Mariana’s Pov

The fire still crackles behind me, but the warmth feels distant now. My feet move before I can think, the sudden coolness of the sand beneath them snapping me into motion.  

“Alejandro!” I call, my voice sharp against the hum of the ocean and the fading laughter of his men.  

He doesn’t stop.  

I quicken my pace, my heart thudding as I follow him into the dark. His broad shoulders are tense, his stride deliberate as he heads toward the cabin.  

“Alejandro, ...