Devil's Claim: A Dark Mafia Romance (Devil's Syndicate Book 2), page 24
“Trust me, my sweet treat. I don’t want to leave, but it’s my job. We have a large shipment being held up by the Mexican police. I need to talk some sense into them.” I was certainly more than prepared to hand them a warning they’d never forget. In my mind, Eduardo should have already done that. He was holding something back. I’d warned Jago that if I walked into a setup, his cousin could end up learning exactly the kind of dictator I’d become.
“You do have a suit with you. Correct?” Her smile returned, but the continued worry remained in her eyes.
“Yes, I have a suit.”
I hated when she sighed, the joy leaving her eyes. In the two days since we’d come to an agreement on the contract, I’d seen real happiness in her eyes for the first time. We’d been normal. Whatever the hell that meant. When Maverick’s furniture had been delivered, the little boy had giggled for hours. Christine had spent time with him getting his room fixed up with all the new toys. They’d even had a little picnic on his bed.
Who was I to interfere?
But now, the haunted look in her eyes pushed a stake through my heart. If I had one.
“Good, because even though your big bad wolf routine isn’t bad, you do best as a sophisticated killer.”
“Very funny.”
“I’m being deadly serious.” Her initial smile faded. “Did you know the first jewelry store will open in a few days?”
“I’d heard Genevieve has been working tirelessly trying to work through some issues with officials. I had no idea she managed to convince the old codgers to budge.”
“Well,” Christine mused. “I did have something to do with that. We’re meeting with a couple of the officials at the store later today for a final inspection. Or at least that’s what Genevieve mentioned.”
“Let me guess. You have a bottle of Krug Champagne on ice waiting for the moment.”
“Oh, I assure you Genevieve hired a caterer to provide a few treats.”
For some reason, I bristled. “Genevieve knows what she’s doing. However, I don’t think I need to tell you that some politicians and city officials are corrupt.”
She coughed as if it was a surprise, but I could tell by her eyes she knew exactly what she was doing. “You need to trust me more than you do. I wasn’t born yesterday. I know all about corruption since I had a firsthand seat.”
“Somewhere close to being born yesterday.” I didn’t want to leave her alone. Yes, she’d be in good hands, yet heading to Mexico was the last thing I wanted to do. The timing was bad. The optics in my mind were even worse.
The light touch as she patted her hands against my chest reminded me just how precarious our relationship truly was. “Okay. So you’re an old man. I think you still have a few kickass moves left in you.”
Without hesitation, I smacked her ass, which earned me a yelp. The delight in hearing the sound was just another dig, another reason I didn’t want to get on that plane. “Just remember who you belong to.”
“That’s right.” Her eyes rolled and she backed away as soon as she heard little footsteps. “A man determined to break me.”
The sparring was constant, but the tone entirely different. My little force to be reckoned with was coming into her own. Controlling her would become even more difficult. Not that I wanted to squelch her resistance or her defiance.
At least not completely.
I adored the challenge.
Even if I was a man determined to win every battle.
Maverick came bounding into the room, heading straight for his mother. The real joy in Christine’s eyes was in seeing her son’s bright eyes.
I’d yet to tell her I’d heard from a trusted connection that the Miami police were in search of her location for questioning regarding her son’s disappearance and murder of her former boyfriend. At some point, it was possible I’d need to deal with the situation personally, especially with the thought of heading to New York. For now, I’d keep a watchful eye, but it had become apparent the Miami DA was in the pocket of the Worthington family.
Power within Miami government was wielded in the votes of the people. That didn’t mean there weren’t ways of manipulating the voters. I knew that all too well. In learning the art of limited finesse, the first act had been to unilaterally rein in the Spanish government, members of law enforcement included.
While certain loyalties remained with other cartels and crime syndicates, very few crossed the lines of organized crime to try to annihilate other crime families. That just wasn’t done. Risky to life and property.
But in New York, I wouldn’t need to worry about pissing in someone’s backyard. I’d simply provide a harsh warning to stay the fuck away from my woman.
However, I had mentioned to Genevieve that along with Christine’s married identity, a new look might be necessary if only through this course of action with Fassi.
“Mommy. Look what I colored for you!” Maverick ran into the room so eagerly, jumping up and down as he handed her a picture he’d been working on.
“Oh, my goodness. You are a little artist,” she cooed and couched down, her face beaming. “That is beautiful. Would you like to show Kruz how fantastic you are?”
Maverick nodded excessively. “Dah.”
As soon as he turned toward me, his eyes grew wide. Likely, the kid thought he was looking at a monster.
He was.
I knelt, offering a smile. A few seconds of thinking and he finally lumbered toward me. As he presented the picture to me, Christine was watching intently. “That is incredible.”
He giggled. “Can we go for ice cream later?” I was amazed at his vocabulary. Maybe I didn’t know a lot about children, but I could easily tell the little man was highly intelligent.
“Hey, little guy. We’ll see, but Kruz is leaving on a trip, so it’ll just be you and me.” She rose to her feet, rubbing her hands on her pants. Another flash of nervousness clouded her face.
