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I stepped closer to her, invading her personal space. “I do my job and gain their respect. And my paycheck.”
She turned her torso to me and leaned against the counter, not caring that I was significantly taller and stronger than her and that she had to lean her head back to look into my eyes, even wearing high-heeled boots. “For some odd reason, I have a hard time believing you’re here for their respect.” She touched her chest. “I’m not judging you. I could never say I care for them. I’m just here on business.”
“I know. Purchasing their commodities and trying to score a meeting with the top. I’m still trying to decide if you’re naive or just plain stupid.”
“Oh,Phoenix.” I knew it was a taunt to my hair, but I kind of liked it. “You should watch your words.” She pursed her lips in regret and frowned with faux worry. “When I end up being your boss, I might not forget them. I’d hate to have to discipline you. You’re quite too pretty for that.”
I leaned down, deliberately towering over her and trying my best to ignore her intoxicating scent. “If you think you’ll get away with whatever you’re dealing with, you’re sorely mistaken.” It should’ve sounded like I was protecting the cartel, my “boss,” but I meant those words for way more than that; it was a promise I intended to keep for my real job and peace of mind. “You better watch your steps and rethink your game. Because I’ll make you pay. You don’t want to have an enemy in me.”
One side of her lips pulled up as she grinned at me. “It’s sweet that you believe in it. But for that, you’d have to get me first.” Without warning, shestomped on my foot with her heel, elbowed me in the chest, and hit the palm of her hand under my chin, making me bite my tongue.
She took advantage of my surprise—and my need to regain my breath—to escape from me, making a beeline to the entrance. Still rubbing my chest and tasting blood in my mouth, I sped after her.
I was almost out in the parking lot when I was forced to make a decision. I never cared about the men sitting at the table at the front, yet their conversation froze my insides.
“Matias is going after Delgado again?”
I was stopped in my tracks and had to improvise a way to justify being around. Positioning myself at the entrance, I pretended to be on guard while I kept my eyes on the woman and ears on the conversation behind me.
“Matias’s clock is ticking. If he doesn’t bring the goods toLa Sangrethis time, it’ll be the end for him.”
“Yeah. And not even Daddy Salazar will be able to save his sorry ass,” another man snorted.
“What is he bringing this time? The kid again? He wants to sell?”
“Nah. The boss doesn’t care about Delgado’s daughter. He wants his boy and his momma. I think until that happens, he can have fun with Delgado’s woman. And the others from the crew. That will show them not to mess with theAlacráns.”
One of the men burped. “I thought after the Prodigy was taken care of, they’d stop being a pain in the ass.”
“They should. It’s about time they get lost. One down, a few more to go.” One of them laughed. “The boss wants to take them out one by one.”
“If Matias pulls it off, you think he’ll be nominated the second in command?”
“That’s the word. He’s an idiot, but at least we’ll have another good party coming. It’s been a while since we were given those pussies to break.” To think they were already planning on raping the girls they had under their control, just so they could celebrate the rise of a demon, was making me sick. It was yet another reason why I was getting tired of all that shit.
“I don’t think it’ll be like that.La Sangrepromised him to do the coronation, just like it happened withEl Segador. I’ve heard Pablo will even be there.”
I was getting confused. Pablo “El Segador” Salazar had been in prison for years—one of my predecessor’s, The Prodigy’s, many accomplishments.
“When is he doing it?”
“In the next few days.”
I pulled in a breath. I was caught between two huge things. On one hand, I had the woman who knew too much leaving the premises with all her knowledge. She seemed to know enough for me to wrap that assignment up, or at least get close to doing so.
On the other hand, I’d just learned information that could cost Danny and his family their lives.
If I followed the woman and tracked her down, I could finally get to the root of their organization. So far, she was my best bet to end it all. But that meant ignoring the information I’d just learned about Danny.
Because if I acted on it, I’d let my best lead escape, and I’d interfere with what the organization planned on doing—potentially losing an opportunity to be at the “coronation”—only to help Danny and his family, jeopardizing my whole investigation.
Alerting Danny could help save his family, but it’d throw me back on my investigation and potentially harm my career.
The decision was quite easy.
Heading out to the parking lot where the woman had just left, I fished my concealed phone from my clothes.
It took him only two rings. “Hey, man. How are you doing?”
