Page 25 of Set Up By the Cartel

With a shuddery exhale, he released me all of a sudden and turned away, dragging a hand roughly through his dark hair. When he faced me once more, his expression had shuttered into its usual impassive mask.

"We will discuss this further later."He stated, tone brooking no argument."For now, get ready. We need to go."

"Go where?"I asked, mind reeling from the sheer force of his presence.

"The doctor."He replied simply, as if it should've been obvious all along."I'm going to schedule an appointment."

Chapter 10

Kael

The sun hung low in the sky when Mateo pulled up outside Club Nocturne, the engine idling beneath us. I sat stiffly beside him, hands clenched together in my lap, stomach roiling. This was the last place I wanted to be right now. Or ever again, to be honest. But here we were, drawn back into the dangerous web of the Nightshade Wolves cartel. Another operation loomed ahead, threatening to entangle us both deeper still.

Mateo wanted to show me more of his world. He said it was his way of making sure I truly knew him, every part of his life. I’d agreed, but in reality, I was using those moments to pass information to Mr. Novak. So far, it had worked, though the guilt weighed heavily on me. I had no other choice. Each day, I continued out of fear of what would happen if Mateo ever found out. I didn’t know how he would react, but kindness wasn’t likely.

It wasn’t about keeping my job or paying rent anymore — not that I had to worry about rent. And with the pregnancy, which I hadn’t even told Mr. Novak about yet, there was no way I could keep working at Club Nocturne.

My heart pounded against my ribcage, echoing the tick-tick-tick of the clock counting down towards some inevitable disaster.

Mateo glanced sideways at me, his piercing gaze taking stock of my tense posture. For a moment, concern flickered across his handsome face before being replaced by resolve."Stay close,"he murmured, leaning over to brush a quick kiss against my cheek."Everything will be fine."

I couldn’t help but wonder when he might change his mind and lock me away in his mansion. After all, this was dangerous. He’d assured me there was nothing to worry about, but I couldn’t completely believe him. Still, I trusted him to protect me.

Even as he spoke those soothing words, I couldn't shake off the sense of foreboding hanging heavy around us. Something felt different tonight. More ominous somehow. Like the calm before a storm.

Climbing out of the car, we joined the rest of the crew already assembled near the club entrance. Javier stood sentinel-like beside the door, flanked by several other lieutenants. Their expressions were grim, faces set in stern lines of determination. Whatever lay ahead promised to be serious business indeed.

As we approached, Javier nodded to Mateo and then shifted his attention briefly to me. His dark eyes held a question, searching for something unspoken. I looked quickly away, unable to meet his scrutiny. What could I possibly say anyway? That I wished to flee this whole mess? That I feared for our lives and the safety of my unborn child? None of those things would help matters one bit. So instead, I kept silent, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other until we reached the group.

Once gathered together, Mateo addressed everyone present:"Tonight, we move forward with Operation Serpiente. Our target is a rival faction attempting to encroach uponour territory. We cannot allow such disrespect to stand unchallenged."

A murmur rippled through the ranks, acknowledgment of the mission parameters. Then Mateo continued, voice hardening with purpose."Santiago has secured intelligence regarding their movements and locations. We strike fast, hit hard, and leave no survivors behind."

A nagging thought kept eating away at me. This was happening right here, at Club Nocturne. Was everything unfolding here? Did Mateo already know about Mr. Novak? I didn’t think he did, but with each passing moment, it felt more and more likely that I was wrong.

At the mention of Santiago's name, I tensed slightly. Sometimes, it was as though he could see right through me and my lies.

Shaking off that unsettling thought, I refocused on the task at hand. Tonight wasn't the time nor place to dwell upon personal fears. Not when danger threatened from every direction.

Under cover of darkness, we moved through the city streets, blending amongst shadows cast long by streetlights overhead. I felt relieved that Mateo didn't seem to be targeting Mr. Novak. It meant he still didn’t know about my arrangement with him. He couldn’t be suspicious yet.

Each step forward brought us closer to the enemy stronghold — a rundown warehouse district infested with rats and vermin both literal and metaphorical.

Upon arrival, Mateo signaled for silence. Crouching low amidst crumbling walls, we waited tensely for the signal indicating all targets had been located and isolated. Minutes stretched for what felt like an eternity. Finally, a faint click sounded through the night air. Time to move.

We surged forward en masse, weapons raised and ready. Shouts erupted from within the buildings as our adversaries scrambled awake, caught off guard by the sudden assault. Chaos reigned supreme; gunfire crackled deafeningly loud, bullets ricocheting off concrete surfaces with deadly force. Bodies fell left and right, blood spattering everywhere in grisly patterns.

In that moment, I promised myself I would never go on another operation with Mateo. No matter what he said, he wouldn’t convince me again.

Amidst the chaos, I struggled to keep pace with Mateo, trying not to lose sight of him amidst the swirling madness. He fought fiercely, moving fluidly between attackers, striking them down with brutal efficiency. Every blow landed true, fueled by years of honed skill and experience. It was terrifying yet mesmerizing all at once.

A few minutes later, order began to emerge from the disorder. Our enemies dwindled rapidly under the relentless onslaught, leaving only scattered remnants cowering in corners or hiding beneath debris. One final sweep confirmed victory achieved. All threats neutralized. Mission accomplished.

That was far too dangerous. I could have been killed. I trusted Mateo; he didn’t need to keep using these moments to prove his point.

Exhaustion weighed heavily upon me as adrenaline ebbed away, leaving behind bone-deep weariness. Leaning against a wall, I watched numbly as Mateo issued commands to clean up the scene, ensuring no evidence remained behind. Once satisfied everything appeared secure, he turned towards me, expression softening somewhat.

"Are you alright?"He asked gently, reaching out to cup my chin between his thumb and fingers. After everything that had just happened, now he wanted to know if everything was okay with me.

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