The real USB's still here, sewn into the rug." He lifted the edge, revealing a second case, its light unwavering. My breath hitched, the truth a double-edged gift.
"Why hide it from Diego?" I asked, my voice hushed. Salvador's eyes darkened, a storm of intent. "This tide is shifting, ocean girl. I'm with you until the cost breaks me." The vow lingered, and as the estate fell quiet, I wondered if his allegiance was my shield or the next betrayal