Page 39 of Bound to the Crime Lord

“Andres, stealing my liquor I see.” I sat on the armchair that was directly opposite them. I then turned my attention to the ever-glowing Savina. “Savina, I see your child has dulled your thorns.”

She scowled at my comment. “I will still slice your balls clean off your dick, Gomez. Watch yourself.”

“I only tease.” I held up my hands. “Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“Don’t act like you aren’t swimming in hot water, Manuel. I’ve heard about The Triad.” Andres sipped on the whiskey and looked me dead in the eye. “Pesky little ones, aren’t they?”

I ground my teeth together. “Get to your point, Valdez. Surely, you didn’t travel all the way here for you to simply offer your sympathies to me.”

The side of Andres’ lips tilted upward. “I have information. Some that may be of use to you.”

“What do you want in return, Andres? I know you haven’t come all this way to tell me this in person.”

“Smart man. I knew I always liked you.”

“Out with it.”

“I’m looking for someone. But I need clearance to search the area myself.”

This piqued my interest. “And you have reason to believe that this person is in my territory?”

“It’s likely. I just need to make sure. And if I’m quite frank, I don’t trust your men to search for me. This is a rather sensitive issue.”

“Who is it?” If he had come here to trade important information, this person had to be very important to him, which meant they could be useful to me. “Maybe I know them.”

Savina huffed, rubbing her belly affectionately, but her eyes held the fire of a thousand suns. “I doubt you do, Gomez. Now, enough of this back and forth. Can we strike a deal or not?”

I looked between the golden mafia couple. Their wedding made headlines in our world. No one had ever formed an alliance quite this strong in a very long time. They were a force to be reckoned with, and yet here they were, trying to garner a deal with little old me.

If my head weren’t caving in on itself, I would have enjoyed the moment more.

“Fine, you have passage in my area. I will let my men know.” I leaned back in my chair. “Now tell me this information you have.”

“The Triads originates from Mexico, a small village called Guadalajara, a town I’m sure you’re very familiar with.” Savina spoke this time. “We have reason to believe that they were the ones who killed your mother.”

My heart skipped a beat, but I kept my body composed. “And how do you know this information?”

“We found one of their boys working a corner in the Upper East Side—myterritory. I don’t take kindly to intruders. So, I worked him for information.”

Worked himmeant that she’d tortured him until he’d finally spoken. I wondered if he was still alive. Savina didn’t like to keep those who crossed her breathing.

“I see.” This information was rather valuable to me. I had been stuck trying to figure out where the fuck they were coming from. They were like freaking hydra. You cut off one head and then two more would grow in its place. They were an infestation that was long overdue for extermination.

“Right,” Savina tapped her husband, “my son is kicking my ribs and I need to get the hell out of this dress.Amore mio, help me, please.”

Andres got to his feet and helped his pregnant wife up. “Just give me a second,cara mia.”

She nodded and looked my way. “I would say it was lovely to see you, but then I would be lying.”

“Always a pleasure, Savina.” I stood to my feet and smiled. “I do hope you have a safe delivery. You’re carrying the mafia prince, after all.”

She rolled her eyes at the title. She had been dubbed the Ice Queen from the moment she took over from her father. And her husband was known as the Prince of Death. They were mafia royalty—our version of Charles and Diana, without the tragic end, of course.

Savina walked out of the study, leaving me with her husband. We stood in silence for a long moment, neither one of us willing to break the thick tension.

“There is more,” he said ominously. “It’s about your mother. She never cheated on your father. In fact, she had been loyal tohim from start to finish. She was drugged and raped by links within The Triad. It was all a setup to wound your family.”

The amount of information being thrown my way was a lot to take in in one sitting. I was still trying to process the fact that the biggest thorn in my side originated from my hometown.

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