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Twenty minutes later, the two emerge, Verónica carrying nothing but her purse, while Luc stumbles across the yard lugging her two absurdly cumbersome suitcases that still carry the bullet holes from Matamoros. With his hair sticking up, face still bruised from his ass beating the night before, Luc looks like a mess. Verónica stands outside the passenger door, apparently waiting for Luc to load the suitcases in the back of my truck. Once he’s finished, she steps aside allowing him to open the door for her.

Plopping down into the seat, she smiles over at me. “You see? A real man doesn’t have to be asked to open the door.” At that, she leans to the side, and the two of them engage in the most nauseating, sloppy kiss I’ve ever had the displeasure of hearing. To my relief, it ends, and Luc taps my shoulder.

“Can I talk to you one sec, Cous’?”

Tugging a compact from her purse, Verónica puts a fresh coat of lipstick on and smacks her lips. “Hurry. I’m starving. Long nights of fucking make me hungry.”

Muttering a curse, I exit the vehicle and meet Luc at the tailgate.

“I t’ink she’s da one. I really do. Man, dat woman is somethin’.”

“Look, Luc. Verónica is … complicated.”

“Mais, don’ I know it!” Running his hand back and forth across the mess atop his head, he smiles. “I love dem complicated ones, me.”

“No, I don’t mean that in any way you might find appealing. Did she happen to tell you who her father is?”

“Yeah. Dat couillon sounds like he need a good ass whoopin’.”

“That couillon happens to run the most dangerous cartel in Mexico. And if he gets wind that you banged his daughter, he’ll burn your ass. With a blowtorch, most likely.”

“Damn. Dat’s morbid.”

“That’s the cartel. Trust me, when I tell you, you don’t want anything to do with that.” Taking his shoulder, I give it a good squeeze. “Consider this a one-night stand, and forget about her, yeah?”

Lips tight, he shoves his hands into his pockets, and with one more glance toward where Verónica waits, he nods. “I know you just lookin’ out for me.”

“Always.”

Another pat on his back, and I head round to the driver’s seat, watching Luc make his way back toward the house, face downtrodden.

“I suppose you took the opportunity to cock-block just now,” Verónica says beside me.

“Cartel life isn’t for him.” Arm kicked up onto the back of the seat, I twist toward her. “And if you say a word about him being my cousin, I’ll be sure to let your father know you fucked without a condom.”

Rolling her shoulders back, she turns away from me. “I actually like him, you know.”

“Good. Then, I trust you’ll keep your mouth shut.”

* * *

I turn the car into Julio’s drive and stop at the gate, where the camera lens scans over my vehicle before the gates open. As I roll the truck to a stop in the circular drive, Verónica stares through the passenger window beside me.

Beyond her is Julio’s elaborate mansion, where two guards stand outside, guns strapped across their chests. “Now, this is where a cartel princess belongs.”

Dressed in casual slacks, Julio smokes a cigar as he makes his way down the stone staircase to meet us. “Ah, Verónica! ¿Cómo estás, mi hermosa sobrina?” From what I understand, Verónica has a fairly close relationship with Julio.

“I’m good, Tio,” she says, wrapping her arms around him. “It’s been forever!”

“Too long. You go inside. Make yourself comfortable. I want to speak with Thierry for a moment, por favor.”

“Okay.” Glancing back at me, she offers a crooked smile. “Thank you for the most miserable two days of my life.”

Chuckling around his cigar, Julio pats me on the back. “Let’s go for a walk, amigo.”

Through the garden, we take an easy, unhurried stroll that has my patience flaring beneath my skin.

“It’s been a couple weeks. How are things?” he asks, hands clasped behind his back.