Val’s face darkened. “You need to back up and remember who you’re talking to.”
“There he is.” I smirked. “The real Valentin Carrera. The one who hates me. Nice to finally meet you, sir.”
“Dios mío, would you stop being so fucking dramatic,” he growled, batting my hand off his chest. “I don’t understand some of the things you’ve done, but you’re my sister, Adriana. I don’t hate you.”
“Your wife hates me.”
“Eden is protective, that’s all.” He stared at me as if those five words wiped the slate clean.
They didn’t.
“We had quite the chat earlier. Did she tell you that? The one where she barged into Brody’s room to accuse me of murdering her family.”
“Didn’t you?” It wasn’t a question.
“Sure, take her side.”
Val chuckled on his way back to the bar. “You two are more alike than either of you will admit. Both of you were deceived by the one person who was supposed to always protect you. You both lost your brothers to a war that should’ve never escalated to the point it did. You’re both headstrong, stubborn women with too much pride and not enough tolerance. But mostly, you’re both survivors.”
“I’m assuming there will be a point made eventually in this rousing speech?”
He poured his drink, and I held my breath as he sauntered toward me. Taking my chin between his thumb and forefinger, he tilted it up, forcing me to look up at him. “Tell yourself you’re here to prove your worth and stake your claim in this family. Make up whatever excuse you need to in order to justify why you’re really here.”
“And why am I here?”
“To face your fear of isolation.”
I jerked my chin out of his hold, my fingers curling around the back of the couch. “That’s bullshit.”
“It goes against everything you know to hand over control to me, Adriana, yet here you are. You and I, we live in a world of lies. Narcos don’t trust easily, but when we give it, it’s unwavering. To be honest, the real power begins the moment you and my wife stand on the same side of the battle line.” Raising his drink, he winked before downing the whole thing. Without another word, he turned, and I stared openmouthed at his back as it rounded the corner and disappeared.
“Don’t hold your breath.”
Chapter Eighteen
Adriana
I’d never sat on a throne before.
It wasn’t comfortable, but then again, we were criminals. Comfort led to complacency which opened the door to weakness. But this one suited me, and the moment I leaned against the black velvet, I felt at home here.
Wherever here was.
The room held nothing but silence. Stagnant, metallic-scented smoke clouded around me, close enough to lick my skin while maintaining a thin level of restraint. I should’ve feared it. I was always taught where there was smoke, there was fire, but this was my throne.
I was invincible.
Besides, if there were a fire, I would’ve already been consumed by flames.
“You craved the blood of the innocent.”
My heart slammed against my chest, and I gripped the chair until my arms shook. I knew that voice, but I couldn’t remember why. All I knew was that the soft melodic cadence didn’t belong in my circle of hell. “Who’s there?”
In response, the temperature plummeted, and the short, ragged breaths torn from my lungs materialized in front of me as a labored mist. The smoke didn’t part, and she didn’t walk through it, but a dark-haired woman in a white flowing dress emerged, almost as if they were two combined entities. When she lifted her head, I stared into familiar warm chocolate eyes dotted with gold.
Mother.
It was an illusion. The human eye was nothing but a passive slave to the brain’s whims. The mind was a sadistic bastard, easily tricking it into seeing whatever it wanted.
“Was it worth it?” Raising a hand, she pointed toward my chest. My eyes followed her finger, trailing down to the source of that pungent metallic smell. Every part of me was covered in blood. But it wasn’t mine.
“They were all guilty,” I said, offering an emotionless stare to the death lying at my feet. “They hurt me. They deserved this.”
“Not all of them.” Her haunted eyes lowered directly in front of the base of the throne. I really didn’t have time to play games with her, but I leaned forward to humor her.
Then I screamed.
Two tiny hands. Two tiny feet. Two dark and empty eyes begging me why.
My stomach roiled, and the world spun as their burned and bloodied bodies lay tattered before me, their innocent faces frozen in fear.
“No!” I screamed again. “I would never hurt a child! I only took revenge on those who hurt me so I could kill the beast!”
“Cariño, you can’t slay a dragon when you’re the one breathing its fire.”
My eyes popped open at the familiar words, only to look into the cold eyes of my brother. “Val?” His name broke as the bravado I’d held onto came crashing down around me.
“Pity that it was all for nothing,” he taunted, baring his teeth in a chilling smile while nodding at my bloody clothes. “It appears the dragon doesn’t need you anymore.”
“What?” I looked down to find a gaping hole in my stomach. “No!” I cried as I pressed both hands over the wound in a pathetic attempt to stop the bleeding, but it pumped out faster than I could stop it.
I slumped against my throne, a damned queen living her inevitable truth. As more blood spilled, I grew weaker. With my last breath, I turned to face my brother, but he was gone. In his place the glowing tip of a cigar sparked to life and a man’s cheeks sank in as he sucked a few deep puffs.
Leaning down, his weathered face split into a stained smile. “You’re a Carrera whore.”
I sat up and screamed his name until I was hoarse, thrashing against a cocoon of sheets and blankets. Caught between two worlds, I desperately clawed my way out of hell, the image of his smile shoving me to near hysteria.
