Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38835 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38835 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 194(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
She sat stiffly, clearly uncomfortable with the arrangement. I placed my hand on her hip, giving her a light squeeze to ground her to me. She blew out a soft sigh and relaxed a fraction.
“As I was saying,” Stefano said to his friend, “Massimo has come to us with a very profitable proposal. His associates are already back in Italy arranging the final details.”
“I know,” Adrián replied in that cold drawl. “You don’t have to put on a show, Stefano. I’ve overseen some of the arrangements myself. This meeting wouldn’t be happening if I weren’t already committed to the deal.”
“Yes,” Stefano allowed with an almost maniacal grin. “But this way, we all get to have a drink together.”
Adrián sighed. “It’s always a party with you. I prefer business. You can be very tedious, Duarte.”
“You can go home to Valentina soon enough,” Stefano replied, the picture of a sympathetic friend. “I know how you hate to leave your wife.”
“Keep my wife’s name out of your mouth unless you want to lose your tongue.” The threat was calm and cold.
“Adrián,” Stefano chided. “Massimo will think we’re not truly friends.” He turned his black eyes on me. “It’s just his way,” he explained. “He has a reputation to uphold.”
Yes, I’d heard about Adrián Rodríguez’s reputation for sadism and calculating cruelty. I didn’t like having him so close to Evelyn, but as long as I remained in his favor, that fearsome reputation would provide protection for us both. No one crossed him, especially not this deep in his own territory.
“I have a lot of respect for you and your operation,” I told him. “My associates and I chose to approach you and Stefano for this deal because we trust that you have the strength and resources to foster a profitable alliance. I came to Colombia because I would like to be your friend. We could make a lot of money together.”
Adrián considered me for a long moment, then gestured to a server. The man appeared out of the shadows, waiting to see to his boss’ every need.
“Get my friends something to drink.” He issued the command lazily, as though he wasn’t making a significant gesture.
With that one order, he was accepting our alliance and cementing our deal. Gian, Enzo, and I now controlled the cocaine trafficking route from the source in Colombia to the European market. We would be richer than gods, and we would be powerful enough to eventually stage our coup back home.
I offered Adrián and Stefano a real, savage smile, not bothering to hide the triumph in my eyes. We’d all just become wealthier than we ever could’ve dreamed.
The server hurried off to fetch us something from the bar. I didn’t care what it was; I’d toast with whatever they chose to serve me.
The music stopped abruptly, and the sudden silence immediately captured our attention. The bodyguard, Mateo, went on high alert, his massive frame swelling as he looked for an encroaching threat to his boss. Stefano leaned forward in his chair, his keen eyes raking over the crowd. Adrián remained relaxed in his throne, but there was a predatory sharpness to his gaze as he assessed the club’s patrons.
I drew Evelyn closer to me, my fingers itching for the gun that wasn’t holstered to my side. It would’ve been a death sentence to come to this meeting armed.
I scanned the club for potential weapons. I’d break a bottle if it came to that, but it would be even better if I could acquire one of the automatic rifles that the guards at the door carried. But I would have to cover Evelyn. I couldn’t leave her to grab a gun.
Before I could finish calculating my next move to protect her, a doughy man dressed in a suit that was too small for him dragged a struggling woman onto the stage. She was dressed in only a white lace robe, the shape of her curvy, petite body clearly visible through the thin garment.
“What is this?” I demanded, glaring at Adrián.
His attention remained fixed on the spectacle onstage, his sharp eyes never wavering from the horrific scene.
The doughy man grabbed the microphone from the stand, keeping his other hand around the girl’s upper arm in a vise-like grip. He yanked her into the spotlight, and she stumbled into him. He muttered something that must’ve been a threat into her ear, because she stopped struggling. Her shoulders slumped, and she wrapped her arms tightly around herself.
“Gentlemen, I have something special for you tonight,” he boomed into the microphone with a leer. “A virgin. Who wants to start the bidding?”
“Adrián—” Stefano began, but the Colombian drug lord held up his hand to silence him.
“Do you want me to handle it, boss?” Mateo asked in a low growl.
Adrián’s cold eyes bored into me. “What are you going to do about it, friend?” He dared me to put a stop to it. I was in his territory, and causing a brawl to save the young woman would be an insult. He wasn’t going to say a word to end this disgusting spectacle.