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The smile I gave Pres probably made me look ruthless, but that’s how I was feeling.

“I would be disappointed if you didn’t,” I answered, standing up and making my way toward the door. But the moment my hand touched the handle, I turned back.

“Mario didn’t know I was at the fight last night, and since you didn’t reach out to Los Muertos, no one knows what went down. I suggest we keep it that way. This conversation never happened.” I gave Pres a stern look, the one I usually gave my men. This was his one moment to back out of this little secret, but I figured he was already withholding shit from Los Muertos. What’s a few more secrets?

The man gave a curt nod, and Gunner’s words from this morning instantly came to mind, causing me to blush. I shoved the image of Gunner’s naked body out of my mind before speaking.

“I need words, Pres. Our agreement doesn’t work if the words don’t leave your mouth,” I demanded, pulling a genuine smile from him.

“Beautiful and smart. I can see why Gunner is taken by you. Let’s hope you prove to be worth all he will lose. I agree.”

I flinched at his words like I’d been physically slapped. I wanted to argue that I wouldn’t cause Gunner to lose anything, but I knew that would be a bigger lie than whatever Pres was keeping from me.

Without another word, I turned and left to find Gunner.

Gunner

Dex and I pulled up to Lotería around noon. Mario had at least gotten that part right. A box truck leaving the club during regular business hours was less likely to draw police attention than one lurking around in the dark. But it wasn’t the cops I was concerned about for this run. It was what we had waiting for us when we entered Reaper territory. Because my money was on this shit being a deliberate move on Mario’s part. The petty bastard didn’t like the attention I was giving Ryan. Or at least that was a portion of his motive.

“How would you react, knowing I had my cock in her this morning, fucker?” I mumbled to myself as I pulled up to Lotería, coming to a stop a few blocks away from the back entrance.

I was on edge because Ryan was coming with us. I knew she could handle herself. Hell, she’d survived out on the streets and in the fucking Mexican cartel way longer than I’d been around this world. But that didn’t lessen the shot of fear that ran through my body when I thought about the danger she might be putting herself in by coming.

She took special care to make sure Mario didn’t know about what she had planned last night. As far as Mario knew, Ryan hadn’t left her apartment. She Ubered to the warehouse, leaving her car at her place to keep wandering eyes under the impression she was home. Dex let Nikki know last night what happened to Ryan to avoid the woman sending out a search party. But I guessed she didn’t take the news so well by the bruise on his cheek.

My eyes cut over to Dex as his bike pulled up beside me, and I snickered at the thought of the petite blonde managing to assault him. The noise caused him to look over with a raised brow.

“I was just thinking that I would’ve paid money to see Nikki beat up your giant ass,” I said.

He rolled his eyes as we started walking toward the club. “I already told you, I bruise easy. And she didn’t beat me up…” He threw back with a huff, his cheeks taking on a pink tint. “She threw her stripper shoe at me when I told her to let the men handle this,” he mumbled.

Laughter burst from my chest at Dex’s confession. That further proved he must have a good dick game because his interpersonal skills with women were not it.

“Listen, it’s not funny. Those fuckers are heavy, and they hurt, and homegirl has got a wicked arm,” Dex whined.

I had to try to compose myself even to respond. “Dex, be glad she doesn’t store weapons on her body like Ryan does. Because she probably would’ve shot you instead.” The grunt he let out told me he agreed. “You’re an idiot. You know that, right? Did you tell her to calm down too?” I asked jokingly.

When all I heard was silence coming from my right, I looked over in disbelief. The fucker had told a woman, who’d been informed that her best friend was injured, to calm down. He had to have a death wish.

“Seriously, Dex? You’re terrible at talking to women,” I claimed.

“Listen, they love my dirty talk, and that’s all that matters,” he stated, his voice taking on a cold tone.

I nodded in response, ready to move on. Emotions were a sore subject for Dex, but there seemed to be something going on between him and Nikki. I didn’t know what it was or if it was even romantic, but he needed to figure his shit out or ghost the chick.

I winced at the verbal lashing we would get from Ryan if Dex fucked things up with Nikki. But before I could warn him, Lotería’s metal roll-up door came into view.

Here we go.

Our MC personas clicked into place as we walked in. No more joking and laughing, just a focus on not murdering a cartel heir. Robert gave me a slight nod as we walked past.

Good, everything went smoothly on his end.

I didn’t bother nodding back, not wanting to bring attention to the exchange. Especially knowing there was a rat in Los Muertos and Mario had some secret plans of his own with this drop.

“Buenos tardes, gringos.” The asshole in question’s voice cut through my thoughts. “I hope you’re ready to work today because this run will determine whether I keep you working for me,” he claimed, arms raised out to his sides, looking like he was about to yell out “Are you not entertained?” The madness in his eyes spoke volumes about how he thought today would go.

Dex and I responded with a curt nod. We couldn’t piss the psychopath off, and if I had to speak to this asshole, I’d more than likely fuck that up. So we’d decided Dex would ask the questions about the suicide mission.