Page 57 of The Perfect Stranger

What I didn’t know was if he remembered me.

What he didn’t know was how much I knew of his corruption and affiliation with South American drug lords.

What he would soon experience were the consequences for allowing smaller parties to take the hit for their financial greed.

“Darling,” a man with a weak voice interrupted my thoughts and his wife’s ramble. “They’re seating us now.”

The bored wife didn’t look at her husband, but her lips pouted at having to say goodbye.

I saved her the effort and walked away claiming my seat two rows from Nina. Garcia pulled a chair out for her before claiming his own spot by her side. She sipped on champagne and giggled at her colleague’s jokes. But there was something different about the conversation this time. Garcia was trying too hard. Putting on a face, his eyes darting back to Delacroix across the room every few moments. There was tension, and as I drummed my fingers on the table, observing the three people, I had an uneasy feeling that something more sinister was transpiring as the night progressed.

My cell buzzed from an incoming message.

Gabriel.

Baja are thriving tonight. Eyes out.

Nice of him to give the warning but not the news I wanted. The cartel was closing in on our target making my success all the more slim.

Regaining focus, my gaze rested on Nina. She sliced delicately through her duck and sipped on her third glass of champagne. She turned away from Garcia only to meet my eyes. She paused. She stared. Long. Hard. She swallowed, nervous, her knife and fork lowering into the table. For a long moment, Nina was caught, transfixed, like an innocent doe caught in bright lights before willingly being led to its death.

She was beautiful.

Perfection.

She was everything I didn’t need.

But everything I had to have.

Pulling away she broke the hold. Her cheeks were flushed, fingers quivering. Barely moving her lips, she spoke to Garcia who looked my way. He frowned a little, assessing who I was before focusing on his meal. Returning her gaze to mine, she bit at her bottom lip and drank me in. She made no apologies for it, and it took every bit of restraint to not smile at her response. She was as attracted to me as I to her.

I felt a pang of guilt.

Using her attraction to gain her trust was cruel. I wanted more of her, but not under these conditions. Not with cartel strings attached. No. I wanted her all for myself.

Garcia, mid-chew glanced between Nina and me. He made a wise-crack that only made Nina’s face blush harder, and she looked away. A line of late wanderers passed between us to get to their tables, and I took it as my cue to make a phone call.

“Brother,” Gabriel greeted. “When are you bringing this girl home to me? I have plans for her. Big plans.”

My skin crawled, and I wanted to reach down the phone and slit his throat. I looked to Nina who was now on the dance floor with Garcia. I watched the way she moved, the way her long flowing hair caressed her skin.

“Working on it as we speak.” I bit my tongue from saying anything further.

“Good, don’t leave me hanging. Did you get my message?”

“Yes.”

“New York is crawling with both Los Santos and Baja tonight. They’re anticipating a fight. They each have their hit list, Hunter, so don’t get caught in the cross-fire. You see them on the street, keep walking. The Baja know your face, but my men have your back.”

I suppose that was meant to be comforting. It wasn’t. Truth be told I didn’t want anyone watching my back, especially from Los Santos cartel. Any affiliation with Luis and Gabriel was a dangerous affiliation.

Nina Cross was just about to learn how dangerous that was.

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