The clock on Aunt Clara's wall ticked past 8:45 PM, its soft click slicing through the hum of her apartment. Rain pattered the window, streaking the glass, the air heavy with lavender candles and leftover stew. I shifted on the couch, my boots tapping the floor, a wool blanket sliding off my shoulders. Salvador sat close, his thigh warm against mine, his unbuttoned collar hinting at tanned skin. His gray eyes met mine, that familiar spark flickering, a lifeline from last night's chaos at the estate.
But the ruins, the charred walls, the muffled scream stayed at my mind, tugging me back. Sofia paced by the window, her torn scarf dangling, fingers twisting the silk. Aunt Clara clinked dishes in the kitchen, her bracelets jingling, her hum unsteady. "Stay put, Bella," she called, her voice tight.
My hands gripped the blanket's edge, nails digging in. The estate hid secrets, Diego's lies, that scorched crate, Valentina's icy smile and I needed answer to understand what is going on. I leaned toward Salvador, a grin pulling at my lips. "Think they donotice if I slipped out?"
His smirk grew, slow and knowing. "They will notice, ocean girl. But I've got you covered." He stood, stretching, his leather scent cutting through the lavender, his hand brushing my arm. "Where to?"
"The estate," I whispered, my pulse jumping. "I need answers."
He chuckled, low and warm, his fingers lingering on my wrist. "Always looking for trouble. Let's move before Clara locks us in."
We slipped out, rain soaking us as we hailed a cab. The drive blurred by, Salvador's thigh pressed against mine, his hand resting near my knee, a silent vow. By 09:30 PM, the taxi stopped, the estate's ruins looming under a stormy twilight, the moon shrouded by clouds.
The iron gates hung crooked, the lion fountain a cracked shadow, the air sharp with ash and wet stone. My heart thudded, pulling me forward. I crept toward the doorstep, my boots squelching on muddy gravel, Salvador at my heels. Rain stung my eyes, and there tucked under the gate's edge was a blood-smeared scrap of paper, the word "Run" scrawled in red.
My breath hitched, my fingers trembling as I grabbed it, the metallic scent hitting my nose. Salvador's hand gripped my elbow, his voice a murmur. "That's no invitation, Isabella."
I nodded, my legs firming, determination flaring. "It's a dare. Let's find who sent it."
We followed the blood drops toward the garden, the ruins a jagged tangle of broken beams and scorched stone. A flicker of light danced ahead quick, eerie, like the pier's ghost and my pulse raced.
Near the crate, its lid still open, papers sodden with rain, a shadow shifted. A low voice growled, "Who's there?"
We froze, my heart slamming. Salvador yanked me behind a toppled beam, his body warm against mine, his breath hot on my neck. "Stay down," he whispered, his hand firm on my waist, fingers tracing a quick circle on my hip, a flirty tease amid the tension.
The shadow advanced, a guard, his gun glinting under the rain, his head tilting as he muttered into a radio. My lungs burned, but Salvador's closeness anchored me, his touch a steady pulse.
The guard turned away, his radio crackling, and we moved to the garden's edge. The crate's papers fluttered shipping manifests, numbers blurred by rain hinting at something darker.
Before I could sift through, Diego's voice boomed, "Isabella!" He emerged from the shadows, his suit pristine despite the mud, his gray-streaked hair slick with rain. His sharp eyes pinned me, a smile tight as a knot.
"What are you doing here?"
I stepped forward, my voice slicing through the rain. "What's this?" I held up the bloody note, my hands trembling. " What is going on?"
He waved a hand, casual, his voice smooth as silk. "A rival's tantrum. Handled. You shouldn't be here go back to Clara's."
My blood rushed, my knees trembling but Salvador's arm slid around me, his grip a rock. "She deserves the truth," he said, his voice steady, his glance at the crate sharp and fleeting.
"Enough. I'll handle it. Leave now !." He nodded to a guard, who whispered, "Shipment's secure".
I wanted to stay and tear the answers from him, but Salvador dragged me back, his whisper urgent. "Not now, ocean girl. Trust me." His eyes held mine, promising more, and I nodded, throat tight, letting him guide me to the gate.
He stop a cab nearby and as we drove off, I glanced back at the estate, the rain-blurred ruins where Diego stood, his figure fading into the shadows. Who was he really? my father, or a stranger cloaked in lies? My heart raced fast, my fingers twitching for a brush I didn't have.