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Eset
Well, the day has finally come that I’m in London. I had a lot of deliberation on if I was even going to give Santos Ramirez the time of day, but I decided it would be best to hear him out. I’m not simply hearing him out by meeting him today, though. I want to know where his loyalties lie and see if he’s the same sort of person that his father is. If Santos is anything like Julio, I will write him off as a threat and wipe my hands of this arrangement.
“Miss Eset, you seem a bit different today,” Goran, my security man, tells me. Goran has worked for the family for many, many years. However, he only recently came on as my security when Ruslan took the business back from my father. Goran has unblinded fealty to the Umarova family, and I couldn’t think of anyone more loyal who I could count on to protect my life.
“Not different, Goran. Just thinking a bit more than usual,” I explain as he continues driving through the packed city streets of London.
“Well, I have an open ear if the mood ever strikes you, Miss Eset.” I appreciate Goran’s willingness to be a listening ear if I need him to be, but the fact is I don’t.
“You’ve known me long enough to know I’m not as feeble as some might lead you to believe. When have I ever chatted with you about the things that plague my mind?” I ask him, looking in the rearview mirror.
His eyes lock on my own, and he swallows hard before answering me. “You never have, Miss Eset.”
“Exactly, so why would I do it now?” I raise my brows and wait, but Goran doesn’t speak at first.
I’m not trying to be a total bitch, but I’m growing very tired of people thinking I’m weak because I don’t have a piece of meat between my legs. The strength I carry with me every day is more than most of the men I know, excluding my brothers, of course.
“I was simply offering. I’ve heard chatter about why you’re meeting Santos Ramirez today, and for your sake, I hope you walk away. That entire family is a shitshow.”
“I don’t recall asking for your opinion, Goran. I’m the one who gets to decide what I do and what I walk away from. Since you’ve been chatting with the other little bitches who work for my family about the gossip surrounding my meeting today, I’ll fill you in. This way, you have something to talk about when you sit down and jack each other off again. Okay? I’m a woman who thrives on destroying those who pose a threat to my family. The only power this family has is their claim to the Mexican cartel… but I’m going to take that from them, and I’ll smile as I do it.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“By turning the tides completely.” I look up one last time in the rearview mirror, knowing very well that Santos’ only option to marry me will be dictated by who he chooses to be loyal to. He can choose his father, or he can choose us. Whatever he decides will be his fate, and he’ll have to live with that choice for the rest of eternity. The point is, I can be his greatest ally or his worst enemy.
Goran continues driving the car for another ten minutes until we pull in front of a pub in Kensington. It’s neutral ground and where I agreed to meet Santos on this cloudy, rainy day. The rain picks up and practically sounds like bullets as it hits the windshield.
Goran gets out of the vehicle first and opens an umbrella, then comes to my door and opens it for me. I step outside under the safety of the umbrella, and Goran shuts the door. He walks with me to the front of the pub, and the two of us head inside.
I’m met with the distinct scent of cigars and Guinness. The pub is about halfway full, and I glance around the space looking for Santos. Sure enough, I find him tucked away in a booth in the back corner of the pub.
I walk on the black and white checkerboard tile and make my way to his booth. He already has a pint in front of him, with half of it drained. Goran is hot on my heels, and I take a seat across from Santos while Goran heads to an open seat at the bar a few feet away.
He’s more handsome than the photos I’ve seen of him, which helps since I’ll likely be here with him for the next hour at least. His hair is well-kept, a mixture of black with deep brown. It looks like something a hairdresser would’ve done to a woman to freshen her up for the fall, but I highly doubt Santos Ramirez gets his hair dyed.
His bone structure is out of this world, with high cheekbones and a distinct jawline, while his eyes blow me away. Instead of being brown like I assumed, they’re the lightest crystal blue I’ve ever seen. His fashion choice isn’t even bad. It’s so good that it makes me think he might be playing for the other team. A deep cerulean blue suit with a light blue dress shirt and a polka dot tie. I haven’t seen any man wear a polka dot tie in my family, and this guy is cartel royalty?
“Eset, you’re late. I didn’t expect that from you of all people, especially with what I’ve heard.” Santos’ voice is deeper than I thought, and his appeal is growing more by the minute.
“I was testing you. You’re the one who wanted to meet with me, remember? If you stuck around, then I know you’re taking this seriously, and from the looks of it, your desperation is oozing out of that pretty little head of yours.” I cock my head to the side, and a waitress comes up to me.
“Evening, Miss. Would you care for a drink?”
“Yes, a pint of Guinness would be grand,” I tell her, and she nods, smiling as she walks off to fulfill my order.
“I heard rumors about how cunning you are, but there’s nothing like experiencing it in the flesh.” Santos leans back in his chair and smirks at me, and damn, this man is even more handsome when he smiles. It would be easier to have more of my walls up if he were ugly, but I’m not going easy on him in the slightest. “I assume you have questions prepared for me,” Santos speaks up again, this time getting down to business.
I snicker at him, and the waitress comes back with my Guinness. “Would you like to order any food?” she questions us.
“I’ll take a fish and chips, please,” I answer.
“I’ll have one of the same,” Santos replies.
“Sounds good. I’ll put the order in with the chef, and I’ll be back to check on you both in a bit.” Our waitress walks away, leaving Santos and me alone.
“I want to know more about who you are. I know enough about your father, but if I agree to this, I’m marrying you. Not daddy dearest. So, what are your opinions about everything he’s aiming to achieve?”
Santos inhales deeply through his nose and licks his lips. “You’re going straight for the jugular, aren’t you?”
