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“You are not trapped. You can leave as you please, but you have to take one of my men with you if you do and be ready to use that gun of yours. It's not a fashion accessory.”
“I'm not sure how being followed by your goons everywhere I go is any better. And if they didn't, I'd have more opportunities to use my gun. More practice too.”
“It's only temporary. I will find out who did this. They will regret the day they tried to fuck with our family.”
“You mean the men who tampered with the drugs?”
“How did you know that?” He cocks a brow.
“I hear things, Father. These walls aren't exactly soundproof.”
He stares off into the distance behind me and something tells me he doesn't believe me. When his eyes fall back on me, his phone goes off. He reaches for it and groans. “Look, I have to take this. How about you go get some rest. You look awful. Tomorrow we are having brunch with our new in-laws. You need to be well rested when they see you.”
How could I forget? “They aren't our in-laws yet.”
He waves me off and answers his phone, moving in the opposite direction of me. I run back to my room, overtaken by exhaustion when I reach my bed. I could get all the rest I wanted and I would still be stuck in this hell hole.
Fourteen
Gabriel
The bar is packed per usual, and I sit in a far corner, drinking alone, looking for a distraction. No one piques my interest though, no one ever does lately. Even when they do, no one seems to abide by the no touching rule. And lately only one person ever flooded my mind. My body tenses. Why him? Why out of all the fucking people in the world?
Someone slams their glass down beside me, pulling out the bar stool. “I'll have another one, Gio, and so will my friend here.”
Santiago smiles at me, making my skin crawl. The slimy son of bitch has the nerve to show up to me in my club. Someone must've informed him of my moving back here. I'd never left but I planted the idea in everyone's head that I had. I haven't seen Santiago since we were teenagers. It's how I was able to slip into his party unnoticed.
“Gabriel fucking Castaneda. I’ve got to say, this is a nice place you got here. You kind of dropped off the grid for a little while and I was starting to think you were dead. Maybe that was just wishful thinking. Perhaps you should have stayed hidden. Would've been good for us all.”
I roll my eyes, taking another drink of my beer. “What is it you want, Santiago? You and I both know this isn't a social call.”
He chuckles, his laughter not reaching his cold, dark eyes. “You were always the smart one out of you and your brothers, you know that. Always figured things out before they were happening. Perhaps that's why you do so well in the business you're in. You still are in the killing business, are you not? I gotta admit, the club is a nice cover up. Sometimes I like to pretend I live a regular life, too, but guys like you and me never will.”
I click my jaw, tilting my head to the side. “I was more than sure that was your thing. Going after innocent people when they get in your way, making them and their family disappear with the snap of your fingers.”
“Oh, cut the bullshit, Gabriel. You and I both know these people are far from innocent, and you are far from a hero. Now, how about we cut the small talk and get straight to business?”
“What business would this be? I have zero interest in working with people like you.”
“You know, it's funny. You come off all high and mighty, thinking you do what you do for the greater good. But in reality, you're just like me.”
I spit my beer in his direction. “I am nothing like you.”
“Yeah, sure, tell yourself what you need to in order to sleep at night. Look, I didn't come here to talk to you about your guilty conscience. I came here because I think your brother has been sending his guys to work on my turf again, stealing my customers with his low quality shit. I know one of my old dealers is working with him now. The asshole isn't as sneaky as he thinks he is. I have eyes everywhere. Your brother never did well with following rules and I'm usually not one to give out warnings, but since we're old friends, I'm willing to make an exception. Tell your brother to back off or, instead of coming to you with a warning, I'll be coming to you with his severed head in a box.”
He and I both know he will be the one losing his head if he goes after Angel, not the other way around. “Is that all? I'm already growing bored of this conversation. Besides, at least my brother's shit doesn't kill customers.”
His nose flares and I laugh. “Oh yes, I know about that. In fact, the whole world knows by now. I know your guys have been getting their stuff from the same supplier the Juventinos use. Maybe you should go back to your old guy. Oh wait, I hear he's dead from some freak accident. Tough break.” Shit, I said too much. Sometimes my anger has my words moving faster than my brain.
“If I find out you have anything to do with what happened in that warehouse, I swear…”
“Relax. I have better things to do than going after your precious supply.”
“Please. Everyone knows you're still sore from what happened to your father and blame everyone for his death.”
I stand from my chair, pressing my chest to his. “Don't act like you know a damn thing about what happened to my father. Now, are we done here?”
“Yeah, we are. For now. I've got my eye on you, Gabriel. Some of my top customers have been randomly disappearing, and I can't help but think you and your clients have something to do with it. I'll see you around very soon I'm sure. Now, I would invite you to my wedding, but I prefer not to waste space and food on worthless pieces of shit like you. Even though I'd love to have you watch everything that was supposed to be yours one day become mine.”
