Page 58 of Her Wolf

“What’s to stop another cartel finding out?” Lars snapped. “We’ll be sitting ducks out there.”

“Which is why everyone’s wearing masks,” Cora said, drawing his eye. “Ana says there’s a separate room we can use to meet with the dealers. And they’ll be escorted off the property as soon as we’ve discussed everything.”

“Someone burned down your entire poppy plantation,” Lars said, trying to lower his voice and failing. “How’s that different from taking out a few hundred people at a party?”

“Your concern is touching,” Neo said, “but we’ll have everything under control.”

“Concern?” Lars repeated, laughing as he turned to face Neo. “I’m not concerned. I’m fucking shit scared the wrong people rock up at this party of yours. I mean, how—?”

“We’ll have a guest list,” Cora piped up. “If they’re not on the list, they don’t get in.”

“Yeah?” Lars’s neck was getting sore how he had to keep looking from one capo to the other. Why the fuck couldn’t they have sat next to each other? “And how difficult would it be to bribe the goon at the door?”

Cora’s mouth went tight, but there was something mischievous on those plump lips. “I don’t know, Lars, you tell me? What’ll it take to bribe you?”

He sat back in his chair.

Defeat.

He’d just been demoted to a fucking door guy, a glorified strong arm.

He tapped his finger along the side of his plate, watching Cora for a long moment before he spoke again.

“Well played, La Sombra,” he murmured, pushing back his chair. “Well played.”

He took two steps to the villa’s entrance and then turned back. He stabbed a finger in Cora’s direction. “You’d better make sure you’re wearing a fucking Kevlar vest under your costume tonight.” He swiped his hand through the air. “You may feel invincible, but a bullet’s still going to make you bleed.”

---