No Greater Loyalty

by S. K. Hardy

  "If he wants to talk about it, Dom, don't you think we should? Understandably this is going to stay on his mind until he gets some answers." Angel also knew it was a pivotal moment that could possibly determine his and Manny's future relationship. He wanted to make sure he handled it the right way.

  Hearing what he'd suspected all along, Armando's chest rose and fell rapidly as his breathing increased. His eyes watered up and became full, but he didn't break the stare between himself and Angel.

  "Manny, I think you know as well as I do that your aunt was determined for this to play out one way and one way only. It was either going to be her life or your father's. If I'd just walked away, this wouldn't have ended because Melania was determined not to let it go. I'm sorry for your loss. I am. But allowing her to live and come after my family again was not ever an option."

  Angel waited quietly, ready to confront the anger Armando had to be feeling, but when the boy sat in silence, Angel decided to give him some time to process everything.

  "When you're ready, you can come and talk to me any time. I know how difficult this must be for you, but your father, as well as everyone else in your family, will be there to help you through this every step of the way."

  Angel gave Dominick a look of encouragement before leaving the room.

  He struggled to keep his anger on a low simmer as he thought about the information he'd learned about Dominick's son. There was no way a twelve year old should have been spending summers in what amounted to little more than a guerrilla training camp. Angel had no doubt that Manny could probably out fight and out shoot most men; he’d seen and experienced far too much for one so young. And then to have to go through the trauma of being forced to murder his own father? Angel had always known Melania was a screwed up individual, but he had no idea how bad she really was.

  Taking the stairs instead of the elevator, he stopped in and checked on the kids, who were asleep, then went in search of Nikki. He found her in the room where Keisha was staying. Both women were curled up on the bed in the middle of what seemed to be a serious conversation.

  "Am I interrupting, ladies?"

  They looked up when they heard his voice from the doorway. Keisha peered behind him as if expecting Dominick to be with him.

  "He's still with Armando. I'm not sure how long he'll be," Angel informed her.

  "Oh, okay, that’s good. He seems like a great kid." Keisha paused, the expression on her face indecisive before she asked the question she’d obviously been mulling over since Dominick came home. "Was...was it bad, Angel? What they did to Dom, I mean."

  Angel hesitated, not really wanting to go too much into it. "Bad enough, but Dom held his own as I knew he would. As far as Armando...he'll eventually be okay."

  "Poor thing," Nikki murmured.

  "He seems to like you two, so that's encouraging," Angel said.

  "It'll get easier for him when he meets the rest of the family," Keisha said.

  "I agree." Angel nodded before looking at Nikki. "I'll be in my office finishing some business. I don’t know how long I’ll be, so you don’t have to wait up."

  Nikki's lips pulled down at the corners in a pout that Angel never failed to find totally adorable. "I’ll wait. But, Angel, you’ve barely slept eight hours in the last two days. Try not to be too long."

  Angel stood with his hands in his pocket and an indulgent smile on his face. "And if I manage to finish up early, will I get any rest tonight when I come to bed?"

  Nikki's shoulder lifted in a shrug. "Probably not."

  "That’s what I thought." Chuckling under his breath, he turned and left the room, shaking his head when he heard their hushed girlish giggles behind him.

  Once he got to his office, his mindset immediately turned serious. When Oscar arrived moments later, Angel glanced up briefly as he typed his password into the computer. "Did you see Dominick?"

  Oscar sat in his usual chair in front of Angel's desk. "I did. He's a sight for sore eyes, even with the nasty scrapes and bruises he's sporting."

  One corner of Angel's mouth smirked upwards as he typed a quick email. "I agree." His eyes flashed towards Oscar's before sliding back to the screen. "And his son?"

  Oscar nodded. "Very handsome young man. It's uncanny how he favors Dominick. And his mother."

  Angel's fingers paused over the keys. "Yes, he favors both Dominick and Isabella as well."

  Finishing the last few sentences of the email, he hit the SEND button and sat back in his chair. Propping his elbow on the arm of the chair, Angel rested his chin on his thumb and his index finger at his temple.

