She hated this life, the constant fear, the power Armando wielded that brought enemies to their doorstep. But what hurt most was knowing that she had no choice in any of it. Armando had made sure of that. He kept her close, kept Alvaro close, and controlled every movement they made.
Alvaro’s innocent giggles as he played with his blocks snapped her out of her thoughts, and she tried to smile for him. She sat down beside him, running a hand over his soft, dark curls. “Are you having fun, baby?” she asked, forcing lightness into her tone.
Alvaro looked up at her with a wide, toothy grin, holding up a blue block. “Mama, look!”
“Oh, it’s so nice!” she said, marveling at the block as if it were a treasure, just to see him smile. But even as she tried to focus on him, her mind kept drifting
