He rubs his finger along his gums.
Disgusting.
So unhygienic.
“Good stuff. Pay him.”
Yuri gestures between Mikhail and the driver. The money exchanges hands. Once the driver inspects the cash and accepts it, the bratva soldiers hurry forward to unload the truck. Once they’ve parked the six vehicles side-by-side, it’s time for us to move.
Elle fires the first shot—a bullet between the driver’s eyes. There’s no time to marvel at her expertise. The moment blood squirts from his forehead, the men reach for their weapons. Matáis assured me Catalina and Luciana were sharpshooters, but I had my reservations—until now.
I watch the women pick off two men with speed that rivals mine and Elle’s. The eight soldiers are down within seconds. Elle disables Mikhail with a bullet in each shoulder. Catalina shoots Yuri in both feet, knocking him to the ground as he howls. We step out of the shadows.
“Who fuck are you?” Yuri bellows, his fractured English taking some of the power from the phrase.
“The last person you’re going to see alive.”
Catalina marches over to him and draws back her left foot. She drives it into the guy’scoglioni—balls. Alejandro told me Catalina and Luciana both played D1 soccer in university. Apparently, that means the highest level of collegiate sports in the States. Both played forward and were top scorers. With the force I watch her put into that kick, I’m certain her team was victorious at most matches.
Elle and Luciana drag Mikhail away and interrogate him. Catalina and I remain focused on Yuri.
“Suka!” Bitch!
“Swear at me all you want, little man. It’ll make cutting off yourhuevosall the more enjoyable before I shove them down your throat. You’ll swallow them because they’re too small to choke you.”
I don’t know if she understood the word or just guessed it was profane. She nails him again, this time aiming higher to get his dick. He writhes in pain as he grabs his crotch.
“Do you know who I am,SeñorVolkov?”
“Some crazy Latina whore.”
“Mmm-mmm. Watch it,Señor. My husband can hear you. He’s very protective. I’m Catalina De Santos Diaz.”
She lets her name hang in the air, and I watch the moment Yuri realizes who he’s gawking at. The color drains from his face.
“I see you recognize my name.”
She squats, but not within arm’s or leg’s reach for Yuri—not that he’s doing much with bullets in each foot and his hand still cupping his groin.
“Can you guess why I’m here,Señor?”
She exaggerates the honorific, and it’s condescending as fuck. She’s my heroine.
“Did little Alejandro need his mommy to save him?” Yuri aims for patronizing, but he’s gasping too much.
“My son doesn’t need me to rescue him. He has his future wife for that.” She gestures toward me. “This isn’t about saving him. This is about punishing you. You looked in my son and future daughter’s direction. You put targets on them. Those two things are a given in this life. It comes with the territory. I hate it, but I accepted it long before my son was born. However?—”
She rises and drives her right foot into his belly, making him double over again. She spits in his face. It’s an impressive amount.
“You sealed your fate by accusing my son of being a deadbeat dad. Your lies attack his honor as a Diaz. That—that I will not forgive. The Diaz men are many things, but nothing—nada—comes before family. To claim he fathered a child he’s ignored—that he even fathered a child without being married to the woman—after all, we’re still Catholic—means you claim he has no integrity. You will discover what it means to cross a Cartel mother,SeñorVolkov. Strip him.”
The men who remained in the shadows outside the junkyard stream into the area. Three of them rush forward and grab Yuri. The other seven head to the vehicles to unload the real shipment.
I glance over at Luciana and Elle and notice Mikhail isn’t doing too well. Luciana’s brass knuckles plow into his face. She and Elle are standing off to the side, so when the inevitable blood sprays from the man’s mouth, it doesn’t hit either of them. Elle has a thin wire wrapped around his throat. I can see where it’s already cut into his skin. She has the ends overlapping, and she pulls tighter when the man doesn’t respond to whatever Luciana just said.
I shift my focus back to a naked Yuri, who’s trying to squirm away. Dirt covers his ass and the backs of his legs. He looks pathetic.
“Since you claimed my son couldn’t keep it in his pants, I figured I’ll make the same claim about you.” She pretends to leanforward and peer down. “I think my foot shoved yourpequeña pollayhuevosinside you. I can’t find them.” Little cock and balls.
