“I’m fine.” Brianna just wanted to get the ceremony over with.
The coordinator leaned in and whispered, “Someone asked me to take you.” She nodded toward where Ben and her bodyguards stood watching.
When they reached the bathroom, Brianna found a white envelope taped to one of the mirrors. The coordinator waited outside so Brianna could have a moment alone to read the contents. It was a letter from Matt. Her hands shook as she read it.
Bri-
I understand what you’re doing and why. I get it. But it’s still wrong. I know you’ve tried to get away from your dad before and you failed. That’s because you didn’t have help. I can help you—if you let me. Together we can take your father down.
All you have to do is ask. One look from you and I’ll get you out of there before the wedding. You don’t have to go through with it.
One last thing, and I’m not sure how to say this. We’ve been in contact with someone who knew your mom. They told us Salazar killed her. I didn’t want to come out and say it so bluntly, but you need to know.
Eventually we will get Salazar. With or without your help. If you marry Dominic, you’ll be an accomplice. You will go down with him. It’s up to you—your choice. We always have a choice.
Don’t forget that I love you.
Matt
Brianna vomited in the trash can. Grabbing a hand towel, she wet it, dabbing her face. Salazar killed her mom. Was it true? Or a ploy to get her not to go through with the wedding?
Carefully folding the note up, Brianna stood in the middle of the bathroom. She couldn’t just walk out of there, wave her arms in surrender, and run away with Matt. That wasn’t feasible. She had no choice but to go forward with the wedding.
She tore the letter into tiny pieces, throwing them in the trash can. When she left the bathroom, the coordinator took one look at her and asked if she was okay. Brianna insisted she was just nervous.
Walking down the hallway, she tried not thinking about the note. Her gut told her Matt was right—Salazar was somehow involved with her mother’s death. She’d never considered the possibility before.
Marie obviously knew something she couldn’t tell Brianna without Salazar coming down on her. Did Marie know how Christina died? It didn’t make any sense. If there was one thing Brianna was certain of, it was that Salazar loved Christina. Brianna could still see the love for her mother in him—by the way he looked at her picture, in the way he said her name. But what about his temper? Brianna had experienced his fury on more than one occasion.
With each step she took, the closer she came to sealing her fate. Matt was probably hidden somewhere, watching. The doors up ahead opened to outside, where the ceremony would take place. The sound of violins filled the air. She was almost there.
Brianna’s heart fluttered. What was she doing? Maybe Matt really could protect her. Frantically glancing around, she searched for him. Where was he? Someone pinched her arm and she winced in pain. Nick, Salazar’s Chief Security Officer, stood at her side with a wicked smile and piercing eyes. She recoiled from him, but his grip only tightened.
He leaned down and whispered, “Problem?”
“No. Of course not,” Brianna replied.
“Then get moving. Everyone’s waiting for you.”
Nick pulled her from the hallway, taking her outside. Her arm throbbed with pain. Did he think she was going to run away? Like she could outrun so many bodyguards. Then Nick literally handed her over to Phillip. Yes, she was stupid to have entertained the idea of getting away. She always failed.
The violins stopped. There was a low murmur as the crowd settled down and Pachelbel’s Canon in D played. Salazar was supposed to watch the show from one of the hotel rooms, safe and sound. Phillip led Brianna down the aisle like a proud father. Brianna couldn’t look at the end of the aisle where Dominic stood. Instead, she focused on everything else, like the Pacific Ocean in the background, the white wooden folding chairs where three hundred guests stood gazing at her, the oos and ahhs from the spectators, the white runner she walked upon, the green grassy lawn where the ceremony was taking place, and the security men on the perimeter trying to blend in. She focused on anything, everything, except Dominic.
Then she was there. Now Dominic had ahold of her. She looked up at him for the first time. His eyes warmed as he smiled. Leaning down, he whispered, “We can do this—together. Everything will be fine.”
Although he must’ve said this to calm her nerves, what else could she do but take a deep breath and smile. She had a part to play: the blushing bride.