“Adriana!”
I wouldn’t go down without a fight.
There was a groan, and fire ignited behind my eyes. “Jesus Christ, Adriana! Wake up!”
Brody?
Brightness burned my eyes the minute they cracked open, and my body felt like it had gone twelve rounds in an octagon. Fighting the urge to lash out, I shielded a hand over my eyes, squinting as they adjusted to the invasion. When the spots finally cleared, I scanned the room only to find it empty.
“Over here, genius.”
Suddenly wide awake, I turned toward the sound of his voice with both barrels loaded only to stare openmouthed at what stood in the doorway.
Brody had both hands over his head, palms splayed and braced against the side molding. His sleepy face was framed by what could only be described as wild and chaotic sex hair. Yet again, he was shirtless, his arm position accentuating every toned muscle. Loose fitting sleep pants hung low on his waist—untied, of course, because, why not. But tied or untied, loose fit or suctioned with a vacuum seal—none of it mattered. Nothing on Earth would hide the imprint resting on his right thigh.
“See something you like?”
My head snapped up so fast, I about gave myself whiplash. “What the hell are you doing in my room?”
“You were screaming my name.”
“I was not.”
Releasing his hold on the doorframe, he took a few wide steps into my room, stopping at the edge of my bed and leaning one hand against the bedpost. “Right, because I’d wander down the hall half-naked at three o’clock in the morning because you screamed out Mateo’s name.”
I wanted to smack the smirk off his face. “Well, if I called your name it’s because I was having a nightmare. You tend to provoke those.”
“Yeah?” He paused, hooking his thumb in the waistband of his shorts. “Well call someone else’s next time. I thought someone was killing you.”
He laughed at his own joke, but his words br
ought my dream back in vivid color, and with it, his face. The man who gave me the choice of accepting death or delivering it was now the hunted.
In an ironic twist, Ignacio sent me to destroy Val, and now Val was sending me to destroy Ignacio. Two powerful leaders sending a woman to do their dirty work. If only men realized how predictable they were. I guided them. I moved them around like pieces on a chess board.
However, for all my bravado, here I sat unable to stop seeing his face. I felt his breath on my skin. I smelled his breath on my cheek. I heard the warnings in my ear, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the destruction I’d so masterfully crafted would be my own.
I barely registered movement before the bed dipped with added weight. “Shit, you’re shaking.” There was a brief hesitation, and then two arms wrapped around me from the back.
I glanced down to see my upper arms completely engulfed in Brody’s huge hands. They felt warm and safe, and I hated that I liked it, so I jerked away. “Don’t touch me!”
Brody’s hands flew in the air like I’d pulled a gun. “Okay, fine. I’ll leave.” Muttering under his breath, he got to his feet and stomped toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
He planted his feet with his back to me. Placing his hands on his hips, he tossed his head back and let out a labored breath. “Not gonna lie, Adriana, you’re making it real hard to be nice to you right now.”
Seconds ticked by when finally, he turned to face me. Still, I said nothing, and neither did he. The longer the silence rolled on, the more awkward it got until he caved first, dropping his chin to his chest in frustration.
A whoosh of air blew past my lips. Thank God. At least frustration prevented us from making eye contact. The last thing I needed was for him to see me gawking at him again.
“What is it you would like me to do, princesa?”
That was a loaded question.
I stared at the empty space next to me. The king-sized bed was ridiculously big for one person, and as much as I hated showing weakness, I hated the idea of being alone more. Clenching my teeth and my fists, I looked up at him. “Can you just sit here until I fall asleep?” Upon watching the cocky smirk peel across his face, I added, “And not make a big deal out of it?”
“Right. So, I’ll just sit here and stay wide awake while you sleep.”
Rolling my eyes, I flopped back down and rolled over. “Just go.”
The bed dipped again, an unexpected flush spreading across my chest as he rolled against me, his unrestrained cock pressing against my ass. “No, it’s fine,” he said, his warm breath fanning across my bare shoulder. “At least I can keep an eye on you this way.”
He shifted, and I swallowed a groan. “If I hear you jerking off, I’ll dick punch you.”
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“Nope.”
Brody’s deep throaty laugh was the last thing I remembered before drifting off into a peaceful sleep.
* * *
I woke to an empty bed.
I didn’t know whether to be grateful or pissed off that Brody ditched me like a drunken one-night stand and the fact that I even wasted time caring annoyed me more than anything.
After throwing on a pair of cut off jean shorts and a black scoop-necked top, I swept my hair in a loose messy bun, grabbed my newly-packed suitcase, and headed downstairs.
I heard their whispers as soon as I reached the bottom of the staircase. Indistinguishable words, but three voices I knew weren’t four for a reason. My blood heated with irritation, so lifting my heels off the marble, I shuffled on my toes toward the sitting room to find Mateo, Val, and Brody standing in a huddle. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but apparently it was serious.
Which meant I was just in time.
I placed my suitcase on the floor and flounced into the room with flair. “Hola, boys,” I announced. “I didn’t see a No Girls Allowed sign hanging outside the clubhouse, so I assume someone will fill me in on what all the secret whispering is about.” Three pairs of eyes turned my way, but when Brody’s dropped from my face to my feet, then slowly slid back up again, my smirk faded.
