Chapter 2 - Shadows in the Alley
Mateo didn't release Clara's wrist immediately. Instead, his dark eyes flicked across the panoramic glass windows lining the restaurant's front terrace. Parked directly across the boulevard, half-submerged in the gloom of the autumn rain, sat a black Cadillac Escalade with tinted windows and vanity plates. The engine was idling, thin plumes of white exhaust curling into the cool night air.
""Go to the back,"" Mateo commanded softly, loosening his fingers just enough for her to pull her sleeve down. ""Finish your shift. Don't look at them, and don't look at me.""
""Mateo, you shouldn't be here,"" she stammered, rubbing the bruised skin where his thumb had rested. ""You vanished without a word a decade ago. You don't get to step back in and play my protector.""
""I am the reason you're in danger, aren't I?"" he murmured, the realization striking him like a physical blow.
Clara gave a curt, heartbreaking shake of her head before spinning around and briskly walking toward the kitchen, her apron swaying with every hurried step. Mateo stood up, tossing several hundred-dollar bills onto the table without checking the bill. He adjusted the collar of his black shirt, smoothed the lapels of his tailored suit jacket, and slipped quietly toward the rear exit rather than the main entrance.
The service hallway smelled of stale grease, bleach, and damp garbage. Mateo pushed open the heavy steel door into the brick alleyway. The rain was misting, slicking the cobblestones. He reached into the inner pocket of his coat, fingers brushing against the cold steel of his customized Kimber .45.
May you like
Before he could draw a single full breath of the damp air, the metallic click of a semi-automatic slide racking broke the silence right behind his ear.
""Boss said you’d pick the back door, Cruz,"" a harsh voice snarled from the dark. ""Turn around real slow.""
