Risky (Torn Between Two Lovers #2)(73)

It was a successful night. Anna was the perfect woman on his arm, charming everyone around her, and he was making headway. Even Deno Santos seemed taken by her and wasn’t as abrasive and obnoxious as usual. He even complimented Joaquin’s party, and Joaquin wondered what the man might be up to.

A server with a silver tray floated past, and she paused at their table. “Mr. Delacruz, would you like a piece of turtle cheesecake? I heard it’s your favorite.”

“Did you?” He smiled. “Well, I suppose I can’t resist. Anna?”

“Not for me,” she said, eyeing the tray. “But I’ll have some of that crème br?lée.”

The girl doled out the desserts and flitted away, quickly becoming swallowed in the crowd. Joaquin took a bite, savoring the creamy treat with caramel and nuts on top.

“How’d she know that was your favorite?”

“Jealous?”

“Of course not.” She huffed. “That just seems really personal for her to know.”

“Not really,” he said, soothing her ruffled feathers. “Everyone knows that about me. I love cheesecake of almost any flavor, actually.”

Anna started to answer, and then turned, her attention captured by the wife of one of his associates. The woman drew her into an animated conversation, and he was glad to see her making friends.

Suddenly, he began to feel sick to his stomach. He ate a couple more bites, then set his fork down, a chill going through his entire body. It was as if someone had turned on the air conditioner to arctic freeze … and then moments later, he was burning up.

Elbows braced on the table, he panted, trying to get air. It was just so f*cking hot in here all of a sudden, and he hoped he wasn’t getting the flu. But this felt different. Worse than any flu he’d ever had.

When the first spasm of pain wrapped around his chest and squeezed, he groaned in agony. “I can’t breathe,” he rasped. No one heard.

Next to him, Anna was still chatting with the other woman. “Is that right? Let me ask Joaquin.” She must’ve turned to him, though he couldn’t see her. “Honey, are we going to be free Tuesday—”

“Anna.” His voice was barely a whisper. Thank God she caught on fast.

“Joaquin, what’s wrong?” she asked, her voice rising in alarm. Her fingers wrapped around his arm.

“Can’t breathe.”

Another spasm wrapped around his chest, and his body went limp. He was barely aware of slumping sideways, hitting the floor as Anna cried out. Shouts of alarm were raised. He heard Rio yelling his name, but his voice was distant.

Shock held Joaquin immobile for long seconds that stretched out as he realized what was happening. He and his brother and their men, they’d been prepared for the hit to come in the form of guns. Knives. Fire. Even a staged accident.

But this? They hadn’t seen it coming.

He would’ve laughed bitterly if he’d had the breath. But he had no choice but to surrender as he managed the single word: “Poison.”

And the darkness took him to the deep end of the ocean.





5


“Poison,” Joaquin murmured, and his dark eyes closed.

“Oh my God.” Anna grabbed frantically at his shirt, shaking him. Then she pressed two fingers to his neck. “He’s got a pulse.”

“Call 911,” Rio yelled to someone nearby.

“On it!”

“Don’t you leave me,” Anna said, the directive hitching on a sob. “I can’t lose you, too. You’re going to be okay. Please, honey.”

“Anna!” Through her tears, she spotted Deno Santos crouched nearby, looking grim. “Go outside and wait for the ambulance. Someone needs to show the paramedics where to go.”


“But I can’t leave him!”

“You can be of more help to him this way. Go on, he needs you.”

Deno was right. She didn’t want to leave his side, but if she could aid her lover in some small way, she had to do it. Reluctantly, she rose and glanced at Rio.

“I’ll be back with help.”

“Okay. Hurry,” he ordered.

“I will.”

Taking off her spike heels, she tossed them aside and ran down the hallway and out into the lobby. She got a few strange looks, but she didn’t care. She had a simple job to do, and in this way she could help Joaquin. She ran out through the front doors to wait for the ambulance.

It didn’t occur to her until it was much too late that any one of the casino staff could have shown the paramedics where to go.

A dark SUV screeched up to the curb, and the side door closest to her flew open. Two men barreled out and grabbed her, and she screamed bloody murder as they dragged her toward the van. A nearby security guard yelled.

“Hey! What the f*ck? Stop!”

As they dragged Anna inside, she caught a glimpse of the guard drawing his weapon—but her attackers were faster. Near her ear, a deafening gunshot sounded. Blood blossomed on the guard’s chest as the SUV tore from the curb and shot into the night.

“Let go of me!”

She kicked and screamed, kicking any part of them she could reach. Grabbing the door handle, she fully intended to fling herself out of the moving vehicle, because that was surely preferable to whatever they had planned for her.