The Foiled Plan (War of Sins Book 2)

‘What’s going to happen now?’ I ask as I sneak a peek at his profile.

Hands tightly coiled around the steering wheel, he’s got a harsh look on his face.

Since we’ve left the venue, he hasn’t said a word to me, quietly seething as he turned his attention to driving.

Luckily, most people invited had been supportive of Yuyu and her identity as the Black Monarch, some even going as far as praising her abilities. But it’s not them my family is worried about. No, it’s the others. Those that will hear of her identity and will come back to ask for retribution.

While none of those present had condemned her or held her previous job against her during the negotiation phase, I know Cisco is worried about the information leaking. And since it had been Michele who’d dropped the bomb… It’s safe to assume that come morning everyone will know the identity of the Black Monarch.

And that means only one thing. People will come gunning for Yuyu. Whereas before she could have taken care of herself—as the video pointed out—now with her pregnancy she is backed into a corner.

Cisco had also stayed mostly quiet until the event had ended, most likely plotting Michele’s death for messing with his Yuyu.

Still, until he gets to Michele, he’ll have plenty of people to ward off.

‘Your brother might need to move upstate until the birth of the baby. He needs a secure perimeter in case anyone tries something,’ Raf replies, almost absentmindedly.

‘Does that mean we’re moving too?’

‘Undecided,’ he shrugs. ‘I still have a target on my back, and any hint of disharmony could send the bounty hunters running. If they’ve been lowkey until now it’s only because of your brother’s influence. And now…’

‘Is the Black Monarch so hated?’ I frown.

‘More than hated,’ he gives a sad smile. ‘There will be a lot of people willing to take revenge for the death of their loved ones, that’s for sure.’

‘I see…’ I turn my attention back to the road.

The driveway is empty save for a few cars here and there, the hour too late for anyone to be out and about, especially on this route. There is nothing but forest left and right, the atmosphere gloomy and forlorn.

Silence descends in the car, and though I sneak a look at Raf every now and then, I simply can’t gauge his mood.

Is he mad? Is he disappointed?

His brother’s appearance, though digital, must have shocked him. Because more than anything, it shows that Michele has been keeping track of Raf’s whereabouts and what he’s been up to.

‘When did you find out Michele wasn’t your biological brother?’ I ask, thinking back to all the times Michele’s name had been mentioned, yet never once had I heard anything relating to this.

His expression turns grim and for a moment he doesn’t answer.

‘Today,’ he finally says in an odd tone. Almost as if he suddenly settled on that word. Almost as if… I frown as I turn to look at him, and for the first time I note the traces of weariness on his face.

‘Today?’

‘Sisi told me. She put me up to speed with Michele’s involvement in an illegal organ transplant ring a few years back and how they’d ended up finding out the two of them were related.’ He gives me the gist of it, though his entire discourse is mechanical—no trace of emotion even though the story itself is heartbreaking.

When Michele had been a child, he’d been diagnosed with leukemia, but they couldn’t find a match for him. By luck, they’d found one in Sisi. Abandoned since birth at a convent, no one had asked any questions when they’d performed tests and later extracted bone marrow from her.

‘Wow, that sounds awful.’

‘Tell me about it,’ he mutters noncommittally, his eyes on the road.

‘That would have been so weird if you’d actually married her,’ I force a laugh, trying to steer the conversation towards that topic in hopes I can get some clarification on their relationship. ‘He’s your brother, but he’s also her brother… Wouldn’t that have been a mess?’

‘Maybe,’ is all he answers, barely glancing at me. Why do I get the feeling there’s something he’s not telling me? Something more than what he found out today?

A few clicks on the car’s dashboard and music starts playing in the car—a clear sign to drop the conversation. Narrowing my eyes at him, I can’t help but feel he’s avoiding the topic of Sisi—or at least trying to. In turn, that makes me become even more obsessive about finding out about them.

Is he disappointed she married someone else?

By my calculations, that would have been before Lucero. Has he been pining for both this whole time?