  "Dominick's going to have to be told, Oscar. Soon."

  "I know. I rarely second guess myself, but I have to admit..."

  "What's done is done. You had no malice in your heart when you warned Isabella to stay away from Dominick. Their business was complete and he was due to be released soon. Nick needed a fresh start, one that didn't include reminders of his past."

  "And yet..."

  Angel nodded as they both realized that was exactly what Armando was. "And yet. But I think Nick would agree with me when I say that finding out about Armando is nothing short of a blessing. Everything happens for a reason, eh?"

  "That it does, my friend. That it does."

  A knock on the door interrupted any further conversation between them. Angel had noticed Carlo approaching on the security monitors and called out for him to enter. He wasted no time in getting to the heart of the matter once his lieutenant was in the room.

  "I trust everything went as planned?"

  "Without a hitch."

  "Good." Angel glanced at his watch. "His men should have been in contact with him by now, so..." The ringing of the telephone cut him short, and seeing the number on the caller ID, Angel nodded. "Speak of the devil."

  Hitting the button to put the call on speaker, Angel greeted the man on the other end who had played a big part in tonight’s operation. "Hello, Antonio."

  "Hola, Angelo."

  "Let’s get right down to business. My man says we've satisfied the final terms of your request, is that correct? You've verified with your people that they are in possession of your sister's body?"

  CHAPTER 46

  "Sí, Angelo, gracias. Not that I doubted you for a minute, but you know how these things go. The people I’m working with wanted absolute proof of death. Now that this bit of unpleasantness has been taken care of, I'm hoping we'll enjoy a prosperous business relationship that will be beneficial to us both."

  Distaste burned the lining of his stomach like a vile of acid, but Antonio Cruz and his thirst for power was not his concern. Neither was the fact that he'd just referred to the murder of his family as something that was simply "unpleasant".

  Angel had planned on eliminating Melania one way or another; that had not been up for debate. As he'd told Manny, if he had not killed her, she would've continued this vendetta of hers until she satisfied her thirst for revenge. Angel had not been willing to gamble on the safety of anyone he loved.

  He and Lucas had been in talks with Antonio Cruz for a while now. The proposition Antonio proposed would indeed benefit all parties involved. It seems he’d been trying to get Melania to allow him to become a part of the family business for a while, but Melania felt him to be too weak, too soft.

  A couple of months ago, Antonio stumbled across information that confirmed something he’d suspected for a very long time. His sister had been responsible for the death of their father. He went to his family with the intention of exposing Melania for such an unforgivable act. Antonio had been shocked to learn that his mother and older sister were already aware of this and had done nothing.

  Antonio had idolized his father. A plan to avenge his death began to form in his mind. He'd apparently struck a deal with another cartel in Mexico. Once Antonio replaced Melania as cappo, they and the Juarez cartel would unite to become one powerful entity and enable them to all but dominate the billion dollar drug trade in Mexico.

/>   The cartel Antonio had crawled into bed with had been after Melania to do the same for years, but she'd refused…a decision that Angelo silently agreed with.

  After discovering Melania's plot to kill Dominick, Antonio had approached Angel with the information and suggested they work together. Somehow Antonio’s mother found out and threatened to tell Melania. At that point, she and the other members of his family who were loyal to his sister became collateral damage.

  Antonio’s inability to lead such a powerful organization was another thing Angel agreed with Melania on. However, that was not his concern. The threat against his family had been eliminated. He, by no means, trusted Antonio any more than he had Melania, but he would slowly be phasing out that aspect of his business in the coming years. Until then, he would keep a close eye on Antonio Cruz. Angel had no intention of inviting a snake any further into his garden than was absolutely necessary.

  "I think this concludes our business for now, Antonio." Angel’s tone was brusque and dismissive. “I'll be in touch soon."

  "One more thing, Angelo, if you would indulge me."

  Impatience lined Angel's voice. "What is it?"

