I am strong, I am brave…
And for them, I can do this.
The man released Mamá. “Vámonos!”
Stumbling forward, she hugged Alejandro, pulling him into her side. Agony evident, she turned the slightest bit and looked back at me. “I love you,” she mouthed, resting her cheek atop my little brother’s soft black hair as her entire body jerked from the force of her sobs.
Fighting to remain brave, I nodded.
But my strength wavered as the scarred man grasped my upper arms to the point of pain before shoving me closer to the vehicle.
“Do not touch me!”
Letting the fear that oozed from my pores override any sense I had, I struck out at him as my adrenaline spiked again, sending my pulse into overdrive.
Fist connecting with his bottom lip, the skin split, and blood seeped from the fresh wound, staining his yellowed, plaque-covered teeth.
“You stupid little cunt,” he growled before backhanding me across the face. Hard. Head filled with streaking bolts of pain, silver specks of light danced before me as the world spun. “Should’ve known you would give me trouble.”
Digging his dirty fingers into my skin, he shoved me into the SUV before turning back to face his men, most of whom still stood on the sidewalk, their blank expressions devoid of any emotion.
Vision partially clearing, I watched through half-dazed eyes as he spat on the ground, the disgusting fluid a mixture of saliva and blood.
Menacing smile reappearing, he looked back my way and fisted the front of my dress before jerking me upward. “That mistake will cost you, princesa.” Blood from his chin dripped onto my cheek. “Greatly.”
He released me; my back hit the seat.
Head lolling from side to side, I struggled to find my mental footing. The hit had knocked me for a loop, rattling my brain and scrambling my thoughts. Hard as I tried, I couldn’t decipher what he meant.
At least, not until he spoke again.
Backing up the slightest bit, he braced his arms on the SUV and glanced over his shoulder. It was there, standing beneath a harsh city streetlight, that he uttered three words that would change my world forever.
Those words? Kill her mother.
A blood-curdling scream echoed through the night as I found the strength to jerk upright. Teeth bared, I latched onto his broad shoulders and shoved him backward with all my might. To my surprise, he moved, giving me room to flee.
My mind didn’t question why.
Even though it should’ve.
Stumbling out of the Suburban, I stepped on my floor-length gown, ripping the fabric to my waist. Arms bent, I charged forward, never once stopping to look behind me. “Mamá!” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man wearing a red shirt raise his arm, gun in hand. “No! Don’t—”
Bang!
I was less than six feet away from my family when the gun erupted, sending a bullet careening past me and straight into Mamá’s chest.
My hearing dulled as bright red blood poured from her body, soaking her pale blue dress. Legs giving way, she crumbled to the ground, Alejandro falling beside her.
Without thinking, I tore the sash dangling from my shoulder and dropped to my knees, ripping flesh from bone. Pressing the wadded silk fabric to the dime-sized hole in her chest, I worked to staunch the flow of blood.
Beside me, my little brother wailed in both anger and horror as he watched the only parent we had left begin to slip away.
Ears ringing, I could hardly hear the animalistic sounds I made as I pressed harder against the wound, begging Mamá to hang on, but I felt both her fear and pain as she lost the fight to remain by our sides.
Like a knife to the chest, I felt them.
“Mamá, breathe for me,” I cried, rocking on my scraped and burning knees. “Please.” Lips turning purple, she placed a single hand atop mine, squeezing the slightest bit.
Specks of blood dotted her glossed lips as she wheezed an exhale. “Good. Now breathe again.” Gorgeous eyes sliding closed, she did as I asked and pulled in a small, shuddering breath.
It was the last she ever took.
Chest failing to rise once more, in the space of a mere second, her heart ceased beating, and my entire world, along with the remaining hold that I had on my sanity, broke.
Still clutching my blood-soaked sash tight, I rose and turned, desperate to do as much damage as possible to the man who’d killed my beautiful mother before he had the chance to steal another life.
If he murdered me, then so be it.
I didn’t care anymore.
But I should’ve known I’d never reach him.
Still, I tried.
“You fucking pendejo!” I charged him, my hands twitching with the need to rip his eyeballs right out of his skull. “I’m going to kill you, you—”
The ground tilted beneath my feet, knocking me off-kilter as an arm wrapped around my neck from behind and clamped down on my airway, squeezing the life from me.
“Take the boy. I have plans for him.”
I clawed the arm choking me as the scarred man’s clear voice rang out, sending a fresh wave of fear crashing through me.
No! I mentally screamed.
They would have to kill me, spilling my crimson blood onto the city streets as they had both of my parents’ before I allowed any of the hijo de putas surrounding me to steal my brother.
A cell phone rang as I continued to fight.
Clawing, kicking, twisting.
“Si, boss,” the head bastardo said, answering. “We are on the way.” He chuckled as he ended the call. “Put the princesa in the vehicle, Juan. Carlos is awaiting her arrival.”
The hold on my neck loosened.
Taking full advantage, I slipped free of the man’s hold and darted toward the spot where my brother’s trembling body lay atop my mother’s, her darkening blood coating his plain white pajama top. “Alejandro!” I made it three steps before I was captured and lifted into the air by the same cabrón as before.
“No!” Alejandro shouted. “Don’t take her!”
“Hermanito—”
“Shut the fuck up!” My back hit the side of the Suburban as the man who’d been carrying me slammed me into the polished fiberglass. Grabbing fistfuls of my hair, he tossed
