I glanced down at my wrist and waited for the minute hand on my watch to make one more cycle, withholding a sigh.
I couldn’t recall the last time I’d wanted to put effort into a relationship, but then, I’d never had anyone in my life like Elena.
“She’s nothing like Eva.” I freely volunteered what he really wanted to know.
“Thank fuck for miracles.” He stopped beside me and grinned.
I could hear the levels of relief in his voice. I knew he wanted me to have someone by my side for the long haul, someone to extend and strengthen our family with. I wanted the same for him.
Family was everything in this world––with the exception of Elena’s, of course. I chalked that up to the generation gap. I came from old money––she came from new money.
They only helped solidify that the old money roulette was doing exactly what it was designed to do. Though I had to give credit where credit was due–her parent’s had been excellent players of the game. If Elena were anything like half of them, our union would be all the better because of it.
I knew how people would perceive our relationship when the news broke that she was the official one and only woman in my life.
I intended to let them think what they wanted until the full truth could be revealed.
I already knew it––my family knew it––and a few very close friends knew it. That’s all that mattered. Elena wasn’t collateral for an owed debt. She was more of a bonus gift from my Ace. She was mine––mine to fuck, mine to corrupt, mine to cherish, mine to protect, and mine to damage.
She was a breath of fresh air, a purified diamond in a pile of imitations. I refused to keep her away from this side of my life. She was naturally curious, and there was too much she didn’t know about the life she’d b leading soon. Being the wife of a narco was hard. Being the wife of a drug lord was ten times harder.
Armed with endless knowledge and memories from watching over her the last five years, I had a good idea of what I was in for.
I couldn’t recall being this excited about something in an extremely long fucking time.
At precisely two in the morning–the large metal door soundlessly slid open and carried in a slight breeze of warm air that I deeply inhaled. My mind easily switched strictly to business mode, blocking everything else out.
Alfredo, my doorman, escorted the man of the hour inside and then promptly stepped back out, closing the door behind him.
“Joshua, I hope you weren’t too busy.” I greeted him with heavy sarcasm, taking in his mussed hair, bare feet, striped drawers, and white shirt. Elias laughed softly under his breath, reaching behind him for his gun.
Joshua paid neither my baby brother nor me any mind. He was too busy staring at the three people with the hoods over their heads.
“Oh, how rude of me. Joshua this is Ryan, his wife Denise, and their daughter. She just turned twenty today, by the way, so I do believe congratulations are in order.”
As I gestured to each figure, their hoods were removed. The gags remained. I made sure to drop the age tidbit so he was aware that I knew he had a daughter around the same age.
When one of my men began removing the lids on the drums, Joshua turned to me with wide eyes having a very clear idea of what was about to happen. Certain execution methods my family had adopted over the years were well known–this was one of them.
“What is this about?” he asked, his voice slightly shaking.
“Why don’t you get down on your knees and then I’ll tell you all about it.”
His jaw clenched. His gaze darted around the room as he struggled with choosing to be emasculated or having his kneecaps broken.
With a reluctant, subtle nod, he slowly lowered himself to the cold stone floor.
Elias stepped behind him and placed his gun on the back of his head to make sure that’s was where he remained.
“You had a shipment meant to be delivered two days ago,” I began, motioning for my executioner to move forward with the crook of a finger. When Joshua saw the ax in Diablo’s hand, his body went ramrod straight. “Mateo, I–––.”
“Before you lie and tell me the shipment in question was delivered and nothing went wrong, I’m going to let you know I saw the man who was supposed to be shadowing you.
He assured me he has no idea how a pallet of ten kilos suddenly became eight. He’s worked for me much longer than you have and is currently recovering from a broken nose and shattered hand because of your negligence.”
With a slight jerk of my chin, Diablo pulled Ryan’s daughter from the line and dragged her closer to the three drums.
Her parents screamed behind their gags but were forced to remain on their stomachs and watch the scene unfold as two of my men held their heads up by the hair.
