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The breath leaves my lungs in a whoosh, holy shit, she knows a lot more than the kings, and I gave her credit for. We thought she had bits and pieces of information, but it looks like my reina had the whole damn board. The thought that, once again, I don’t know who she really is enters my mind. Mia could have destroyed us whenever she wanted. Our information was weak in comparison to hers. Why didn’t she do it?
A loud booming laugh comes through the speaker. “I like you, princess. You know exactly how to make a threat without it sounding like one. Diego and I will meet you at the private airport you departed from not too long ago. I look forward to making a deal,su alteza.”
The phone goes dead in my hands, and I watch as Mia deflates in front of me. She stares into my eyes, resentment clouding her delicate features, biting down on her lip. “I hope I haven’t just signed all our deaths. “Tom, have the pilot immediately turn this plane around. We’re heading back to Casbury and to war.”
My uncle’s words bounce around in my head. He knew we had departed from a private airport not too long ago. He was also aware of us taking and hiding Carter at Mia’s. He has eyes on us, but why? Why would he be watching us?
Chapter 3
Mia
“She has been through hell, so believe me when I say, fear her when she looks into fire and smiles.” E. Corona.
Theminutewetouchdown on the tarmac, I’m unbuckling my seatbelt and moving towards the door, Finn and Mateo right behind me, like my personal guardian angels. Tom stands at the door, obstructing my way while the crew releases the aircraft’s stairs. The desire to push him out of the damn way almost overwhelms me.
The last hour in the air has had tension and adrenaline running through my body nonstop. Worry for Theo and Carter, making my whole body shake. I can’t dislodge the feeling that we might already be too late. That Carter is already in the hands of Vincent Saint-Lambert. When I get my hands on Carter, I’m going to strangle that reckless, crazy nut for running off and putting himself in so much danger.If he’s still alive… you mean.My mind screeches back at me.
“Miss Stratford, I wish you would reconsider this direction. Manuel Cabano is a ruthless weapons dealer with no conscience or concern for innocents. If we agree to his assistance, we will unleash a war that will have consequences we cannot ever take back.” Tom’s dark eyes bore into mine, concern, and hesitation across his features.
Nodding my head, I acknowledge him, “Consequences be damned Tom! I want Carter and Theo back and I will pay whatever price is necessary to achieve that!”
“Mia…what if they are…what if they are already dead?” Raegan asks from behind Finn’s large frame, she’s so petite that I can’t even see her, but her voice rings with uncertainty and fear.
I close my eyes, the thought that I’m already too late, that Theo or Carter may already be dead at the hands of their fathers, has my legs shaking and almost giving out on me. I am a fucking Stratford; no one will bring me to my knees. Taking a deep breath, I solidify my spine and raise my head.
“I will set the whole world on fire and end Vincent Saint-Lambert and Mack Pemberton once and for all if Theo and Carter are dead!” Turning my glare back at Tom, I push through his arm and walk down the steps of the aircraft.
Four large black SUVs sit fifty feet from where the plane has landed on the private tarmac. The doors open and close. A large group of men move forward with weapons drawn and at the ready. The crowd of men part and two men, one older and one younger, but with similar features and olive complexions, move forward towards me.
The older of the two has dark hair streaked with lots of gray, a mustache that is more gray than dark, deep frown lines bracketing his mouth and Mateo’s green smokey eye color stares back at me. He’s a mountain of a man all dressed in black.
The younger of the two has dark hair that looks almost black-blue in the night light, dark smokey green eyes, a deep tan, and a scar running down from his temple to his impressive rigid jawline. He’s also entirely dressed in black, but in less formal clothing than his counterpart, in a pair of black loose-fitting jeans and a long-sleeved fitted top. Equally impressive in form, he’s tall and stacked with muscle and currently grinning lasciviously in my direction. Just what I fucking need, another male trying to get into my panties.
“Princess, how very wonderful to meet you.“ Manuel Cabano moves towards me, eyes sparkling and hand extended.
From the corner of my eye, Tom moves up to my side, weapon in his hand and at the ready. I have to assume the other members of Tom’s team that were on board the plane also have their weapons unholstered and drawn in the face of how many of Manuel’s men are facing us. Finn and Mateo move up to my other side, and I can hear Raegan gasp from behind me, but I don’t turn around.Never take your eyes off a cobra about to strike, Mia.
Extending my hand, “Mr. Cabano.” I move towards him, shoulders squared, head held high and not an ounce of fear on my features. I’m a reigning queen like my grandmother. I will not cower before these men. Stella would have them all on their knees, and I mean to be no different. My grip is tight when I shake his large hand that encases mine. He holds on to my hand a little longer than is proper and then releases it with a chuckle.
“Princess, no. I’m thinking you are a little powerful, reina, with a steel will like your Abuela. No?“ He quirks a dark eyebrow, those eyes so much like Mateo’s, filled with mischief.
“Primo, you neglected to mention how beautiful your littlequeenwas.“ The younger Cabano moves forward, taking my hand from his father’s large paw and kissing my knuckles. His eyes are darker than Mateo’s and his dad’s, deep green like a living forest, a darkness within them that speaks of wild desire, vicious experiences and thoughts that I can’t read. His warm lips linger on my hand, and shivers skate across my body as he waggles his eyebrows in flirtation at me. Alarm bells go off inside my head. There is danger here with this one, be careful, Mia.
I pull my hand away from him, clenching my fist tight at my side, allowing my mouth to quirk up in a similar flirtatious smile that doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “You must be the mysterious cousin Diego.”
He bows his head in introduction and then turns his gaze to Mateo at my side. Mateo’s whole body is locked up tight, jaw clenched and hands fisted at his side. He looks like he’s a moment away from throwing a punch in his cousin’s direction. They would be evenly matched in body size if he did, but I get the impression that Diego might be the more vicious of the two.
Finn’s face is a blank mask of unreadable expression, but tension is riding his stiff shoulders and I watch as he shifts from one foot to the other, filled with energy.
“Diego, tio Manuel.” Mateo nods respectfully to each but makes no move to reach out for their hands to shake. Hmm, interesting; Mateo doesn’t seem very comfortable around his family. I know he has issues with his neglectful cunt parents, but I didn’t realize he had problems with the rest of the family. I file that thought away to examine later.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. Cabano, with your large entourage.”
I look around and count the men I see flanking him. Twelve men, twelve prominent men, all with guns ready to shoot at any threat to their leaders. This is the manpower I need to rescue Carter and Theo from Vincent Saint-Lambert.
“But a small number of my men, little reina. I will accept your earlier proposal on the phone as payment for rescuing your missing kings, Theo and Carter but with a slight addition to the terms.” Manuel’s lips tip up, and his eyes light up with mirth. Whatever he’s about to say is a hundred percent going to piss me off. I can tell he’s receiving enjoyment at just the thought of it.
Why do these men think they can negotiate with me? I need to start showing them that I will take their heads off, so they stop disrespecting me.