I become jittery the more I think of his past, and what that could mean for our future—if we have one. His looks alone would make him a magnet for women, and his confidence makes me think he has plenty of experience in that department. And that makes me wonder how I’m going to be able to keep up with him…

God, just how many have there been before me?

That question doesn’t want to leave me alone, jealousy festering inside of the more I think about it.

There are nights when he doesn’t come home at all and I can’t help but wonder if he’s not with someone… My mind conjures images of him, naked skin and scorching kisses, and I can’t help the way my heart squeezes in my chest.

We’ve never spoken about fidelity before, and given his initial reason for marrying me, I don’t see how he would care about that. After all, his goal was to make me suffer, not mind my tender sensibilities.

He’s a man… And I’ve seen how men in this lifestyle behave. When they have needs, they simply take care of them.

‘You’re quiet,’ he notes, startling me.

‘I guess I’m tired,’ I mumble.

‘We’ll get home soon,’ he assures me, his hand finding its way on my thigh as he gives a quick squeeze.

‘Right,’ I reply in a strained voice, his touch searing itself in my flesh.

I turn my gaze to the road, trying to take my mind off it, especially as he doesn’t seem inclined to move it.

Suddenly, the car swerves to the right, and I barely manage to grab on to my seat.

‘What…’

‘Hold on,’ he says, his eyes on the side mirror. ‘We’re being followed.’

I turn around, shocked to see at least three cars right behind us.

And as Raf speeds up, so do they.

‘Why? What’s happening?’ I ask in a semi-panicked voice.

No matter how much I try to take deep breaths and not allow myself to give in to a panic attack, as I see guns emerging from the rolled down windows of the car, I simply lose it.

‘We’re going to die,’ I mumble to myself.

‘No we’re not,’ Raf says confidently. ‘Hold on tight.’

As the bullets start raining on us, Raf makes a sudden turn at the same time as he snaps my seat belt out of place, pushing me down so my head makes contact with his lap. Peering up, I note he has his own gun out, he takes advantage mid-turn to identify his targets and shoot.

He discharges all his rounds at the incoming cars before he makes a U turn, this time steering the car towards the others, and not away from them.

‘What are you doing?’ My voice trembles as the words are out of my mouth, already envisioning our deaths.

‘Trust me.’ It’s all he says as he drives at full speed towards the other cars.

Just as I think we’re going to collide against them, it doesn’t happen.

The car sails past them, and as I dare to lift my head up, I realize they moved out of the way to avoid the impact.

‘Wow… That was awesome,’ I praise, but Raf isn’t smiling.

He’s even more focused on the road as he quickly rummages through the compartments, pulling out a couple of guns.

‘Take one and put your seat belt back on,’ he commands me, his voice so stern I don’t dare talk back.

I do as he says as I buckle up and I take one gun in my hands, clutching it closely.

Turning to me to check, he opens his mouth to say something.

But nothing comes out as another car nabs us from behind, sending us reeling off the road.

‘Hold on, Noelle,’ he yells at me as the car falls on one side.

A gasp escapes me as I feel the impact everywhere, the force of it almost knocking me out.

It’s like everything happens in slow motion as the car continues to move, falling down the hill until it becomes lodged in a tree.

By this point, the airbags have popped out of the board, and they’ve provided a measure of safety against the continuous impact. But not nearly enough as I feel a gash on my forehead, blood falling down my face and getting in my eye.

‘Fuck,’ Raf groans, but I’m barely aware.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m terrified or in pain, but I can’t seem to move.

‘Noelle,’ he calls out my name. A quick snap of his seat belt and he’s on me. ‘Shit, are you ok?’ his hand is on my face as he forces me to look at him.

I blink, his features coming into focus.

‘We need to get out of here. Now,’ he says in a rushed tone, immediately at work to release my belt and get me out of my seat.

‘Aghh,’ I release a small whimper as pain radiates from all over my body.

For a moment, I lose track of what’s happening. I vaguely feel him get me out of the car, my head against his chest as he cradles me closer.

‘Fuck, you’re hurt,’ he mutters.

Opening my eyes, I do my best to stay awake, though a fog threatens to descend over my mind.

