AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ricardo.” I force myself to paint the picture of casual calm, pulling out a chair for Anna at the bar before taking a seat next to her. The barman places a bottle of beer in front of me, and I take it, tipping the cold glass back against my lips.
“It seems we have a problem,” Ricardo says, leaning against the bar next to me.
“Problem? No.”
He narrows his eyes. “You are reneging on your deal, are you not?”
I turn on the stool to face him fully. “The message relayed was that there would be a delay on you using my port, was it not?”
His jaw ticks. “You made a deal with the Russians.”
“Tsk, tsk. Where did you hear that?” He says nothing.
“You would deal with the Russians?” He spits on the floor, anger permeating every inch of his body. “For a girl.” He shakes his head. “You are on the cusp of war with the Sinaloa and now this?”
My temper rattles against the tight restraints I’ve placed on it. “I’d be careful listening to Dominges. After all, he is in bed with the Russians.” There’s a beat, a moment of hesitation in his eyes, and I see it. “My fight is with him and him alone.”
“Have you made a deal with them?”
I take a cigar from my pocket. “Of sorts.” I place the cigar to my lips and light it, inhaling a deep breath.
“Well then, it seems you are the one not to be trusted.”
My fists tighten, and he catches the movement. Anna’s small hand lands on my back. “It’s my fault,” she says. I close my eyes for a second, gritting my teeth. What the fuck is she doing? “Rafael is handling it. Just give him a little time.”
He glares at her and then back at me. “How much time?”
“I don’t know. But as soon as I get it sorted, our deal will resume. And I’ll drop my cut.”
He shakes his head. “This is bad business, Rafael.” Don’t I know it.
“Who would you rather get in bed with, me or Dominges?”
“He hasn’t let me down. I don’t appreciate these kinds of setbacks.”
“I tell you what. You keep supplying him until such time as I can let you use the docks again.”
He blows out a long breath. “If you allow the Russians into Mexico, you’re going to have much bigger problems than just me or Dominges,” he growls. “You risk provoking every cartel in the country.”
“It won’t come to that.” The problem is, I can’t possibly know that because I have no plan whatsoever at this point. I just know that I cannot allow Nicholai Ivanov to use that port because half the drug lords in Mexico will be gunning for me. Russians are like the anti-Christ around here. I won’t put Anna in that kind of danger. I won’t risk my cartel, my family.
Ricardo nods. “I won’t wait forever, Rafael. I expect this deal to be upheld.”
I flick my cigar into the ashtray and stand up, smoothing a hand down the front of my jacket. “And it will be. Have patience, and remember whose alliance would serve you best.”
I take Anna’s hand and pull her tight to my side before turning and heading for the door. Carlos lingers behind, watching our backs as we make our way out of the bar. As soon as we’re in the car, I drag a hand through my hair.
“Fuck!”
Carlos slips behind the wheel, pulling away from the bar. Anna sits beside me, fidgeting.
“You can fix it though, right?” she asks. I glance at her. I made a deal to save her. The only deal Nicholai Ivanov was ever going to take. I don’t regret it for a second, but now I have to figure out how to roll the dice in my favor and get everything I want. I need my cartel, and I need her. I can’t sacrifice one for the other. I won’t. I have to win this.
“Honestly?” I turn to her. “I don’t know. I can’t stand against Nicholai without great losses.” And I’d likely lose anyway. I have an army of sorts, but he has an army of Elite. We’re not even on the same playing field.
Her brows pull together, and she nods slowly. “And the other cartels will rise if you continue to allow him to use the port?”
I nod. “The Russians hold too much power. If we give them any kind of hold here, they’ll take our business, overthrow cartels… we can’t allow it.” She gnaws on her bottom lip and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. Reaching out, I grip her chin and pull her bottom lip free. “This isn’t your problem, avecita. Don’t stress. I’ll sort it.”
