Page 106 of Wicked King

When the elder Valentino reaches me, I’m already darting down the steps onto the gravel tarmac. He places his hand on my shoulder and I spin at him, eyes narrowed.

“Relax, tiger. I was only going to say welcome to the family.”

CHAPTER 49

A STORM OF BULLETS

Marco

“You’re loca, señorita.” Batshit crazy, actually, if she thinks I would help her take over Esmeralda’s territory. I throw her a charming smile, the same one that has worked countless times before on many a beautiful, insane woman.

As she blathers on, I’ve been working on the ropes. Inch by inch, I’ve dragged the sea glass until the twine has frayed to a more manageable level.

“Why?” she snarls. “What makes Esmeralda more equipped to run La Sombra Boricua than me?”

“Nothing that I know of, but she knew her place. We maintained open lines of communication, worked well together, and she understood who ruled Manhattan. It certainly will not be La Sombra.”

“Because the Geminis and Kings are in charge?”

“Yes, exactly.” My smile grows more brazen. “Now you’re starting to understand.” I pause and sear her with a narrowed glare. “Not to mention you shot my wife at our wedding, and for that unforgivable sin, you will die.”

She tsks, shaking her head. “You and your brothers have grown weak. Don’t you think I’ve learned things coming in and out of Nico’s house? His head is too busy buried between Maisy’s legs to secure Lower Manhattan.”

“We’ve known about your treachery for months, Blanca. Everything you’ve learned since Maisy moved into the penthouse has been hand-fed to you by my twin.”

Her eyes widen in shock, ruby-red lips screwing into a pout. She hisses something in Spanish to one of the guards, but it’s too low and quick for me to catch. Still, a swirl of satisfaction rolls in at her expression. The guard stalks off the beach, heading toward the speedboat beached on the shoreline.

“Esmeralda would’ve known she’d been played… In fact, she almost took my head off a few months ago for the same reason.” I wave a nonchalant hand. “Maybe I’ll tell you about it one day.”

“Oh, you mean the video of you fucking her?”

My head snaps back, the impact worse than if she’d actually slapped me. There’s a video? Figures the little Latina vixen would film her sexual encounters.

“Your wife was pretty pissed when she saw it.”

Fuck. “How dare you?” I roar and leap up, the fury compelling my arms to break through the binds around my wrists. My feet are still tied together, but not for long. I wrap my hand around Blanca’s throat before the guard can pull his gun out. I drag her closer, pinning her back against my chest.

“Let go of her now!” the guard barks, finally cocking his pistol.

“Relax, amigo,” I purr, keeping one eye on the other guard on the boat. He’s oblivious to what’s happening on the shore, but I doubt he will be for long. “I won’t hurt your boss, yet; I just want off this fucking island.” I twist my neck, my gaze swiveling to meet Blanca’s. “This is what we’re going to do. You’re going to tell your man to drop his gun, I’m going to relieve you of any weapons, and then I’m going to take that little boat of yours and be on my way.” I pause, flashing teeth. “Comprende, señorita?”

“Vete ala mierda, cojudo,” she spits.

“Such nasty words from such a pretty little mouth.” I squeeze her cheeks, and her lips pucker. “Now tell him.”

The rumble of an approaching boat spins my gaze toward the sound. The other guard on the speedboat does the same, and all hell breaks loose. Gunshots echo across the sandy shores of the island as five familiar figures coalesce on the newly arrived speedboat.

“Jia!” Her name explodes from my lips, along with the chaos.

Blanca wrenches free of my hold because I’m too damned distracted by the sight of my wife. She turns on me, freeing a small blade tucked into her bathing suit beneath the sarong. Swiping the knife at my chest, she lands a hit. The blade slices through my shirt, but the cut isn’t deep, the sting barely forcing out a hiss.

A gunshot rings out just over Blanca’s head, and I barely duck in time. Jia stands on the edge of the boat, her gaze murderous as she trains it at Blanca. “Get the fuck away from my husband!” she shouts.

The air thickens with the acrid scent of gunpowder and the shouts of men as another boat appears on the horizon. Shit, we need to get out of here.

I reach for Blanca’s wrist and pry the knife from her grasp as bullets rain down from above. “I’ll take that, thank you.”

She snarls at me, her lips twisted into a furious scowl. But more bullets whiz by, forcing her and her guard to drop to the sandy ground. I run the blade across the ropes around my ankles and race toward the shoreline.

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