She paused.
“Is that my phone?”
I didn’t move, just watched as she twisted slightly, reaching blindly until her fingers closed around it. The screen lit up, casting a soft glow across her face.
Ah, the mysterious friend from the grocery store. Well, not so mysterious after I had my people look into her.
“From the grocery store,” she added, like she could feel the weight of my attention sharpening. “The one I told you about?”
I hummed quietly, as if I was just putting the pieces together.
“And she’s texting you?”
“Yeah.” Addy’s lips twitched faintly. “Do I have permission, or do I need to submit a formal request?”
A corner of my mouth lifted. “Depends. What does she want?”
“She’s asking if I want to meet up. Coffee, I think.” She glanced down at the screen again. “Or something stronger, judging by the emoji situation.”
I watched her for a moment, taking her in. Addy’s posture had shifted — she was more awake and engaged now.
“Time, location, everything gets sent to me.”
She rolled her eyes lightly. “Of course it does.”
“And you don’t go anywhere with her after.”
“Feels a little intense for coffee.”
I scoffed. “It’s not about the coffee.”
She studied me for a second. “You think she’s dangerous?”
“I think I don’t know her,” I corrected.
Everything I was able to dig up about this woman was unremarkable. She seemed completely and utterly normal. Still didn’t mean I’d trust her any time soon.
“And that’s enough?”
“Yes.”
A beat passed, then she nodded slowly. “Okay.”
She looked back down at her phone and started typing quickly.
“Just promise me to be careful who you let close to you.”
Her lips curved in a soft but confident smile. “You mean like you?”
The corner of my mouth twitched. “Exactlylike me.”
But somehow, it didn’t seem to concern her nearly as much as it should have.
Real power was quieter than most people thought. It occupied space without asking permission. I’d never expected Puerto Rico to be the throne I’d ascend to once I was free. But now I was here, failure was not an option.
The island was useful — a strategic artery feeding other operations without attracting the kind of attention inviting federal curiosity. My uncle had understood this before anyone else, which was why I had been sent here.
It certainly wasn’t because I was his favorite. It burned down to me being expendable in theory and effective in practice.