Page 89 of Ferocious Nightmare

"Tell me what happened."

"I met Adam when we were kids in high school but my family is originally from Cuba,” she nodded her head towards the other room, "like Knight. Our families are old school mafia, back when the mafia ran the bulk of their business out of Cuba. Years ago, my grandfather, who was a top capo, betrayed his business partner. And we've been paying for it ever since."

Once again, the wariness that I'd seen in her so often was there again, and now I understood why. She’d probably been manipulated and used her whole life. Somehow the Cuban mafia was connected to the Mexican cartel, and they had control over her family. They’d forced her to marry the Senator, even though he was gay and they would never have a true marriage. They’d probably financed his whole political career to get what they wanted for their own business.

The Senator worked on the gaming control board, which was one reason the Kings kept him in their back pocket and collected blackmail on him. Now, it was easy to see how the Mendozas had used him without him even knowing.

It was smart.

"And your daughter?"

"The father was a man who worked for the cartel, but he was a good man. He loved us both. After I gave birth, he raised her, and I would come visit. Of course, we were young and stupid. We thought love would fix everything. I even considered defying the cartel and leaving Adam to run away with him.” She drank the rest of her wine in two long gulps, then slammed the glass back down. “He died, and they took her. Now she's been promised to one of the top capos, when she's of age."

Anger burned through me. "That's motherfucking bullshit."

She nodded, her jaw working. “That's why I'm asking this in return for saving Coulter's life.” Her gaze turned ferocious, the protective mother coming out. “I want her out of the cartel." I nodded, thinking. “I’m not asking, Aster.”

I gulped down my own wine, making a decision. “We’ll do it.”

The cartel had betrayed us, blowing up the building when we'd only instructed them to steal the ozone. This would be how they would make reparations to us. I would go to war over it, because the daughter was worth it.

Plus, that kind of betrayal couldn't go unpunished. Instead of putting Coulter in a more powerful stronghold over Nero, they'd made him weaker.

Which, I was sure, was their intent.

We were going to have to get them under control as soon as possible.

After we killed Nero.

Reaching out, Marie grabbed my wrist, staring into my eyes. "Aster, you have to swear to me, that no matter what happens, you'll save my daughter from that life." Staring into her eyes, I could feel the intensity of her love for her daughter. “I’ve tried, but I’m not strong enough. However, you, you’re stronger than me. You can do it.”

A lump formed in my throat. I nodded, "I swear it," I promised, "on my own life."

She studied me, her eyes not leaving mine for a long moment, before relaxing, squeezing my wrist comfortingly before she let me go.

"How touching."

I stiffened, gasping as I turned towards the sound, catching Marie's eyes widening at the sight behind me.

Nero stood in the shadows of the stone archway of the kitchen entrance, a cruel smile on his face and a gun in his hand.

* * *

Marie gasped,then turned, jumping towards the kitchen drawers. A rush of men entered the kitchen behind him. Guards I’d never seen before, except for one. They looked like Bratva.

“Dante!” I called out, as one of Nero’s guards slammed Marie’s fingers in the drawer shut.

Turning, I raced towards the dining room. As I turned the corner, I slammed into Knight’s body.

He wrapped his arms around me. “It’ll be okay,” he said. Then he was yanked away from me. Both him and Dante were being dragged towards Nero by his men. Another man grabbed me. It was Darth.

I tried to fight him but he shoved my arm behind my back. Then jerked it upwards, pressing his mouth to my ear. “Be still, little princess.”

Two men shoved Marie forward, pushing her over the counter until her face was smashed into it. She heaved, being held down. A guard opened the drawer and pulled out a gun, holding it up. “What do we have here?” He tucked it in his back.

Darth dragged me towards Nero who was leaning against the kitchen arch. Watching, waiting, amused.

Dante's face was a dark mask of rage but Knight, for whatever the hell reason, looked cool. Too cool, unconcerned. He looked at Darth. “Check your fucking phone, dumbass.”

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