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“You are my family. I will always protect you. And you have a right to happiness after everything my asshole father put you and your mama through.”
“And what about you?”
Dante shrugged.
“Fuck. Enough of this heart-to-heart shit,” Alejandro said. “I need a drink.”
Dante held out his hand and beckoned a waiting member of his staff forward. They brought out two glasses of Scotch.
“Are you happy?” Dante asked.
“I’ve got more than I ever deserved. A wife who loves me, who puts up with my demands and controlling ways.”
“You have her well protected? Rafael is working out?”
“They’re still adjusting. Rafael has changed after his time with Ruiz, but he and Cat have an understanding.”
Dante grunted.
“Who shot you?” he asked.
“Rafael was still undercover at the time, so he discovered that it was Ruiz’s men. He said they took a chance when they saw it and that’s why he didn’t know beforehand.”
“You don’t look like you’re sure.”
“It didn’t seem right . . . I’m not doubting Rafael.” Dante shook his head. “We retaliated, and somehow they learned that Rafael fed us that information.”
Alejandro let out a sigh.
“They’re becoming a big problem. I’ve got a meeting with Emiliano Cabrera in a few days. I wouldn’t mind your input.”
Alejandro raised his eyebrows. “You’re going to Emiliano? You know the rumors about him?”
“We don’t know that they’re true. And he’s the biggest supplier in Colombia. If we don’t go with him, Ruiz might.”
Alejandro nodded. “I’ll be there.”
It was nearly fully dark by now, and Ortega and Cat were nowhere in sight. He’d sent Cairn to follow them, knowing he’d stay back and out of trouble. Not that Ortega wouldn’t protect her.
But it made him feel better.
“Come on, I know where your wife will be.”
The laughter hit him first as they walked down to the beach. They were all sitting on seats that had been laid out in the sand. There was a small bar down on the beach, with fairy lights strung out around it and along several poles set into the sand. Ortega was currently in the bar, mixing up some drinks.
Dante moved to where Bonnie was laughing her head off about something. Alejandro didn’t know Bonnie well. She’d come along after he left, but Cat seemed to be enjoying her company if her laughter was any indication.
He shot a look at Ortega as he came over, carrying two glasses filled with a blue drink. That looked disgusting.
“Cat isn’t drinking that,” he told him, reaching for the drink.
Ortega danced back. “Why not? This is her third.”
Alejandro groaned. “She’s going to spend the night vomiting, isn’t she?”
“I’m sure you’ll rub her back and hold back her hair, like a good Papi, won’t you?” Ortega teased.
Asshole.
He moved over to where Cat and Bonnie were lying on the chairs. Dante was talking quietly to Bonnie while she frowned up at him. Suddenly, she stuck her tongue out at him and Alejandro grinned.
She had fire. Good. She would have to in order to put up with Dante. Someone moved in the shadows and he glanced over to see Titus standing there.
Bonnie’s guard?
Perfect choice. The quiet man wouldn’t take any bullshit.
“Papi!” Cat tried to get off the chair and fell on her butt in the sand. She started giggling, flailing about. “Bonnie, let’s make sand angels!”
“Ooh, yes, let’s!” Bonnie fell off her chair with a giggle too. They both lay in the sand, moving their arms and legs.
“Damn, they’re going to find sand in places that sand should never be,” Dante said, taking a sip from one of the drinks. He grimaced. “Fuck, that tastes like shit.”
Alejandro grabbed the other drink, taking a sip.
Gross. It was far too sweet.
“Hey!” Cat said, sitting up. “Those were ours. You should get your own drinks, Papi!”
“No more drinking for you.”
“That’s not fair. You’re being mean. Bonnie, my Papi is being mean!”
“My big stepbro is being mean too. I have a great idea,” Bonnie shouted. She probably thought she was whispering.
“What is it?” Cat asked.
“We should run away together!”
“Yes!” Cat agreed. “And take O with us, since he is the maker of the blue nectar of the gods.”
“Nectar of the gods?” Dante asked dryly.
“You can just call me God,” Ortega said with a cocky grin.
“I’m going to call you dead if you give them any more of those drinks,” Alejandro told him.
“I’d like to see you try.” A dark look came over Ortega’s face before he smiled cockily again. “Besides, I was just helping these two relax. It’s hard work being around you assholes. These girls are practically saints.”
“Two saints and a God, huh?” Alejandro said dryly as he bent down to pick Cat up, settling her on his hip. “And there is no running away for you, mi Pequeña mocosa. You’re stuck with me.”
“Ah, well, I suppose there’re worse people to be stuck with.”
“Really? Worse people?”
