“It’s a done deal, brother. One hundred Kalashnikovs for two kilos pure,” I announced in greeting.
“You are one hell of a negotiator, Dantes. How did you get Kosareva to agree?”
“He’s desperate since El Tuerto cut off his supply options when Mendoza went down. He’s only got the Desalmados to do business with now.”
El Tuerto was the capo of our organization, the notorious head of the Desalmados cartel. He earned the nickname as a young sicario when he lost an eye carrying out a difficult assassination for the former capo.
“Excelente,” Oscar replied, knowing full well he’d be responsible for arranging the technical aspects of the trade. “We’ll go over the details later. Right now, we have a small problem at the club you need to deal with.”
The Pink Pistol fronted my end of the cartel’s local operation, but it wasn’t without its responsibilities and headaches. Oscar and his assistant manager, a white guy named Andy, handled the day-to-day business. There was only one reason he would bother me with a problem.
“Chastity again?” I said, sighing over the antics of my top dancer and sometime girlfriend—at least that’s how she saw herself. Given my history and lifestyle, getting close to a woman had never been a desire of mine. I’d seen firsthand from my parents what happened when a man like me allowed himself to be that vulnerable—my mom’s murder had taught me all I needed to know.
“You guessed it. She’s refusing to work until she sees you again. She’s sitting in the dressing room, pouting.”
“Tell her I’ll be there in twenty, but if she’s not out on stage, showing her pussy to the customers by the time I get there, she’s going to find herself dancing in a dive bar and giving five dollar blow jobs,” I said forcefully, stabbing at the disconnect button while cursing under my breath. If she wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous and popular with the clientele, I’d have rid myself of her ages ago. There was no shortage of beautiful girls in the club, all of them competing to take her place on the schedule and in my bed.
When I stepped through the back entrance of the club, I felt my temper rise. I could hear Chastity swearing loudly and throwing things around the dressing room. The music in the lounge was loud enough to disguise the scene she was making, but it still disrupted the operation of the club. Four dancers milled outside the door, waiting for her tantrum to die down so they could get ready to go on stage. We were all used to Chastity’s outbursts, but tonight, I vowed it would end, one way or another. I stepped through the door just as a platform stiletto whizzed by, nearly hitting me in the head.
“¡Carajo!” I cursed as I dodged the shoe. “¡Pedazo de puta! Knock it off, Chastity. This tantrum is one too many.”
“Dantes,” she huffed as she dropped into one of the chairs, her mouth in a pout as she crossed her arms over her enormous breasts. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for you all night.”
“What I do and where I go are none of your business. Your only concern is to make the customers happy and make me money. Right now, you aren’t doing either.”
“But I haven’t seen you in three days. Is that any way to treat your girlfriend?”
“You’re a dancer, just like all the other girls here. The only thing special about you is you bring in more money and men than anyone else.”
Chastity stood, moving toward me, swinging her hips and pursing her lips.
“You know no one can make you feel as good as I can, Papi,” she breathed as she stopped in front of me, sliding her fingers beneath the open collar of my starched white shirt. I gripped her wrist firmly, stopping the path of her hand.
“No, Chastity.”
“You want me. You always do,” she said, stomping her foot in another show of emerging temper.
“Don’t mistake your convenience for desire on my part.”
“You’re an asshole. You just don’t want to admit you have feelings for me. You play the big, macho gangster man, but I know you. I know what you need. You think any of these bitches can make you come as hard as I do?”
“You overestimate yourself. Oscar told you what I said, no?”
“He did,” she said slowly as she took a step back, her eyes suddenly wary and uncertain.
“You should have listened. Pack up your bag right now. I’ll have him take you home, but I never want to see you in my club again. Turn your tips in at the bar, and Andy will give you your cut, with a small bonus to see you through until you can find another job.”
“Dantes, you can’t possibly mean…”
“Go now before my generosity runs out, and you’re tossed out of here without a dime.” I roughly shoved her away, watching her teeter on her heels as her face crumpled into tears. The stupid bitch shouldn’t have pushed my limits.