Entering the honeymoon suite, Dominic removed his bowtie and threw it on the couch. He flopped down on the bed, turning the TV on. He wasn’t sure what Brianna wanted to do, and he really didn’t care. Luckily she went into the bathroom and closed the door. Dominic used to think he and Brianna were in this together and that they were friends—but he wasn’t so sure anymore.
Pulling his phone from his pocket, he checked his messages. Stephanie texted. Nothing new with Claire’s mom. Good. Holding the remote, Dominic flipped through the channels, trying to find ESPN.
When Brianna finally came out of the bathroom, Dominic’s mouth fell open. She’d let her hair down and it flowed around her shoulders as she stood, wearing the sexiest piece of lingerie imaginable. She was his wife, but was she really his?
“I thought you would’ve changed into something more comfortable by now,” Brianna said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Do you think I forgot what took place yesterday?” Dominic said, trying not to gawk at her. He wasn’t going to forgive her so easily.
“I hoped you’d be over it by now. Today’s our wedding day—it’s been perfect so far.”
“The show went off without a hitch.” He couldn’t even look at her. All Dominic wanted to do was throw her down on the bed and take her, but then she’d have the upper hand. He kept his eyes focused on the TV.
“It wasn’t a show,” she replied, the annoyance seeping through her voice.
“Whatever you say.” Where the hell was ESPN?
“Don’t ruin tonight. Let me make love to you.” Brianna turned off the TV and stood in front of it, demanding his attention.
Dominic slid from the bed and walked out on the balcony. He tried not to think of Brianna in that little number. What was she doing to him?
Staring out at the ocean, Dominic noticed he was being watched. He saw his bodyguards standing around the perimeter of the suite. There were some other men with surveillance equipment down on the beach. A red light reflected from something in one of the hotel windows. There was probably a surveillance team in there as well. Salazar had warned Dominic that the DEA was watching. Dominic wondered if Matt was out there. He hoped he was.
Dominic opened the top two buttons of his shirt all the while searching for Matt—the man who was in love with his wife. He spotted him in one of the hotel rooms off to the side, brazenly watching from the small balcony. It felt good to piss him off. Dominic knew Brianna was standing behind him. He could smell her perfume.
“Please come inside,” Brianna pleaded. “Even if you don’t want me, at least come in and talk. It’s cold out here.” Her voice sounded fragile.
“Of course I want you,” Dominic said. “That’s the problem. I’ve always wanted you. But you don’t want me.” He turned and faced her. She was astonishing. Without even trying, she was seductive, with her innocent face and voluptuous body. He wanted to caress her long legs, feel her breasts in his hands, and taste her.
She sauntered slowly toward him and finished unbuttoning his shirt. He didn’t have the willpower to stop her. Brianna ran her hands over his chest and reached up to kiss his cheek. Her hands slid to his back and then down to his pants. She began unbuttoning them.
Dominic knew Matt was watching so he didn’t move inside. He allowed Brianna to be the aggressor. Dominic considered having sex right on the balcony for all to see that she was his.
Brianna moved D
ominic over to the lounge chair, pushing him onto it. As he lay down, she straddled him and kissed his ear . . . his neck . . . chest . . . stomach. Once Dominic decided to succumb to her efforts, he took her by the hand, leading her inside. After shutting the glass doors, Dominic pulled the drapes closed, smiling in Matt’s direction.
***
Matt slammed his hand against the sliding glass door. He couldn’t believe Brianna went through with it. Not only did she marry Dominic, but she was having sex with him right now. Matt’s stomach twisted like he’d been kicked. He didn’t think she’d do it. Brianna wasn’t like that. She’d told Matt it was an arranged marriage, that she didn’t love Dominic. So how could she sleep with him?
It was like fighting an uphill battle—with Salazar always victorious. Salazar had endless amounts of money and no morals to abide by. What was the point in fighting the drug cartels? The demand for drugs kept increasing. And wasn’t this only supposed to be a job and not Matt’s life’s obsession?
