Page 28 of Branches of Betrayal

Hadina

“Bringing someone tomeet my daughter without telling me first was a risky move, Hadi.”

Hadina rolled her eyes. Why did men always think they knew better and could intimidate a woman? The last time she had quivered in fear and thoughtI should ask for permissionwas… Well, she wasn’t sure that had ever happened.

“No te respondo, pendejo.I don’t have to run shit past you.”

Darío’s piercing eyes flashed with unchecked rage. “You do when it’s about my daughter!”

She got up from where she sat on the sofa, standing to her full height and straightening her back, showing just how little she cared about his pissy anger issues. “Recuerda con quién estás hablando, hermano.You only get so many passes because of fear or stress before I willput youin your place.¿Entiéndeme?”

The cartel Don registered her words and though Hadina could tell that the itch to continue fighting was still brewing beneath his skin—an itch she currently shared—he forcedhimself to breathe and take a seat in one of the plush armchairs facing the sofa.

It hadn’t been long since Hadina had last seen Darío and yet, so much about him had changed. His handsome face, all sharp angles and lines, was as untouched by time as it ever was. His full lips were still pulled into a straight line as he stared hard at his hands. But there was something different about him and Hadina knew in an instant that it was the same changes she had forced herself to go through.

“What’s their name?”

Darío looked up at her in confusion. “¿Qué? ¿Cuyo nombre?”

“I want to know the name of the person who has you all twisted up inside. You’re agitated and I know it’s the face of worry when you’ve left someone you love behind.”

“You meddle too much for your boss bitch image, you know that?”

She dropped back down to her seat on the sofa, barking out a laugh as a small smirk twitched at Darío’s lips. “Perhaps. Now stop avoiding the question.”

“Vicente Vargas.”

“Vargas? As in–”

“One and the same.”

Hadina barked out another laugh. “Oh, you’re fucked. Not only did you let yourself fall in love, you did it with a fucking Vargas? Literally a descendant of one of the most notorious cartels and he falls inyourlap?”

“Well, actually,” Darío said with a shit-eating grin on his face, “he hasn’t done that part yet.”

“Hijo!I don’t need the details, you horny little shit.”

Darío threw the middle finger at her, his shoulders trembling in silent laughter. “No finjas que no te estás tirando a esa linda chica blanca.I’m onlycachondobecause I’m not getting any.”

“Ay, watch your mouth when you speak about my woman.”

“Your woman, huh?”

“Sí, soy de ella.” Hadina grinned as Peyton’s fingers curled over her shoulder, squeezing down territorially. She reached up, placing her hand gently over Peyton’s. “I don’t speak Spanish, but I know when someone is calling me a white girl in any language. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Darío, but if you try to assume I’m some basic hoe again, I’ll have my knife at your throat and not even my beloved here will be able to stop me.”

Darío sucked air through his teeth before a grin matching Hadina’s spread across his face. “Damn, Adis, you got yourself a feisty one, huh?”

Posturing, she straightened her back and pulled Peyton down for a long, slow kiss. Once she was done, her woman walked around the sofa and took her seat beside Hadina, crossing her long legs. Hadina entwined their fingers before she turned her attention back to Darío. “Yes, I did. Now,hermano, why don’t you tell me what you’re doing here?”

Darío visited Texas unannounced only when there was something wrong. Normally, he told Hadina ahead of time and it meant that she had time to prepare. Him turning up was great in theory because it meant seeing Itza happy, but it also alerted Hadina to some danger she was unaware of. Something had unsettled the Puerto VallartaDon and from the look in his eyes, she was about to gear up for war.

“I got a note, like I told you on the phone. Threatening Itza.”

Hot, burning fury shot through Hadina’s veins like a wildfire. “What do you need? My team will be ready the second you need them.”

Darío held up his hand, shaking his head slightly. “I don’t need anything yet. You know you are the only person I trust to keep Itza safe, but I had to come and see her for myself. Calling ahead of time was not safe to do.” He took a deep breath, blowing it out shakily. Reaching into his breast pocket, he pulledout a cigar, clipped it, and lit it up. “The note said she wouldn’t make it to herquinciñera.That’s only a few months away, Hadina.”

“Do you know who is behind the threat?” Peyton asked.

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