I made my way to my office, finding Oscar leaning back in my chair, his feet up on the desk with a cocky smile. I swept his legs off, nearly making the chair topple and dump his ass on the floor.
“Move, cabrón,” I said, motioning for him to get up. He stood, coming around the desk to clap me good-naturedly on the shoulder.
“You sure you want to cut Chastity loose? She’s got those fat tits,” he said, licking his lips. “I’ll miss looking at them.”
“You mean you’ll miss feeling her up when I’m not around for her to rub against.”
“That, too.”
“We’re better off without the spoiled brat’s drama. Pick one of the other girls and get her scheduled with Dr. Goldman for a set of implants,” I said, taking my seat and lighting a cigarette. I fished a bottle of Gran Patrón and two glasses out of my lower desk drawer.
“Right away,” Oscar said, taking his seat across from me. I poured two fingers of the sipping tequila, then thrust the bottle toward him. Taking a long swallow of the smooth alcohol, I savored its warmth as it went down, relaxing for the first time since parting company with Mia.
Mia. Her glossy blonde hair and green eyes were burned into my memory. Her beauty captivated me, and I ached to know more about her. She had something, a softness and vulnerability I wasn’t used to seeing in the women who populated my world. I couldn’t understand it, but I had the strongest urge to wrap her up and protect her, to keep her safe from anything that could hurt her. Even hanging out at Kosareva’s club was too dangerous. Eventually, Sergei would go down like all the rest, and I didn’t want Mia caught in the crossfire. I knew there was greater danger being with me—she’d be safer if I stayed far away from her, but I’d already tried that the times I’d spotted her in the club before. Tonight, I sealed our fates. There was no turning back now.
“So,” Oscar interrupted my thoughts. “When do we make the trade?”
“The shipment arrives next Wednesday. Once we pick up the guns, we’ll deliver the cocaine to him. He’ll let us know where,” I replied with a flick of my fingers. I knew Oscar would handle the details, no further instructions necessary. He launched into a full report about the club’s earnings for the week, but I wasn’t paying attention. My mind had already wandered back to Mia.
I pulled out my phone and brought up the picture I’d taken of her before I approached her. She’d merely been standing there as though trying to seem inconspicuous to the men around her. It was a lucky break for me because a woman as beautiful as she was would naturally have dozens of men trying to get close to her. Not that I wouldn’t have mowed them all over to get to her if I needed to.
“Oye, Oscar,” I said, making him pause. “Bring one of our boys in. I need one we can trust to keep an eye on someone for me.”
The halcones were foot soldiers, our eyes and ears on the streets. They normally kept tabs on the local cops, but they also had a talent for mining any kind of information we wanted.
“Sure, I’ll tell Arturo to drop by. What do you have for him?”
I turned my phone toward Oscar so he could see the screen. He let out a low whistle.
“Who is that?” he asked, reaching for my phone.
“Her name is Mia. I want t
o know everything about her. Where she lives, who her family is, what she does, what she has for breakfast every morning. She’s at The Underground now. If you get Arturo over there fast, he should be able to find her before she leaves. He can tail her,” I said, taking the phone back and texting the image to Oscar.
“I’ll send him the photo now. Anything else for tonight?” Oscar asked, wisely not quizzing me about my instructions.
“No. I’m headed to the penthouse, then El Tuerto has a helicopter coming for me in the morning. Make sure Chastity gets home safely and remind her what will happen if she turns up here again.”
“I’m on it, Dantes. She won’t be back unless she has a death wish.”
3
Mia
Sunday morning found Carmen and me having brunch on the patio of a café downtown near my loft. One of the best things about living in Florida was we enjoyed great weather most of the year. Though already a week into December, we were outside, enjoying our meal in the sunshine, rather than hunkered down in bulky sweaters and boots inside the restaurant.