“Where ya goin’?”
“To a place where the sun never shines. Very ugly.”
“Can I go?”
I returned to a standing position, tousling his hair. “You need to say with your mom so you can bring her sunshine even on a cloudy day.”
Maverick scrunched up his face but finally nodded.
“Hey, Mav. Why don’t you head into the kitchen? I think Martina has some breakfast waiting. Then we’ll need to leave.”
“Otay, Mommy.”
She watched as he raced from the room at full speed before looking down at the picture. From where I stood, I could see tears in her eyes.
“Are you alright?” I asked, moving closer.
“I’m fine. It’s just still settling in my baby is with me.” She was gripping the phone tightly.
“Where he belongs.” I brushed my fingers down her arm. “I programmed my number into the phone. Call me if anything happens. As far as anyone else…”
Christine wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a fool.”
“No, you are not.”
“They’ll be looking for me, the police I mean. You know they will.”
“What did I tell you about being safe here?”
When she turned her head, finally gazing into my eyes, I could see just how shattered she remained. For all her bravado, she wasn’t used to being on the wrong side of the law.
Hopefully, she’d never reach that point.
“One day you won’t be around to protect me. On that day, I’ll die just a little bit more inside.”
I cupped her face, emotions running high. “Don’t worry, baby. I have no intention of leaving you alone for long. As long as everything goes according to plans, I’ll be back late tomorrow night.”
“You better.” She gripped my shirt, arching her back. “You just better.” After rising onto her tiptoes, she lightly kissed my cheek.
That wasn’t nearly good enough. I crushed my lips against hers, savoring the first taste as I did every time. Our relationship was tenuous at best, our passion the glue holding us together, but there were fleeting moments of real and very raw emotion.
And not just with the woman I’d coerced into being my wife.
I thrust my tongue inside, holding the moment of intimacy for as long as possible.
The sound of Benito clearing his throat was an irritation neither one of us wanted. When we both took a step back, Christine sighed and looked away.
“Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Blanco, but the plane is on standby.” Benito remained in the doorway.
“I’ll be right there.” When he left the room, I brushed my thumb across her lip. “Tomorrow night I’ll return. I’ll try and call or maybe Facetime you tonight.”
“You do Facetime?” she teased.
“You might be surprised what I can do.”
“No, I don’t think I would be any longer.”
I laughed and pulled away, fearing if I didn’t at that moment I wouldn’t go. Meeting with a savage or shackling a woman to my bed. I certainly knew the obvious preference. Too bad I had a job.
As I headed to the door, a wave of tension settled in. We were living in a house of cards. I’d felt that way for several days. At some point, it would come tumbling down.
“Kruz. Don’t make me hunt you down. I will.”
Laughing, I stopped long enough to give her another hard gaze. “Trust me. I believe you.”
CHAPTER 27
Kruz
Eduardo’s compound was as gaudy as the man himself. He’d built a shrine to his control over a large territory, hoping anyone who was allowed to enter felt inferior.
I felt nothing but disdain for the man and his tactics.
He played dirty, hanging his men out to dry whenever necessary.
At least the Torres operation had loyalty to those who served us with honor.
“There are two types of men, Eduardo,” I told him.
We were positioned in the backseat of his garish SUV, the gold rims reflecting his take on opulence while also sending a warning. I’d had no sense he’d lured me into a trap. From the time I’d already spent with him, it was obvious his business was also being affected by the number of cartels popping up and the difficulty keeping the police in line. They’d come to expect hefty payoffs to look the other way. I wasn’t playing the game.
“I’m eager to hear your take on that.” He puffed on his cigar, which had brought my thoughts to what Christine had said before I’d left.
“The men who listen before acting and those who believe they know better in all aspects of business.”
He chuckled as he shifted in his seat. “Let me guess which one you believe yourself to be.”
“I’m a man who uses the information provided both before and during a situation to determine the best outcome. Always to my benefit.”
“You think highly of yourself, Kruz. I both admire and detest that about you.”
“I assure you that your methods of handling business don’t increase my appreciation either.”
“Then we know each other very well, respecting each other’s way of doing business while accepting the foibles.”
I laughed. “Not necessarily.” Benito was in one of two vehicles following the one we were in, the man none too happy to spend time with soldiers he called unsophisticated rodents. I admired his loyalty and colorful vocabulary.
“I’m not surprised my cousin agreed and sent you in his stead.” He took another puff as I stared out the window as the driver turned into the driveway where the chief of police resided. Diego Garcia had hidden his corruption well, although during the last few months, his greed had provided him with ample opportunities for taking kickbacks mostly from containers seized upon entering Mexico.
There was no denying the Mexican president had chosen to look the other way given his political aspirations as well as having his hand greased. Even so, murders and disappearances of prominent citizens and members of members of Mexican law enforcement occurred on a regular basis. The entire country was on edge, the drug war an out-of-control issue, the police becoming a greedy partner.
That Eduardo had insisted he had a handle on.
His lies continued to be a sharp stake in my side.
