Page 3 of Devil Mine

The door opens and I step out, buttoning my suit jacket as I straighten to my full height. I give an appraising look at the building and the ethnographical makeup of the people bustling about the busy business center.

Marco echoes my thoughts out loud.

“He’s going to hate being confronted here,” he says with a smirk.

I grunt in acknowledgment, adding, “I’ll hang him out the window of his precious building by his balls if that’s what it takes to get my money back.”

Marco laughs loudly and follows after me as I stalk towards the revolving door, the both of them flanking me as they keep a watchful eye on our surroundings.

“Jefe,” Arturo says, “Have you thought more about what we discussed?”

I groan loudly, dismissing him.

Not one to let himself be dissuaded unless a gun is pressed against his family jewels, he continues.

“You can’t keep putting this off, your father–”

I spin on my heels and face him. He stops abruptly, almost colliding with me in the process. Most men would wilt under the dark glare I pin on him, but he only drops his gaze.

“Do you work for me or do you work for my father?”

“My loyalty is to you–”

“Good,” I say, turning back around.

“Andthe entire da Silva cartel,” he finishes.

I bite back a snarl, not wanting to draw attention to us before we’ve entered the building.

“I don’t press this topic lightly, Thiago,” he continues. My eyes narrow on him. He uses my name to placate me, to remind me that he’s been myconsejero, my advisor, for years and has rightfully earned my trust. Grudgingly, I nod at him to go on. “But you know this is the next move we have to play.”

“We’ve destroyed the other cartels. The Italians are cowering in fear that we’ll turn our attention towards them next. The Armenians are a minor nuisance. The Irish are our allies. The Russians are staying out of our way. We have a strong alliance with Blackdown that gives us the cover of a legitimate business. We’ve won. I don’t understand why you or my father think I need a wife. What exactly will that buy me?”

“We’ve wonfor now. We shouldn’t let arrogance blind us into thinking that makes us untouchable. If you want to actually solidify your position in London, to prove that the war of the past year wasn’t a temporary power grab with you easily replaceable by the next well funded cartel, that the da Silva house is here to stay for good, then you need to marry.”

He throws open the door and follows after me into the building. The security guard at the front desk stands when he sees us approaching the turnstiles.

“What are you–”

His sentence cuts off abruptly when Marco points a gun at him. He blanches when he recognizes the five dagger tattoos on his fingers that identify him as a da Silva cartel member.

“Let us through,” he orders.

When he doesn’t immediately obey the order, fear freezing him in place, Marco steps up to him and presses the gun against his forehead.

“Let us through or find out what your desk looks like with your brain for decorations.”

He gulps and nods repeatedly, shaking fingers reaching for a button hidden underneath the ledge. A light flashes green and a metallic sound indicates that the lock is opening.

“A word of advice,” Marco tells the security guard as Arturo and I walk through. “Keep this between us if you want to make it home to your family tonight.”

“Marry outside of the cartel, Thiago,” Arturo continues, ignoring the threats in the background. He presses the button calling for the elevator. “Marry a good English woman to prove that you’re making your home in London permanent.”

“And what am I going to do with a good English woman once I’ve married her? Long walks in the park followed by daily tea and crumpets?” I shake my head. “You know she won’t fit into this life and the last thing I need is something like awifegetting in my way.”

“Who gives a fuck what you do with her? You just have to marry her, not live with her. Get a marriage certificate signed, put on a show for a brief honeymoon period, go to a few events together spread out over a year and then stick her in a country estate where she won’t bother anyone.”

I work my jaw back and forth as I think about his offer.

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