He glanced back in the direction of the honeymoon suite. He remembered, only yesterday, holding Brianna’s tender face in his hands. Matt could tell she still loved him, no matter what she said or did. He saw it in her eyes. But now she was married to another man, who was the successor of a drug cartel.
Matt had never felt so helpless in his entire life.
Maybe she was forced to put on that little show, knowing Matt was watching. Perhaps he should go to the honeymoon suite, break the door open, and save her. He could take her away somewhere. Then she wouldn’t be an object or a bargaining chip. It took every ounce of strength Matt had not to go to her room and rescue her. He knew she was heavily guarded and he wouldn’t stand a chance. He was also under strict orders to keep a safe distance from her until things settled down. Still, the idea was enticing.
Not a single day went by where Salazar didn’t imagine killing Juan Chavez—the man who murdered Salazar’s parents. Everything led to this moment, when Salazar would finally avenge his family. It took him thirty years to plot his revenge, to track Chavez down and tie up all the loose ends. Thirty years of pursuing, hunting, wanting.
Salazar sat in his private jet with Dominic, Nick, Phillip, and his usual bodyguards. They flew to Belem, a city in Brazil near the Amazon River and next to the Atlantic Ocean. After landing on a private airstrip, they traveled by vehicles to a hidden compound on top of a hill with views in all directions. There they met Hector and one of Salazar’s special forces teams. Salazar chose this particular location because of its proximity to Chavez’s home. Salazar’s compound was exactly one hundred and four miles north of Chavez’s place. Salazar had a perfect view into Chavez’s home through an optical telescope that Salazar had specially made.
Now everything hung on Hector, one of Chavez’s men. A fluke really, that Salazar was able to get his hands on Hector, bribing him with enough money so he’d turn over his boss. Money held no meaning with Salazar. Every week he earned millions and millions of dollars. He’d never be able to use a fraction of the money he had hidden throughout the world. Ironically, the one thing money couldn’t buy, was the most important thing to Salazar—family.
Salazar couldn’t be happier that Dominic came to be a part of this momentous event. He only wished that either Dominic or himself could be the one to actually hold Chavez’s life in the palm of his hand, and then take it forcefully. Salazar already exhausted all possibilities of trying to make that happen. The fact of the matter was that Chavez was well protected.
Salazar finally came to terms that only someone from inside Chavez’s organization could do the job, and that inside man was Hector. Now that Hector had been released from jail, Chavez was eager to reestablish contact with him.
After Salazar went over the plan one last time, Hector and the special forces team left. All Salazar had to do was wait and watch. At this point, it was out of his hands.
***
“Hola, Hector. Good to have you back. Chavez is expecting you.” The armed guard opened the gate and waved him through.
Hector glanced in his rear view mirror. Blackness surrounded him. Salazar’s special forces team made him nervous. They were like the Navy SEALs, only far more deadly.
Salazar had told Hector that once he passed through the gate, the special forces team would set the bomb off twenty minutes later. Hector looked at his watch, noting the time.
After parking, a security guard did a quick search before allowing Hector to enter the house. This was all standard procedure.
Hector almost felt bad for what he was about to do. Chavez had brought him in when he was young—just fourteen. Chavez trained him, gave him his first gun, and Hector started making money right away. It was so easy for him. Hector quickly moved up the ranks. Now he was one of Chavez’s main transporters.
Because of Hector’s loyalty, Chavez guaranteed protection for Hector’s family. But thirty-five million dollars was hard to ignore. Hector had his reservations about trusting Salazar. It was difficult to do. Frankly, the man scared the shit out of him. Chavez he understood and could deal with, but Salazar was on an entirely different level. Salazar could be calm and controlled one minute, and then a raving lunatic the next.
What finally convinced Hector to accept Salazar’s offer was the two million dollars Salazar gave to Hector’s parents as an incentive. It didn’t buy Hector’s trust, but at least his parents got the money and were taken care of.
