"Your hospitality is legendary, Ezequiel." Juarez accepted the glass, raising it in a mock toast. "To new beginnings."
The whiskey burned down my throat, but I kept my expression neutral. This meeting was a power play—Juarez coming to our territory with his men, discussing the marriage to my sister as if it were already settled, laying out plans for merging our operations. He was testing boundaries, looking for weakness.
"Now," my father said, setting his glass down, "let's discuss routes."
For the next hour, I stood silently as they outlined trafficking corridors, distribution points, profit margins. Juarez had product—heroin, cocaine, and the new designer drug,Seraphina,that was commanding premium prices on the streets. My father had transportation networks, shell companies, and corrupt officials on payroll throughout California.
It was a perfect marriage of criminal enterprises. Just like the one they planned for Rhea.
"Of course," Juarez said casually, "once your daughter and I are married, these arrangements will become much more . . . familial." His eyes slid to me as he lifted his chin, almost in a dare. "Though, I wonder if your son fully supports our alliance?"
While my main focus was on Juarez, out of the corner of my eye I saw my father's gaze harden. "My son follows my orders. As does my daughter."
"Good." Juarez leaned forward. "Because I've heard whispers that the young talon has been making moves of his own. Independent thinking can be dangerous in our business."
The room temperature seemed to drop. My father's expression didn't change, but I felt the shift in his energy—the subtle coiling of a predator preparing to strike.
"My son knows his place," my father said softly. "Don't you, Gavriel?"
I met Juarez's eyes directly. "I servemyfamily's interests. Always."
"Excellent." Juarez smiled again, all teeth. "Then we shouldn't have any problems with our arrangement.”
As the meeting concluded and we escorted Juarez back to his vehicles, he paused beside me on the front steps.
"One more thing, Young Azzaro," he said quietly, just for my ears. "I've heard you've become quite attached to Joel Perkins's daughter. Interesting choice, considering her father's . . . unfortunate end."
My expression remained impassive, but my heart rate accelerated. "Business partnerships require a certain level of trust."
"Indeed." His eyes glinted with amusement. "Just ensure your . . .partnershipdoesn't conflict with family loyalty. It would be a shame if she met the same fate as her father."
I stepped closer to Juarez, closing the space between us until I could smell the expensive cologne mingling with the faint scent of gunpowder that always seemed to cling to him. My voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
"Careful with your threats, Don Juarez. Three of your men have already disappeared from your San Diego operation.Perhaps you should be more concerned about the snakes in your own garden than about my personal affairs."
His eyes widened slightly—a brief flash of surprise before his mask of control slipped back into place.
"I know exactly who handles my problems," he said, his voice hardening. "And I always find the source of my . . . infestations."
"Do you?" I smiled, the kind that had made grown men weep before me. "Because I heard Felix Westwood's operation is moving into your San Diego territory while you're here playing at diplomacy."
A muscle twitched in his jaw. I'd struck a nerve.Good.
"You would do well to remember that while I respect your father, respect is earned, not inherited," he hissed. "The Owl’s Talon has yet to prove himself worthy of fear."
Lying bastard.There was still a flicker of fear and terror that went through his eyes, and I took solace in that. Smirking, I let a bit of that deadly calm wash over me as I remembered how I had skinned one of my own men for failing in his duties. "Ask the men who cleaned up after me in Barstow last month if I'm worthy of fear. Oh wait. You can't. They're feeding the snakes somewhere in Death Valley."
When I pulled back, something had changed in his eyes. There was now a flicker of uncertainty. Good. Let him wonder how much I knew, how deep my reach extended into his organization.
"This partnership benefits us both," I said, my voice returning to a conversational tone as my father approached. "But make no mistake. Threaten what's mine again and our families will be united through blood of a different kind."
“Now, now, my talon. Don Juarez knows exactly the kind of assets I have at my disposal. No need to caution him.”
Juarez nodded to his men, who began moving toward the vehicles. "Until our next meeting, Ezequiel. I look forward to seeing Rhea soon."
We watched as Don Juarez continued on and slid into the back seat of one of the vehicles. As they drove away, my father turned to me, fury barely contained beneath his calm exterior. “My office. Now.”
I exchanged a quick glance with Harley, who gave an imperceptible nod before melting away to oversee the security sweep. The click of my shoes against marble echoed as I followed my father back into his sanctum.
