It will take seconds for me to disarm Santos and take Villegas down, but she needs to keep talking to distract Santos.
Ria just needs to hang on so I can get us out of here.
I have a plan.
His whole demeanor suddenly changes.
Noah’s jaw turns granite, and his entire body goes rigid, like an immovable object. The change is subtle, not enough for the two men flanking him to notice, but I know him well enough.
He is unyielding. My husband has a plan.
My eyes flicker back to my father, who is exchanging looks with my husband's former boss.
It looks like they're planning something too.
Time to up the ante before that happens.
"Did I stutter?" I raise my eyebrow, interrupting their silent conversation.
Both men turn back to me and Santos' face turns red with rage, but he stays silent.
"Maybe it's a foreign concept for you, father. Loving someone?"
Crickets… but he tenses even more.
I smirk, knowingthisis the foreign concept to him.
Defiance.
"Maybe you’re not familiar with that emotion, but the man you're holding at gunpoint? There's absolutely nothing I wouldn't do for him."
Because contrary to my father’s belief, I am capable. I will destroy anyone and will absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, kill for Noah. For Adrian.
"That includes giving up my life if it means saving his."
Piece by piece, his facade starts to crumble as his eyes turn black.
Santos snarls, his grip on the gun tightening, setting me even more on edge, but I stand my ground. I stay impassive, waiting him out.
This man watched me from afar my entire life, and despite his money and connections, he never sought me out. So, the reasons he has in doing so now border on desperation.
He needs me.
He won’t risk calling my bluff, and he knows it.
“What’s your plan, then? What do you want?”
“Noah gets out--unharmed. You have the means and the power to grant him a clear exit. Get him a helicopter so he can get out safely and faster. Then, I want you to stop following him and setting him up. That goes for your henchmen too. I want him––” I raise an eyebrow, pointedly looking at Villegas with disgust, “––to take the fall for this. I want Noah’s name cleared. Then, you will leave my family alone. If you can promise me that, I promise to do as you say.”
A sinister smile crosses Santos’ face when Villegas starts to stutter. The director’s grip loosens on Noah and he stumbles back.
That’s when several things happen simultaneously, quicker than I can process.
My father turns the gun on his associate and shoots him dead between the eyes.
Noah rushes to me, quickly disarming me as he engulfs me in his arms.
My father looks over his shoulder at us in surprise, swinging his hand back to shoot Noah.