  "Before my sister died, was she aware that I was the person behind her demise?"

  Angel looked at Carlo. The last thing Melania saw before her life ended was Antonio's face staring back at her through the lens of the security camera. "Yes."

  The sound that came from the other end sounded like a sigh of orgasmic bliss. "Good. Adios, Angelo."

  Angel stabbed the release button with more force than necessary to hang up.

  Oscar shook his head in disgust and muttered, "He's just as crazy as his sister was. Must run in the family."

  Angel only grunted in agreement. He was not in the mood to discuss it any further. "If that's all, gentleman, I think we’re done for now." He glanced at Oscar. "Are you staying here tonight?"

  Oscar had a suite of rooms in Angel's home that he used on occasion, but he shook his head and stood up. "Lola's expecting me to stop by, so I'll speak with you tomorrow."

  Angel leaned back and propped his feet up on his desk as he studied Oscar with amusement sparkling in the depths of his green eyes.

  Oscar scowled and looked from Carlo to Angel. "What is that look for?"

  Angel splayed his hands out, palms upturned, and shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't say anything."

  "You didn't have to," Oscar snapped. "I'm telling you now, you can get that look off your face, Angelo. Just because you, of all people, decided to settle down and have a family doesn't mean the rest of us are foolish enough to follow your lead."

  Angel's lips twitched. "You're becoming paranoid, old man. But since you asked my advice..." He ignored the way Oscar's bushy brows bunched threateningly together because they both knew he'd asked Angel no such thing. "You've been stringing Lola along for years. You need to make an honest woman out of her, my friend. Believe me, she's earned it after putting up with you for so long."

  "Fuck you, Angelo."

  The corners of Angel's eyes crinkled even more as he struggled to keep his chuckle inside. To see Oscar get so flustered was a rare treat indeed. Angel was getting ready to rib him even more when his gaze fell on Carlo, who was shuffling from one foot to the other. He'd been fidgeting and restless for the last few minutes. It was beginning to work on Angel's nerves.

  "Is there a problem, Carlo?" He asked, his tone indicating his annoyance.

  Carlo drew his shoulders back and stood up straight. "About what happened with Benny. I take full responsibility for that."

  "As well you should."

  Carlo shifted again, but when Angel squinted in irritation, he quickly stood still. "I just want to say again that I'm sorry. And, um, it won't happen again. You have my word."

  Angel never indicated he heard the apology or the reassurance. Instead, he just stared at Carlo, his expression blank and bordering on boredom.

  With a curt nod towards them, Carlo headed to the door. Angel swung lazy eyes Oscar's way and found the older man glaring at him with lips pressed together until they almost disappeared.

  Angel sighed loudly. "Carlo."

  Carlo stopped and turned. "Yeah, Boss?"

  "You did good tonight."

  Carlo's entire face transformed from the verbal pat on the back he just received. His tense expression eased somewhat as he relaxed. He admired Angel more than anyone else in the world. Praise from him was golden because it was never given lightly.

  "Thanks, Angelo."

  Angel nodded.

  After the door closed behind him Angel directed his attention to Oscar again and saw that his friend was looking mighty pleased with himself. "Satisfied?"

  Oscar shrugged as he walked past Angel's desk to leave as well. "As a matter of fact I am. Goodnight, Angelo."

  Angel watched him until he got to the door then called out, "Give Lola my best."

  Oscar paused mid-step when he heard Angel's mocking gibe. Shoulders stiff and head held high, he left out the room, refusing to be provoked a second time tonight.

  Angel’s lips quirked upwards as he rested his head against the back of the chair. Stifling a yawn, he suddenly realized just how tired he actually was. As Nikki had stated, he'd hardly gotten any sleep in the last forty-eight hours and now it seemed to be catching up with him.

  However, the second he closed his eyes, his thoughts became consumed by the conversation he'd had with Antonio Cruz tonight. Although Angel had witnessed things like that time and time again, he would never understand the extreme level of hatred that existed between some families.