What concerned me the most was the possibility Eduardo had found a new ally. I’d almost tossed Fassi’s name out more than once, but it was a card I wasn’t willing to play. Especially since we were headed to the estate of the chief of police. How appropriate. How dangerous.
“And why is that?” I gritted out.
“Because you believe yourself to be in higher esteem. You smell of money and arrogance. Be very careful as you continue sitting on your high pedestal. There are men in my country who would enjoy knocking you off it.”
“Should I take that as a threat?”
His laugh sounded almost bitter. “My cousin would be none too happy if his dictator disappeared.”
I resisted glancing in his direction or grabbing my weapon.
“Jago knows I can handle myself. And I will use whatever force necessary to ensure our business is handled the way we expect. I’d keep that in mind, Eduardo.” The driver pulled to a stop. Diego had spared no expense for the party, including the use of valets. What had pissed me off more than anything was that Jago hadn’t given me a heads up that we’d be attending a party instead of meeting the man on our terms.
Eduardo was testing me and any man who’d done that before had ended up dead.
That was still a possibility, cousin or no cousin. Jago didn’t feel the same about the man as he once had.
“I guess we’ll see how well you do.” As one of his men opened the door for him, I leaned over.
“Don’t test me, Eduardo. Not under any circumstances. The concept that blood is thicker than water doesn’t apply to the Torres organization. I’d keep that in mind if I were you.”
“Are you threatening me, amigo?”
I grinned as the passenger side door was opened so I could step out. “I don’t need to make threats. You should know that by now. I make promises. And they are always kept.” I stepped out, buttoning my jacket. It would seem the event was black tie. They’d deal with a black suit.
Eduardo said nothing as we made our way to the front door. I nodded to Benito. He was to wait outside, ensuring our visit wouldn’t be interrupted.
At least the brutal bastard had made certain we were on the list of invitees.
While we’d coordinated how our presence would go, my goal seemed entirely different than his. Eduardo simply wanted to remind the powers that be how dominant his empire was in the country. He felt the need given the recent attacks he’d suffered, his own product ravaged. Dozens of smaller and even more violent cartels had sprung up over the last few years.
I’d seen him work. He’d yet to expand his operations, concentrating on cocaine and nothing else. The crackdowns were also rampant, law enforcement absconding with their share, not for the good of the people, but to line their pockets.
The glorious life of crime syndicates. I chuckled to myself as I swept the room with my eyes. As I made my way to the bar, I noticed Diego holding court with several men, most of whom I’d either met or had performed extensive research on over the course of the last few months. A smart man paid attention to his competition and the six men standing in a tight circle were definitely major players in the sale of illegal drugs.
With a whiskey in hand, I made my way through the crowd, taking my time to stop and have limited conversations with other guests. A woman approached, swaying her hips as she did. Diego’s wife Sasha was beautiful, but considered a trophy wife to those who knew their relationship best.
I turned my head, finishing a discussion about real estate prices, the high-end real estate agent attempting to lure me into purchasing a piece of property he assured me I would adore.
“Thank you, Jorge, but I’m happy where I live,” I told the man.
“You should come see the property,” Jorge insisted. “I can make you an extremely rich deal.”
“Rich? I’m curious about the previous owner.”
He laughed and noticed Sasha’s approach, immediately tensing. Diego had made it perfectly clear his wife was off limits. Meanwhile, he regularly visited one of several mistresses. The double standard was alive and well.
Another reason I loathed the pompous man.
“Let’s just say he won’t be needing his property for twenty to life.” He laughed nervously and shoved his business card into my hand. “Call me. I will make it worth your while.” He abruptly walked away.
Sighing, I crumpled the card in my fist, shoving it into my pocket.
Sasha noticed. As soon as she closed the distance, she took the glass from my hand, enjoying a sip. Her eyelids were half closed, soft mews escaping her lips. Evidently, she thought I was interested.
Not a chance.
For all the horrific deeds performed in my life, I was a one woman kind of man.
“You must be Kruz Blanco,” she purred.
“My reputation precedes me. And you’re Sasha Garcia.”
She took her time returning my drink, allowing our fingers to touch. I didn’t mind the overture since I was aware Diego was paying close attention.
“Let’s just say you’re the most handsome man in the room and I’m pleased you know my name. Perhaps you’re the only good-looking man. Plus, I understand you’re a formidable businessman.”
“Someone has been telling tall tales,” I told her.
Her laugh floated through the room, although I could easily tell it was forced. She was purposely annoying her husband. When she placed her hand on my arm, Diego shoved his way through the crowd in our direction. I couldn’t have planned the introduction better myself.
“Don’t annoy our guests, my lovely wife,” Diego said as he eyed me with a hostile glare.
“I’m not bothering him, Diego. I’m simply providing a welcome since you’re too busy with your… friends.” She laughed again, the sound more bitter than before.
He tilted his head slightly. Since he was shorter by several inches, I sensed his annoyance was even greater.
“Sasha. If you’ll excuse us, Mr. Blanco and I have some business to discuss.” Her insistence on meeting me had actually done me a favor. Now I wouldn’t need to barge in on a conversation.
