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Needing to feel the warmth in my throat, I sip my tea and calming music comes from the front of the car. It's even more soothing than the tea. My eyes grow heavy and my body becomes relaxed. I know something must be off because I am never at this much ease when I'm near Santiago. It can only mean one thing. My head grows too heavy to hold up and I willingly let Santiago place it on his shoulder. The asshole drugged me.
I wake up to someone tucking me in too tightly. My head is still spinning, and I move it back and forth, trying to keep my eyes open. Santiago smiles down at me with a dark stare. “You must think I'm some kind of moron and that I would never catch on to your little sneaking out routine.”
I stare at him, trying to focus where his eyes are, but failing to make full contact with everything being hazy. “You won't be going anywhere else tonight. I slipped you a sedative in your nightly tea to make sure of that, and if I have to do it every night, I will.”
He slides a hand through my hair, trailing his thumb down my cheek. I want to scream out for him not to touch me, but can't manage more than a few mumbles. “I became suspicious weeks ago and decided to set cameras outside your room. I got way more than I bargained for. You really put on quite the show. You won't be seeing your friend anymore and, if he comes here again, he won't be leaving alive. Don't worry, this little secret will stay between the two of us. I don't want your father to get the idea I can't keep his son under control. You will behave from now on or I will make you behave.”
I blink a few times before dozing back off. I can feel his lingering presence even in my nightmares.
Twenty-four
Gariel
Today dragged on longer than I desired. I still didn't know who sent that hit against Mateo and, as far as the client knows, I'm still doing the job. Carlos hasn't said anything about it since and he has no idea I've gone behind his back to find out the information he won't give me. Angel was good at keeping things quiet when I asked him to. I knew it wasn't Gilbert Alverez.
He wouldn't have had one of his men set that bomb under Mateo’s car if he was going to hire a hitman. He was the type of man who took care of things his own way and he wanted his enemies to know it was him. This person wasn't trying to send a message, they just wanted Mateo out of the way. There are only two people I can think of who might benefit from Mateo’s death. I'm just waiting for Angel to call back and confirm my suspicions.
As I step out of my car, someone grabs me from behind, yanking my neck back. “Someone's been eating from my porridge. Any ideas who that might be?” The stench of Santiago's cologne hangs in the air the same way it did at the club.
My jaw tightens and I fight against his grip, finally managing to elbow him in the chest, breaking his hold. “I was only keeping it warm for you.”
His face hardens and his nose flares. “You son of a bi…”
“Oh, please. What kind of man doesn't touch his own fiancé?”
“What I do with my fiancé is my business. I should kill you where you stand.”
“You can very well try.”
He sneers. “You will soon regret ever touching what's mine. I can't imagine you're getting much out of it anyway.”
I spit forward, my skin hot. “You never did deserve him.”
“Oh, and you do? Tell me, Gabriel, what is your game here? Whatever it is, it ends now. You lose.”
I cringe at his words. “You! Those were your father’s men that day, weren't they? Does Miguel know your father's men defiled his son? This has nothing to do with forming an alliance, does it?”
He smirks. “It may have started that way, but why only have one slice of a pie when you can just take the whole thing?”
“You aren't doing this alone. Someone's working with you. Someone in the family.”
He straightens out his suit. “How about you don’t mention any of these little assumptions of yours to anyone, and I won't tell Mateo the real reason you've chased after him all these weeks? Unless my instincts are wrong, and you haven't fallen for your enemy's son.”
“Tell him what you want. I doubt it'll make him hate you any less.”
“He can hate me all he wants. I still get what I want in the end. I don't even need his father to like me. I just need him to look at this as a win for him as much as it is one for me.”
He was doing everything I wanted to do. He was slowly taking down Miguel Juventino, but in his own way. Not out of revenge, but because he was greedy and always wanted more. I knew there was more to his engagement to Mateo. I will find out all of his plans and crush them before they can be put into place.
“What will he do when he finds out you have a hit out on his son? Not so sure he will welcome you with open arms after that.”
His eyebrows raise. “Where did you get that information from?”
I huff. “You're not as smart as you think you are.”
Most people didn't know me and my brother were who they were contacting when they messaged us. The only ones who cared to find out were the ones who had loved ones who were targeted and wanted pay back. We've had people coming after us many times before and there is a reason people say I'm the best at what I do. No one has been able to fully trace it back to me and I've always managed to beat them at their own game.
“All you have to go based on is rumors. You can't prove shit. Besides, I have a lot more on you than you do on me.”
