Page 5 of When Lies Unfold

His eyes flash with defiance before he relinquishes his gun, roughly placin’ it in my waitin’ hand.

When he doesn’t relinquish anythin’ else, I raise a brow. “All your weapons.”

Like a spoiled brat who’s just had his favorite toys taken from him, Andro purses his lips before reachin’ for the small pistol strapped to his ankle and hands it to me.

Without missin’ a beat, I hold out the weapons for Gordo to take and jab a finger at my nephew. “You’re not to leave the house without my permission. You’re not to go anywhere without supervision. Understood?”

Petulance cloaks his protest. “I don’t need a fuckin’ babysitter!”

“Then stop actin’ like a goddamn child!”

Our gazes remain locked in a staredown until he finally looks away. He doesn’t realize that each day that passes, he proves even more that he’s not a lion.

He’s a sheep in lion’s clothin’. A wannabe. And fuck if I wanna deal with it, but I never got a choice in the matter. Andro’s father’s been six feet under for years now, and my sister followed suit shortly after, leavin’ me as the kid’s only survivin’ family.

Fuck if he isn’t provin’ to be just as worthless as his mother but an even bigger drain on my patience.

My nephew’s lips curl in a sneer when he glances past me at the woman who’s on her hands and knees cleanin’. “Since when do you leave witnesses alive?”

My fingers encircle his throat in a punishin’ grip as I slam his body against the wall. There’s nothin’ that pisses me off more than my motherfuckin’ authority bein’ challenged.

His eyes grow wide, bulgin’ as I apply more pressure to my grip. “Nobody questions me.” I grind out each fury-coated word from between clenched teeth. “Least of all a young punk who thinks he knows everythin’ but fucks up every goddamn thing he touches.”

My nephew’s entire face is now red. I release my hold on him abruptly enough to cause him to brace himself against the wall while he gasps for air.

“I’m sorry.” His apology is breathless, his voice hoarse. “I was just tryin’ to?—”

I wave off his excuse. “I don’t wanna hear it, Andro. Once again, I’m here cleanin’ up your motherfuckin’ mess. Now, do as you’re told and go home.”

His eyes remain downcast as he shoves his way out of the house. I silently signal two of my men to follow him and ensure he doesn’t fuck up more shit for me. They trail him, their exits near soundless.

In Andro’s absence, the atmosphere loses a fraction of its tension, and I turn my focus to the woman cleanin’ like her life depends on it.

’Cause it does.

My nephew may be a hotheaded know-it-all punk, but he spoke the truth when he said I don’t leave witnesses alive.

I never leave loose ends. It’s somethin’ I can’t afford.

This one, though…this particular woman intrigued me from the start. I’m excellent at readin’ people, and she’s the embodiment of contradictions.

Brave for not runnin’ off. No…she stayed put and calmly bargained with me.

Bold as fuck, ’cause she sure as hell didn’t start shakin’ like a leaf when I’d had my gun against her head.

Smart for thinkin’ of a way to prove herself worthy—at least momentarily.

Naïve ’cause she’s got no fuckin’ clue just how precariously her life’s holdin’ on by a thread.

Beautiful, in an understated manner, like she’s purposely downplayin’ her attractiveness.

The intel on her was limited. On paper, she’s borin’ as fuck. Twenty-nine years old. Unmarried. No children. Her only known relatives are distant cousins who live on a farm up in Santa Heredia.

She’s a loner, with the exception bein’ a coworker she sometimes hangs out with. No social media accounts, which in this day and age can be suspicious, but if she’s a genuine loner, it makes sense to shy away from that sort of shit.

She’s a hard worker and never calls in sick. She pays her rent in cash and is always on time. Her boss, Aarón Madrigal, pays her in cash, leavin’ no paper trail whatsoever.

I know the bulk of Aarón’s employees are legit and on the books, but he’s got a few who aren’t. That’s ’cause of his soft spot for women who’ve fallen on hard times. Fuck knows, he and his mother are all too familiar with that sort of thing.

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