‘That’s it, pretty girl. Keep your eyes open for me,’ he says as he takes his blazer off, ripping it into smaller pieces and proceeding to clean my wound with it before wrapping one strip around the circumference of my head.

‘Am I going to die?’ I ask in a small voice, confusion still very much clouding my judgment.

‘No. You’re not going to die. I’m not going to let you die, you hear me?’

I muster a nod, my eyes wide as I keep all my attention on him as he tends to my wound.

And just as I thought things couldn’t get worse, the sound of an explosion permeates the air.

‘We have a short window of time,’ Raf starts, looking in the distance. ‘In just a little bit, they will realize we weren’t in the car for the explosion. And when that happens we need to be as far away as possible. You get me?’

‘Yes,’ I say as I struggle into a seating position, bringing my hand to my head and feeling for my wound.

‘Don’t. I tied it together and that should work for now. We’ll get help when we reach safety,’ his tone is brisk and efficient, and I can tell he’s been in these types of situations before—the life or death ones.

‘Ok,’ I agree with him, ready to follow him anywhere. ‘Let’s go then.’

He doesn’t answer for a moment as he looks at me with a strange expression on his face.

‘Can you walk?’

‘Yes. I am a little out of it, but I’ll manage,’ I say as I get up. A little wobbly, but I find that my feet work fine.

He peruses my form, looking me up and down before shaking his head.

‘Yeah, that’s not going to work.’

I frown, not understanding what he means.

But it’s soon clear as he swoops me up in his arms, urging me to put my arms around his neck as he starts walking.

I don’t protest. Mostly because I’m sapped of strength, but also because his arms feel so good around me—enveloping me in such a protective layer that I finally feel safe.

‘Where are we going now?’ I ask, glancing around and seeing only trees.

‘I managed to get a look at the GPS before the car got hit. There’s nothing around for miles. Our only bet is to lose the people on our trails and find somewhere to sleep for the night. Tomorrow we’ll go back to the highway and hitch a ride.’ He details his plan, and I can only stare in awe at him.

Even in this situation, he’s level-headed and calm. It’s both a little daunting, but also admirable, and a ball of warmth develops in my chest.

There’s an innate strength and resilience that emanates from him and makes him even more awe-inspiring in my eyes. He’s almost…larger than life.

We walk for what feels like forever, the night our only cover. But just as it is protective, it’s also misleading as we venture deeper into the woods with no idea where we are, or where we are heading. Still, this far, those people should have lost our trail.

A sudden sound, though, makes me whip my head around.

‘Did you know there are bears here?’ I ask, a shiver of fear going down my back.

He grunts.

‘We’re around a hunting area.’

‘In your opinion,’ I wet my lips, my eyes intent on the place where the noise had come from. ‘Who is more dangerous?’

‘Right now? I’d take a bear over a dozen people with guns,’ he chuckles.

‘Me too,’ I crack a smile.

But just as the atmosphere becomes lighter, a bullet whizzes past us.

Raf wastes no time in ducking with me to the ground, quickly finding cover behind a tree.

‘Shit! I didn’t realize they’d follow so quickly,’ he curses.

‘Can we make it?’ I blink, looking up at him in worry.

‘We can,’ he nods, taking the three guns we’d taken with us and checking them all for ammunition. ‘We have enough rounds to last for a while. As long as I don’t miss…’

‘How likely are you to miss?’

‘I’m usually a good shot. But it’s dark and…’

‘There are too many.’

He nods.

‘We can do this,’ I tell him as I take his hand in mine. ‘I’m not ready to die, and I don’t think you are either.’

His brows lift up, his mouth curled in a smile.

‘That’s right,’ he agrees. ‘And if I get us out of here alive, I want a boon.’

‘A boon? What do you want?’ I ask, surprised.

His smile still in place, he lowers his mouth to my ear.

‘A kiss. A real kiss,’ he says in that suave voice of his, and I find myself nodding.

‘Ok. You have a deal.’

After all, what is a knight without the promise of a maiden’s favor? And to sweeten the deal, I lean in, brushing my lips against his cheek.

‘Kill everyone and you’ll have a kiss. A real kiss.’