CUBAN HIRE (CARTEL GXG)

LOVE'S FINAL SACRIFICE

Ezmeralda sat in silence, watching Olivia as she slept. The gentle rise and fall of her chest pulled her into a moment of tranquility she longed to stay lost in. But reality was closing in. Every instinct told her to stay, to be selfish and cling to Olivia. Yet she knew it wasn't fair to her—not with the trail of bodies, the mounting risks. She and Carlos both knew they had to leave, their lives now a dark thread of danger woven through every innocent soul around them. With a shaky breath, Ezmeralda blinked back tears, letting one slip as Olivia's face softened in a drowsy smile, slowly waking.

"You're always watching," Olivia murmured with a smirk, catching Ezmeralda's eyes lingering on her. She rubbed her face and glanced at the faint smoke of Ezmeralda's cigarette. "Come to bed. Or do you just like to sit there looking like a brooding mystery?"

Ezmeralda's smile wavered as she drew in a deep breath, her gaze shadowed with an intensity Olivia hadn't seen before. She watched Ezmeralda rise from the chair, drifting to the edge of the bed, standing just beside Olivia's ankles before she sat down.

"What's going on?" Olivia asked, her voice soft, though her heartbeat quickened at the unusual tension clouding the room.

Ezmeralda bit her lip, her eyes falling to the floor, searching for words. "I need you to take Delilah," she whispered, lifting her gaze to meet Olivia's, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Olivia's smile faded. She tilted her head slightly, her brow knitting in confusion. "What? Why?" she breathed, as if the air had grown heavy around her.

Ezmeralda swallowed, her voice barely holding steady. "It's too dangerous, Olivia. That baby can't be put at risk."

Olivia's heart sank as the reality of Ezmeralda's words settled in. She sat up straighter, shaking her head. "Where is he going? What's going on, Ezme?"

Ezmeralda hesitated, a quiet resolve settling over her. "Carlos has to leave, Olivia. It's too risky to stay here."

"Then... we'll take care of her." Olivia's voice grew tight, as if unsure of her own words. "We're already her godparents."

Ezmeralda took Olivia's hand, her touch warm but her grip weak, fingers trembling slightly. "Olivia, I—"

"No," Olivia interrupted, her tone sharp, her eyes blazing with a sudden fierceness. "No. Whatever you're about to say... I don't want to hear it."

Ezmeralda looked down, squeezing Olivia's hand tighter. "I have to leave with him, Olivia," she murmured softly, her voice breaking.

The words hit Olivia like a physical blow. "You... you can't just leave me behind, Ezme," she whispered, her voice shuddering, tears beginning to pool in her eyes. "Please. I don't care how dangerous it is. I want to be with you."

Ezmeralda closed her eyes, her own tears slipping down her cheeks. "I know you do. But this life-  it's a one-way road, a dead end for anyone who gets too close. I can't do that to you, Liv. You deserve a future—a safe life."

"Safe?" Olivia repeated, her voice thick with hurt. "You're my future, Ezme. I don't want safe if it means losing you."

Ezmeralda forced a small, sad smile, brushing her thumb over Olivia's knuckles. "You're stronger than you think, Liv. Strong enough to raise Delilah, to have a life that isn't buried in darkness. You can still choose a different path."

"And what about you?" Olivia's voice cracked, a single tear slipping down her cheek. "You think I can just... just walk away, pretend you don't mean everything to me?"

Ezmeralda's face crumpled as she leaned forward, pressing a tender kiss to Olivia's forehead. She lingered there, breathing in the scent of her, letting it sear into her memory. "I don't want you to pretend," she whispered. "I want you to live."