Hector entered the living room and found Chavez on the couch watching the World Cup semi-finals. Chavez always watched soccer alone—he hated distractions.
“Who’s winning?” Hector asked while lighting a cigarette.
“We are. Good to see you mi amigo.”
“It’s good to be back. Those fucking cowboys don’t know what they’re doing.” Hector sat on the couch a few feet from Chavez.
“I hear the district attorney let you go.”
Hector didn’t want Chavez to think he cut a deal with the U.S. He would never do that. “You should’ve seen my attorney. Not only did she get the case dismissed, but she was a fine piece of ass to look at.” Although she was a little young for his taste. “What do I owe you?” Chavez had taken care of hiring the attorney, along with all of the legal expenses.
Chavez smiled at him and turned back to the game. Now was Hector’s chance. He ripped the necklace from his neck. Sliding his hands to either end of the leather strap, Hector pulled it tight. In one swift motion, he jumped from the couch and stood behind Chavez. Just as Chavez started to turn around, Hector wrapped the strap around Chavez’s neck. Hector pulled tight while Chavez thrashed, trying to get away. Within minutes, the struggle ended, and Chavez’s lifeless body flopped on the couch. Hector let go and stepped back. He spotted a machete hanging on the wall among other medieval weapons. Smiling, he grabbed a hold of it. Salazar would appreciate this. Hector raised the machete, then swung down, slicing into Chavez’s neck. Blood splattered everywhere. He hacked at the neck several times, until the head detached from the body. Grabbing the head by the hair, Hector stood, smiling.
An explosion rocked the walls. He needed to meet the special forces team in five minutes.
***
Hector entered Salazar’s home, dropping Chavez’s decapitated head on the coffee table. Salazar smiled. It had been a beautiful thing to watch Hector kill Chavez through the optical telescope, but it was something entirely different to see the lifeless head in front of him. What an unexpected gift.
Dominic ran out of the room and puked.
Salazar remained transfixed, staring at the face of the man responsible for murdering his parents. Almost thirty years went by, and finally his promise to his father was complete. Salazar hoped that by tracking down and killing all of Chavez’s loved ones, Chavez had suffered through the years like Salazar had. After making Chavez grieve from his losses, Salazar then hunted him, hoping to instill fear. Salazar imagined he saw terror in Chavez’s lifeless eyes.
He instructed everyone to leave him al
one for a moment. Then he asked Dominic to come back into the room.
***
Dominic staggered toward Salazar, avoiding the severed head. He could smell the awful stench of blood. Dominic’s hands shook and he was sweating. The head lay before him. A human head! Who could do that to another human being?
“Dominic, thank you for coming with me today,” Salazar said, wrapping his arm around Dominic’s shoulders. “I know all of this is difficult for you. It does get easier the more you do it.”
Get easier? Dominic couldn’t imagine getting used to this—or even wanting to. He didn’t respond. He shrugged off Salazar’s arm and sat on the nearest couch. Focusing at the ceiling, Dominic breathed in and out as slowly as possible in order to prevent himself from hyperventilating.
Salazar continued, “This is a glorious moment for me. Not only have I finally avenged my parents’ deaths, but I have done so with my son by my side.”
Dominic wished Salazar wouldn’t refer to him as his son. He didn’t like the sound of being related to such a madman. Son-in-law was enough of an association.
Looking furtively at Dominic, Salazar continued, “You can have the joy of knowing you helped avenge your grandfather.”
Dominic saw the intensity in Salazar’s eyes. Suddenly Dominic knew Salazar was trying to tell him something.
“Yes, you are my son—through blood.”
Maybe Dominic was hallucinating? “I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Dominic said, focusing on the ceiling.
“Marie is your biological mother, and I’m your biological father,” Salazar said matter-of-factly.
“How is that possible?” His world began to spin.
“Your mother and I slept together shortly after Christina died. We were friends and your mother comforted me. One thing led to another, and you know how things can happen. You were conceived. You are my son. Richard still doesn’t know.”
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