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“I know, but he needs only to think I believe he does. He is furious with me for betraying him to Montilla. Trust me, he will not pass up an opportunity to hurt me in the name of revenge. If we lure him to a location, you can capture him. We will then offer him to Montilla in exchange for Trees.”
The three brothers who owned EM Security frowned in unison, but Hunter spoke for them. “And if you’re talking about taking out Montilla for good, I assume you’re saying we need to capture him, too? What if Victor isn’t a strong enough lure for him to agree to a meet?”
Exactly where Laila had been hung up.
“I will take care of that,” Valeria answered. “It is me and my son he ultimately wants.”
Laila turned to her sister in horror. “You cannot!”
“Oh, I have no intention of staying with Montilla or letting him infect Jorge, but he will jump at the chance to meet my little boy. Take my word on that.”
The grandson he’d never met. Perhaps that was true. Except… “There is a rumor Montilla is in a coma, one Trees put him in when he shot the old man during Kimber’s rescue.”
“Can you verify that?” Muñoz chimed in.
Laila gnawed on her lip, thinking through possibilities. “I can try.”
“Good, because I doubt Montilla’s men would hop countries to grab Trees if el jefe himself hadn’t okayed the op.”
“My thoughts, too.” Hunter nodded.
“Same,” Logan tossed in. “Not unless he had a second-in-command with a lot of power.”
At once, everyone turned to Valeria. Even Laila had no idea what her sister knew. They had rarely talked about life trapped under a drug lord’s thumb, as if they had both wanted to forget their dark pasts.
Valeria nodded, surprising Laila again. “Federico Chavez. He’s ambitious, smart, and cruel. I have seen him do unspeakable things to gain favor and get ahead. Before I left, he was well on his way to becoming Geraldo’s right hand.”
“Which means he will probably want to take over as boss someday,” Hunter surmised. “And your son is a threat to him.”
“Very much.”
That got Laila’s thoughts turning again. “Is it possible Federico would pretend to spy for the enemy, then sell them out to his boss at the last minute?”
“Without blinking.”
It was just a hunch, but… “Victor had an informant on the inside of Montilla’s organization. He clearly knew things, could influence the boss, and had power of his own. Could it be—”
“Federico is the only one Geraldo trusts that much.” Valeria shrugged. “Or that was the case before I escaped.”
That was probably the case now. In a den of criminals and cutthroats, trust like that wasn’t won over night. “I think I have spoken to him. And I think he will talk to me again. If I am right, this may be the last piece of the puzzle we need.” Laila turned to her sister. “You want no part of Tierra Caliente’s future? You do not wish to run the cartel or have Jorge raised to take over?”
She clutched Jorge to her chest. “Never. It is why I ran from both Montilla men.”
Laila palmed her nephew’s head. “Good. Then I think we have a plan.”
Hunter narrowed those uncanny blue eyes on her. “You’re going to trade Victor to Montilla, then trade Montilla’s position to Federico in exchange for the promise that you, Valeria, and Jorge walk free from the cartel. Am I right?”
She lifted her chin. “Do you have a better idea?”
“No.” Then he smiled her way, and she saw respect spread across his face. “Trees said you were crafty. That’s an understatement. You’re a hell of a tactician. I wish I would have listened sooner.”
She stopped bristling. “Thank you.”
“Can you get in touch with Victor now? And his informant?”
“I think so.”
“Then set everything up. Logan is bomb with maps. He’ll help you find the best locations to draw them to. If this plan unfolds the way it should, you and your family will finally be free.”
And if it didn’t, they would all be dead.
When Hunter turned away, Laila grabbed his sleeve. “What about Trees?”
“I’m not leaving without him, I promise.”
“Thank you.” His vow made Laila breathe easier, but she had demands of her own. “I am coming with you to make sure.”
He didn’t even hesitate. “No.”
“Yes. This affects my family, and Trees is my man. You cannot stop me.”