“That’s a lot more stuff than you came here with,” he said, nodding at the suitcase at my feet.
I shrugged. “Your sister brought me some things this morning.” Turning, I winked at Mateo. “She’s a chipper one in the morning, huh?”
As usual, Mateo just raised an eyebrow.
“Dios mío, will you all shut the fuck up?” Val motioned for us all to sit as he made his way to the bar tucked at the front of the room.
I cocked a hip. “Don’t you think it’s a little early for that?”
The suction from the tequila top released with a pop. “No.”
“Well aren’t you going to sit down?”
He lifted the glass of tequila to his lips with a smirk. “No.”
“Can you say anything else besides no?”
“No.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” It was all I could do not to roll my eyes as I sank into the same damn leather couch from last night. Mateo sat across from me, his finger rubbing back and forth across his goatee as he watched Brody’s eyes bounce back and forth between the empty seat beside him and the one next to me.
This was ridiculous. Tired and irritated, I motioned to the seat next to Mateo when a slow smile broke across his face, and he lifted a long jean-clad leg, stretching it across the length of the couch.
“What are you doing?” Brody asked.
Mateo’s grin widened. “Getting comfortable. There’s a seat over there. Have at it.”
They stared each other down, Brody scowling as Mateo smirked. Finally, Brody flipped his middle finger up and collapsed next to me muttering to himself. “Jackass.”
“Well,” Val said, moving in between the two pieces of furniture, a deep vertical line sinking between his eyes. “If we’re done acting like pinche idiotas, I suggest we devise a cohesive strategy before you two go off and get yourselves killed.”
Brody leaned forward with his elbows on his thighs and his hands clasped in front of him. “What did you have in mind?”
“Not fucking up.”
“I’m serious, Val.”
“So am I. This may be Adriana’s chance to prove her loyalty to the Carreras but consider it your chance too.”
Brody’s forehead wrinkled. “To do what?”
“To prove to me I shouldn’t put you in the ground right next to your predecessor.”
Mateo’s hand dropped from his chin. “Val!”
Val didn’t acknowledge him. Shoving one hand in his pocket, he lifted his glass again, his eyes locked on Brody.
“Fuck you.” Brody’s quiet response wasn’t out of fear. It was forced control. Like when a child turned the crank on a Jack-In-The-Box as fast as they could only to suddenly stop because they knew that one last turn would cause a puppet to explode in their face.
“Brody!” This time, Mateo’s shock was aimed at the man sitting beside me.
His game of chastise ping-pong grated on my nerves. “Seriously?” I growled. “Pick a side, güey.”
Val swung his drink in Mateo’s direction. “No, it’s fine. I’d be angry too if I were about to track down the man who stole seventeen million dollars of my boss’s money.”
I stiffened. “You know?”
Val cocked his head. “And so do you, apparently.”
There was a distinct warning in his voice that self-preservation should’ve heeded, but defiance took over, snapping my head toward Brody. To my surprise, I found him stone-faced except for the steady tick of his jaw.
His gaze flicked up to meet Val’s. “How did you find out?”
Val smiled, his lips stretching so tightly over his teeth they seemed to disappear. “I have eyes all over the world, Harcourt. You couldn’t take a shit in Somalia without me knowing. However, in this case, your friend Leo Pinellas thought a breach in my highest ranks would go a long way i
n funding his nose candy habit.”
Brody closed his eyes and tilted his head back, his steel composure cracking. “Motherfucker.”
He didn’t have to elaborate. I knew the words he bit back because they were the same ones sitting on my tongue. If Leo told Val about the missing shipment and the Chicago deal, what other information did he try to sell?
I wet my lips. “What else did he say?”
Val lifted a dark eyebrow. “Oh, you mean the part where you showed up at his office demanding information on one of my lieutenants?”
Shit.
I flinched, and the knee jerk reaction sparked Brody back to life, his voice as dark as his penetrating glare. “Yet you never said a word when I spent half an hour convincing you to let me bring her here.”
“And neither of you questioned why I was sending you to Guadalajara together. Interesting. I expect such careless bullshit out of you, but Adriana…” Val raised his glass in my direction before turning toward the bar. “You were raised to question everyone’s motives.”
“Great. You knew this whole time he opened up Chicago and lost your money, and that I used it to get here.” Holding Val’s gaze, I gave him an intentionally loud slow clap. “Do you want a cookie?”
“Adriana!”
Twisting around, I pointed a finger at Mateo. “Okay, just so you know, that’s getting really fucking annoying.” Ignoring his snarl, I shifted my attention back to Val. “So, what does this mean? This whole thing was bullshit, and you’re sending us to slaughter?”
Val’s lips twitched, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear he was getting a kick out of watching this play out. “Quite the opposite, actually. You see, in an interesting turn of events, I now have leverage over both of you, and your success is even more vital to your position in this cartel,” he said, locking eyes with Brody. Then he turned toward me adding, “And in this family.”
Drawn Blue Lines: A Carrera Cartel Novel Page 14