Sipping coffee heavily dosed with real cream, a fabulous indulgence Carmen insisted was an absolute sure-fire hangover cure, we gossiped and recapped our weekends. Carmen had gone to the club Saturday night, as well, and according to her, had outdone herself. She practically had her head lying on the table.
“Why do you do this?” I asked as I nibbled on a toast point. “I know it seems like fun at the moment, but look at you. I’m surprised you were able to get out of bed this morning.”
“I’ll be fine. I just need to get a few more pots of this heavenly French Roast in me,” she moaned in response. Lifting her head slightly, she picked up her fork and tested a bite of her scrambled eggs. When they seemed to sit okay on her stomach, she began to eat with a little more enthusiasm.
“So, we know I did my usual routine by indulging in alcohol, more than a few chemical substances, then dancing the weekend away. How about you? The last time I saw you was Friday night at the club.”
“Yeah, what happened to you? I had to take an Uber home.”
“I ran into Carolina and her sister. They scored an eight-ball and were willing to share. By the time I left the ladies’ room, you were gone. What did you get up to?”
“I met a man,” I said, used to Carmen’s recreational use of illegal drugs. Though I didn’t approve, I knew I’d never change her. I leaned in, ready to confide my secret, excitement lacing my words. “A very sexy man, in fact, but you can’t tell anyone.”
“Now this sounds interesting,” Carmen said, drawing out each syllable, her eyes brightening as she lifted her cup to her lips. “Do go on. Tell me more.”
“His name is Dantes. He’s every bit the tall, dark, and handsome hunk with a delicious Spanish accent. We danced, and I swear, I nearly melted when he put his arms around me. He’s got this something about him. He has bad decision written all over him.”
Carmen’s frowned slightly.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, wondering what I said to give her pause.
“Aside from your certainty he’s trouble,” she said with a tiny smile and a tilt of her head. “I heard that name somewhere recently. I don’t remember where, but it’s not exactly common.”
“Huh. Maybe you overheard Sergei talking about him?” I suggested the only thing I could think of that made sense.
“Maybe,” she said slowly, then shook it off. “So, go on. What makes him trouble?”
“We didn’t spend enough time together to know for sure, not that I ever really do, but he has this look about him. He’s very confident and self-assured, but maybe a little dark and mysterious to boot. He oozes sex appeal and certain regret,” I said, only half-kidding.
“Sounds just like your kind of guy,” Carmen said with a chuckle. “So, will you see him again?”
“We didn’t exchange numbers, but he promised we would. I guess he does regular business with Sergei because he said he wasn’t there to party but had seen me at the club before. Maybe he’s counting on coming back and running into me again.”
“That’s it. Leave it up to fate. If he walks back into your life, you are absolved from any errors in judgment. It’s just destiny at work. Either way, I’m glad to know you’re taking a step toward putting David in the past. This, my friend, is cause for a celebration!” she cried before wincing and placing her fingertips to her temples. “Just as soon as I recover from my last round of celebrating.”
“Is that what this weekend was all about? Just what were you celebrating?”
“Being young and alive?” she mumbled as she took a bite of her toast.
“With the way you party, you won’t be either for much longer,” I said dryly. Carmen was always burning the candle at both ends. If she didn’t slow down, she would pay a hefty price.
“I’m fine, you worrywart. You need to learn how to let go and have fun. You’re always on me, just like my mother,” she replied as she scooped more eggs into her mouth.
“If your mom knew half of what you get up to, she’d have both our necks. It’s my job to harp on you, so she doesn’t find out.”
“I still say we’d be better off if you loosened up. You act like you’re an old married woman, minus the husband and kids.”
I stuck my tongue out and flicked water from my glass at her with my fingertips.
As Carmen began to eat with more gusto, I picked at the fruit and cheese on my plate, scanning the open-air patio where we were seated. The café was on the small side, packed full of people. It was a popular place on Sundays, filled with all types—from senior citizens who made the weekly crusade to their favorite place to college hipsters, looking for good hangover food, like Carmen, to artsy twenty-somethings like me, who were there to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy a nice meal.
