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She might even have seen it as due punishment for my own insurrection. I knew she didn’t want medead, but it wouldn’t surprise me if she’d liked the idea of shaking me up, maybe seeing me injured beyond what that pendejo had managed.
Or she might have had no idea until an hour or two ago. The suspicions swimming through my mind were only speculation.
I gathered myself, watching her expression and pose closely. If shewasat all disappointed that I’d returned relatively unharmed, I’d like to know just how wary I should be of her going forward.
At least I didn’t have to worry that she’d be upset about what I’d done to Octavio. She expected her heir to handle insubordination with brutal efficiency.
If I hadn’t killed him, she would have had to. It wouldn’t have even been a question.
“I can tell you what happened to him,” I said, keeping my voice cool and steady. “Because he and a bunch of goons he’d gotten to join him barged into the skating arena while I was training and tried to murder me.”
Mom blinked. Her head tilted to the side as she took in my account, but I couldn’t tell whether she was genuinely startled or only putting on a small show of shock.
Her mouth tightened. “Well, that is somewhat unexpected. Did he give any reason for his hostility?”
I grimaced at her. “He wasn’t super talkative while he and his idiot friends were trying to bash me and my men around, but he’s been grumbling about me coming back as heir from the start. He said he was going to tell you that the Hellborn had taken me out, and he obviously figured he’d be your clear choice as an alternate successor.”
Mom exhaled in a rush, her eyes flashing. She was certainly putting on a good act if this was all news to her, but she was completely capable of faking it.
“I had noticed his ambitions seemed to be getting a little overblown,” she said tightly. “You know what men are like—you give them a little authority, they think they’re the next king of the roost.” Her hands closed into fists. “But this—this is beyond the pale. If he thinks he’ll get away with even attempting—”
“He didn’t get away with it,” I broke in. “I put a bullet in his skull. The rest of them scattered once he was finished. And now they know how deadly I can be if anyone thinks about messing with me again.”
Mom’s hands relaxed, a slight smile curving her lips. “You fit your role more with every new challenge, mija. I like seeing you blossom.” Her gaze hardened again. “If you catch any of those traitors skulking around our territory again, you know how to deal with them. None of them should walk away from such a huge offense against the Deadly Rose.”
I forced a grim smile in return. “My men and I delivered a decent beating in the moment. I’ll do what I have to do if I see any of them again.”
What I figured I had to do might not be what Mom assumed, but I didn’t need to spell that out. I’d rather keep the corpses on my conscience to a minimum.
Mom exhaled slowly and seemed to gather herself. She’d definitely been angry—but because she was disappointed in how her gambit had played out or because anything had happened at all, I still couldn’t tell.
She looked me over with an analytical air, and I drew myself a little taller instinctively.
“You’re all right to continue with our usual business?” she asked.
My stomach sank, wondering what she had in store for me next, but I nodded anyway. “He didn’t do any major damage.”
“Good.” She brushed her hands across the desk. “I have a few more meetings for you to participate in over the next week. Nothing too strenuous, but I expect you be ready to go and to represent me well.”
At least I could be relieved that she wasn’t sending me straight into another fight.
I stared right back at her. “I always do. I’m holding up my end of our deal.”
Her smile turned a little sharp. “Yes, you are. So far. You may go.”
So far.She might be proud of how I’d defended myself today, but we were still at odds, holding metaphorical knives to each other’s throats.
I bobbed my head and headed out, a renewed sense of dread looming over me.
I hadn’t conquered all the danger amid the Deadly Rose’s ranks. The worst threat was sitting there right behind me.
TWENTY-TWO
Rafael
“Isyour weapons dealer seriously namedDolores?” Lou asked with one eyebrow raised.
I glanced over at her as we headed down the alley to the back entrance of the building said weapons dealer worked out of. Her dark hair nearly blended into the evening’s shadows, and I found myself feeling oddly nostalgic for the deep red shade she’d sported for a couple of months.
