Page 87 of Dangerous Seduction

He nodded, his eyes fixed on the road ahead as he navigated the crowded streets with practiced ease.

We drove in silence for a while, each of us lost in our own thoughts as the cityscape whizzed by in a blur of color and motion. It wasn’t until we pulled into the marina that I noticed a familiar figure standing on the dock by Dante’s yacht.

My heart nearly stopped when I saw Sofia, her body slumped against the setting sun. She looked so fragile, so broken. The mascara stains on her face made it obvious she’d been crying her fucking eyes out.

Dante bolted from the car, running to his sister and wrapping her in his arms like he could shield her from the world. I stood back, giving them space to talk.

“Sofia, what the hell happened?” Dante asked, his voice cracking with worry as he held her close.

She clung to him desperately, like she was drowning and he was her only lifeline. “I fucked up, Dante. I should’ve believed you from the start.”

He pulled away, searching her face for answers. “What are you talking about? Just tell me.”

Sofia glanced at me for a split second before focusing back on her brother. “It’s Allen. That sleazeball has been working for Javier Cruz all along, just like you said.”

I could see Dante’s jaw clench, the rage boiling under the surface.

“How did you…?” he asked, his voice dangerously calm.

With shaking hands, she pulled out a sleek black phone. “I found this hidden in Allen’s jacket. It’s a burner phone, and it’s full of messages from Javier.”

Dante snatched the phone, his grip so tight I thought he might shatter it. “What kind of messages?”

Sofia steadied herself. “Allen made a deal with the devil. He’s been spying on you, feeding Javier intel on your every move. And in return? Javier agreed to wipe out Allen’s debt. Seventy-five-thousand dollars.”

A low, guttural growl rumbled in Dante’s throat. I could see the rage building behind his eyes, the barely contained fury.

“That bastard,” he snarled, his grip tightening around the phone until his knuckles turned white.

Sofia nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “According to the messages, Allen’s information led to Javier being able to trick Raul into thinking he was one of your men.”

A tense silence fell over us with Sofia’s revelation hanging heavy in the air. I could see Dante was mulling it over, all the pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place. His gaze softened as he looked at his sister. “Thank you, Sofia,” he said, pulling her into another embrace. “For trusting me.”

Sofia clung to him, her slender frame trembling. “I’m just sorry it took me so long to see the truth,” she whispered, her voice muffled against Dante’s shoulder.

Dante pulled back, his hands cupping Sofia’s face. He looked into her eyes with a fierce conviction. “Go home and be with mami. Something’s about to go down and I don’t want her to be by herself. Soon it will all be over.” he vowed. “No more lies, no more violence, no more cartel business. From now on, everything we do will be above board and legal.”

Sofia’s lips morphed into a tentative smile, her eyes shining with hope. “I believe you, Dante,” she said, her voice soft but unwavering.

As I watched the two siblings embrace, I felt a surge of love and admiration for them. Despite the darkness that had surrounded them and the legacy of violence and corruption that had threatened to consume them, they had found the strength to break free to chart a new course for themselves.

FORTY

DANTE

The Escalade purred softly, a steady rumble that did little to soothe my raging storm within. My fingers tapped erratically on the wheel, matching the pounding of my heart.

Beside me, Marco checked his gun for the third time, the familiar metallic click of the magazine sliding home. “This is it, brother,” he said quietly. “Time to show that snake Javier what happens when you fuck with Dante Reyes.”

I nodded tightly, jaw clenched as I stared at my old man’s office building. The glass and steel tower loomed over the street, a monument to the empire Ricardo built on blood and fear.

But tonight, it wasn’t my father I was after. No, while the DEA and Natalia were focused on bringing in Ricardo and Reynolds, I had a different target in mind.

Javier fucking Cruz. That bastard had been a thorn in my side for months, jacking my product and disrespecting me at every turn. He was a cancer that needed to be cut out before he infected everything I held dear.

My old man had forbidden me from touching him, claiming Javier was too valuable, that his connections made him untouchable. Yeah right, turns out they were cooking meth together.

But now? The gloves were off. No more playing nice, following orders like a good soldier. It was time for some payback.

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