Page 81 of Queens and Monsters

“I don’t follow schedules either,” Padre said. “You’ll both go today. When you return, I want either the confirmation of Myshkin’s and Herrera’s location or their blood on your hands.”

Jano’s nostrils flared as his gaze met mine. There was no getting out of this mandate.

Ten minutes later, I was with Jasmine in our stateroom, me dressed for battle and my wife in a sexy black bikini.

“You’re leaving?” she asked with fresh tears in her eyes.

I reached for the floppy hat covering her gorgeous hair and pulled it from her head. “I’ll be back. I promise. You’ll be safe here with my parents and Mia.”

“Mia.”

Snaking my arm around her trim waist, I pulled her hips against mine. “Jano said she felt bad about leaving the table.”

Jasmine shook her head. “I’m not worried about Mia. We’ll learn to navigate this.” She looked down at how our bodies were pressed together and back up. “Rei, youpromised we’d get to know one another. I expect you to keep that promise.”

This was fucking difficult.

I lowered my lips to her forehead, the aroma of sunscreen filling my senses before I kissed her soft skin. “I’m a man of my word.” My lips quirked. “And while I’m gone, you have permission to pleasure yourself, as long as you’re thinking about me.”

“It isn’t the same.”

I lifted my brow. “Good.”

“I’ve never come like I did last night or this morning. I can’t do that alone.”

“Your choice,preciosa.When I return, I want you ready to take me, all of me. Fucking or making love is your choice.”

She nodded. “I’ll never stop thinking about you.”

I cupped her cheek. “Fuck, Jasmine. This is what I do. Whenmí padresays jump, we fucking jump. If he thought other men could do what Jano and I can do, he’d send them. We’re fucking good at this.”

“I understand.” She reached for my arm, the one with the bullet scar, and lowered her lips to the circular reminder. “Don’t get shot.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Will you at least call me?”

“I’ll try. It will depend on if we can without calling attention to ourselves.”

“Are you going to fly inland on the helicopter?”

“No, we’ll take a boat. Again, less spotlight. Boats come and go from San Diego’s ports.”

“Down to where the man with the machine gun is?”

I nodded. “Come with me?”

With my duffel bag over my shoulder, we quietly walked hand in hand through the passageways and down the stairs until we made our way down to the boat ramp. Jano and Mia were there when we arrived. It was obvious by her swollen eyes that Mia had been crying.

I squeezed Jasmine’s hand.

Joaquín, one ofPadre’sguards and boat captain, pulled a forty-eight-foot cigarette boat up to the floating platform. After I left Jasmine with one more kiss, Jano and I stepped from the deck to the platform and down into the boat.

“Mia isn’t taking this well,” I said as we both took seats.

“I’m not fucking either. Let’s get this shit done. I want to see my son come into this world.”

As Joaquín accelerated the boat, my eyes widened. I slapped Jano on the shoulder. “A boy. Fuck, congratulations.”

---