  He had his faults...but loyalty was not one of them. His brother, his wife, and Oscar automatically had his trust. It had taken time, but the familial branch eventually extended to include the Monroes and Bennetts as well. As far as he was concerned, there was no greater loyalty than that pledged to one's family.

  Angel slowly opened his eyes. Speaking of which...

  Now that the situation with Dominick was stabilized, he needed to turn his attention towards another matter he'd been mentally debating on how to handle for the last few weeks.

  Angel looked at the clock on the wall to his left. Almost 3 a.m. on the East coast. Making his decision, he took out his cell phone, and after scrolling through the names to find the number he was looking for, hit speed dial.

  The voice that greeted him on the other end indicated the other party was indeed wide-awake just as Angel suspected he would be. "Angelo, I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon. Lucas told us the good news, your brother and his son are safe and Melania is no longer a threat to your family. Glad to hear it."

  "Thank you, Isaac."

  "I take it everything went as planned?"

  "It did, but I didn't call you to discuss that, at least not tonight anyway."

  Isaac's laughter rumbled quietly through the phone. "I somehow gathered that. So tell me, what can I do for you, old friend?"

  "I'm calling to speak to you about a mutual person of interest."

  "Oh? Who?" Isaac’s voice conveyed his curiosity.

  "I'd like to talk to you about your son. Darrell Monroe."

  CHAPTER 47

  Isaac's cold silence spoke louder than any words he could've possibly uttered, but Angel waited. If the situation were reversed, he would’ve been absolutely furious. However, this was something that needed to be dealt with before things got out of hand...if they hadn't already.

  Finally Isaac responded, but the warning for Angel to back down could clearly be heard in his frigid tone. "I think you're mistaken, Angelo. I only have one son. Lorenzo. I don't know a Darrell Monroe."

  "You may not know him, but you know of him. Look, let's not waste each other's time here, Isaac. I'm aware of the fact that you had a son thirty-four years ago with Tina Monroe. Actually, you had two born a year apart. You chose to claim one and disown the other."

  Angel hadn't failed to see the similarities between his own situation yea
rs ago and the one with Darrel and Isaac. His own biological father had more or less done the same thing when he pretended Angel didn't exist, yet proudly paraded Angel's half-brother, Jaxson, around for the entire world to see. He couldn’t explain it, but along with the thirst for revenge he harbored, Angel had felt the indescribable need to force that bastard to acknowledge him whether he wanted to or not. He hadn’t stopped until Bradley Davidson had no other choice but to admit that Angel was his son.

  The major difference here, though, was that Isaac Pattel was no Bradley Davidson. He would not allow himself to be brought down to his knees and stripped of everything he held dear just to appease Darrell. He would kill him first before that ever happened.

  "How exactly do you know him, Angelo?"

  "He’s my brother’s best friend. After all these years, Darrell has discovered that you’re his father. He's been making discreet phone calls to gather information about you and the rest of the Pattels."

  "Has he now? I appreciate the heads up. Probably after my money the same way his money hungry mother was."

  Angel's laugh held little amusement. "Isaac, I assure you, he's not. Darrell may not have as much money as you, but he's wealthy in his own right." Angel paused before adding. "He's a very intelligent man who's worked hard for everything he’s achieved. I'd think you'd be proud of that fact."

  Another charged silence fell between them before Isaac spoke. “Angel, the reason why you and I have gotten along so well all of these years is because in addition to valuing the other’s unique talents as savvy businessmen, we've always respected each other’s privacy. I'd like to keep it that way. As I said, I appreciate you bringing this Monroe business to my attention. I'll handle it from here…however I see fit. But as far as anything else, this subject is now closed."

  "The subject will be closed after I say this one last thing. I didn't tell you about Darrell in order to give you an advantage. I told you because eventually this is all going to come to a head. Make no mistake about it, Darrell will confront you because that's just the type of man he is. Quite honestly, I'd do the same thing myself if I were in his shoes. Once that confrontation occurs, I won't interfere, but just so we're clear, he and his family are under my protection."