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“Listen, this is Vicente, I’m Vi’s brother.Por favor,forgive my brothers. Like me, they are overwhelmed with my sister’s absence.”
“El príncipe,”Darío says softly. “You see Banderas and Herrera as your brothers?”
“They are my sister’s men, so yes, I do,” Vicente says firmly, his eyes on the phone in his hand while me and Romero look at one another. I can’t say I’ve thought of Vicente asmi hermano, but I would take a bullet for him simply because he’sBruja’sbrother.
“Tell me what it is you want so I can bring my sister home.”
It’s quiet for a few beats before the prick speaks again. “If only your sister’s dogs were as well behaved as you.”
Vicente pinches the bridge of his nose at Darío’s comment while I take a deep clearing breath before I lose my shit.
“In five hours, I will be meeting with Marío on my father’s behalf in the old Vargas estate. Your mother has brokered a deal with him, the same deal she made him when she begged for revenge against your grandfather.”
Everyone glances at one another before Vicente asks what the deal is.
“The heads of Romero, Alvaro and Marío. In exchange, you and your sister can go free. But your mother will stay with my father.”
“That’s not fucking happening.”
Darío laughs. “Your sister said the same,mi príncipe. Therefore she and I have shaken hands in our own deal.”
Vicente growls as Romero and I go rigid. “You are not keeping my sister.”
“As beautiful as she is, I am not keeping her. I don’t like sloppy seconds,or thirds,it seems. With this deal, Alvaro and Romero will live on as they have but they will hand over all of their botanists and their marijuana fields will be put into my name.”
“Why?” Vicente asks, his brows folding in confusion as he looks up at us.
I pour a shot of tequila as I answer, “Because our Marijuna has THC levels higher than anyone else’s in the entire world. You won’t find another plant with the levels we have, thanks to our botanists.”
“Exactly,” Darío says smugly. “Therefore, all production will cease until it all goes through me. Now before you get the wrong idea about me,el príncipe,I did concede to your sister’s counter offer. Instead of completely taking it all for myself, I will split the profits: seventy percent for me, and thirty for them. Their connection and routes into the States will also be shared with me as well. These are my terms. If they refuse or try to counter, I will be your mother’s gun and take more than I’ve asked for. You have five hours to decide. If you are at the airfield, I will know you’ve chosen wisely.”
When he hangs up, Romero looks at me.
“Vicenta countered him?”Bruja’sbrother looks between us with a mixture of shock and pride.
“Your sister is no fool. You and her were bred for this life,” I tell him before looking toward Romero.
“I have the ability to concede to the terms, but with Marío in power, you do not.”
I tilt my head to the side and shrug. “Looks like I’m killing my father sooner rather than later. For Vicenta, I will concede as well.”
Romero stares at me, weighing his words before making an offer that, untilBruja, I never would have considered.
“Let’s merge our families. Even giving up our marijuana fields and part of our profits, we will still be well above any Cartel in Mexico. Combined, we will have all of Acapulco but more than that, it will offerDiablamore protection and security than she would have if we stay apart. What do you say, Don Banderas?”
I look down at his proffered hand before looking back up into his eyes.
When my hand grips his, I feel the sinister smile form on my face, the same one he mirrors back to me.
“Once my father’s blood coats my skin, we will be one familia under Vicenta.”
* * *
Two hours later, Vicente, Romero and I, along with a few guards, head to Puerto Vallarta on a Herrera private jet. Marío called me to tell me about the sudden meeting in Mexico City, which I know is bullshit. It makes me wonder how long I’ve been so blind to his lies, so caught up in my misplaced loyalty to see that I was standing beside someone who would murder his own family before he could ever love them. When he demanded that I work faster to get Vicenta off the island and back at the mansion before the week’s done, I gave an easy promise.
“I plan to.”
Of course, he has no idea he’ll be seeing me and her a lot soon. I can only imagine the look on his vile face when he sees her hand wrapped up in mine.