As I looked around, my eyes lit on a tall man with a familiar head of thick, black hair. I started as Dantes turned and looked directly at me, that sexy smile spreading across his face, making my heart thump wildly in my chest. What were the odds we’d run into each other again so soon? Did he know I would be here? That was impossible… unless he was following me. The idea should have spooked me, but instead, I felt a sense of illicitness, full of temptation and dark secrets. I watched in fascination as Dantes brushed off the hostess who approached him with wide eyes, then headed toward our table.
“What a pleasant surprise, preciosa,” he said gruffly as he came alongside me.
“This is an odd coincidence,” I replied, trying not to betray my excitement. “I was just telling Carmen about you.”
He turned to Carmen, who dropped her fork on her nearly empty plate with a clatter, hastily wiping her mouth with her napkin.
“You must be Dantes,” she said, recovering quickly and extending her hand.
“I am,” he replied as he took her hand in his, placing a light kiss on the back. “I
hope she said only good things about me.”
“Of course,” Carmen said before waving to one of the open seats. “Please join us.
We aren’t going anywhere in a hurry.”
“Thank you. It’s okay with you, Mia?” he asked, clearly not caring whether I minded. Pulling the chair out, he moved it closer to me before sitting down. My skin tingled at his nearness. A waitress hustled over, wearing the same enamored expression as the hostess, happy to take his order.
“I’ll have a Bloody Mary,” he requested. “And bring two Mimosas for the ladies.”
“Day drinking, are we?” I asked, bemused.
“There’s nothing like the hair of the dog that bit you to relieve a hangover. Judging by the tired look on Carmen’s face, she could use a little.”
“I think I like you, Dantes,” Carmen said with a laugh. “Although that sounded
suspiciously like an insult.”
“I meant no offense, bella. Your dark sunglasses give you away.”
“Shall I bring you a menu?” the waitress interjected, trying to steer his focus
her way.
“I’ll just have a croissant with butter,” Dantes replied offhandedly, then turned his shoulder to her. The waitress stood there dazed for a moment before frowning and turning in the direction of the kitchen.
“I trust you both had a nice weekend.”
“One of the best in a long time,” Carmen replied for us both.
“I thought you were going out of town on business yesterday,” I said, my curiosity rising.
“We wrapped up late, but I couldn’t sleep. I decided to make the trip back rather than stay the night. Lucky for me; otherwise, I wouldn’t be sitting here with two of the most beautiful women in the city.” The combination of flattery and his sultry accent was hard to resist. I could see Carmen was nearly swooning, the way she hung on his every word. I was no less a victim of his Latin charm.
“What do you have planned for the day?” I asked, hoping to lead him into an invitation to spend time together after we left the restaurant.
“For now, I plan to eat breakfast, enjoy your lovely company, then go home and sleep. Unless you have a better idea…” he said with a mischievous smile.
My stomach flipped as he hinted at something more, just as I wanted. I had plenty of ideas, every single one of them illicit. Despite my eagerness just a moment before, I began to feel like I couldn’t breathe. I needed a minute away, just a little space to let my racing pulse slow and clear my mind of the sensual fog that seemed to descend whenever Dantes was around.
“Excuse me for just a minute, you guys. I-I need to go to the ladies’ room,” I stuttered as I hastily stood, bumping the table and making the water in our glasses slosh over the rims. Rather than apologize, I whirled around and power-walked to the restroom.
Going straight to the sink, I grabbed a paper towel and ran it under the faucet, drenching it with cold water. I dabbed at my face and chest, then lifted my hair and pressed the damp paper to the back of my neck. My heart was still beating faster than a frightened rabbit’s. Dantes unsettled me, but damn it, I burned for it. The fear and excitement were thrilling, like being on a roller coaster ride in the dark. I couldn’t see what lay ahead, but I couldn’t wait to find out.
Leave Me Breathless: The Black Rose Collection Page 118