Page 84 of The Perfect Stranger

“Around these parts of town…” Gabriel answered, “…he’s known as el cazador.”

She scoffed. “What does that even mean?”

“Your daddy was Sinaloa was he not?”

Gabriel just couldn’t help himself. He just had to knock her down another peg or two.

She looked winded. “Yes.”

“And yet you know nothing of your native tongue?”

“How do you know about my father?”

He made a show of rolling up his sleeves. “Let’s just say we had an interesting business relationship.”

“You worked with him? Then you’d know he was brutally murdered.”

“What can I say? When your time’s up, it’s up! El cazador…” Gabriel continued, “…means the hunter. Fitting don’t you think?” He wore a wide patronizing smirk. “I hear you were quite the target.”

Once again, heat flushed her cheeks, this time for a different reason. She turned to me, scathing. “I trusted you! You lied to me the entire time.”

“Cariña…” I finally spoke. It came out too affectionate, Gabriel cocking his brow in response. I changed my tone. I became the asshole she now saw me as. “I never once lied. You believed what you wanted to hear, interpreted how you saw fit.”

“You never told me you worked for them.”

“I didn’t need to.”

“But you killed Santos men, back at the convenience store.”

“There’s a bounty on your head,” Gabriel chimed in, happy to deliver yet another blow. “All ranks had you marked as prey.”

“So you just kill them if they get in your way?” Indignation was mistaken for confusion.

“Pawns. That’s all they were, and that’s all you are.”

“Fuck you,” she spat. “I’ve got nothing to do with this.”

Gabriel snickered before advancing. Fisting and pulling her hair until she squealed, he threw Nina onto her back. A searing, boiling raged coursed through my veins. I knew he was doing this to antagonize me, to warrant a reaction.

“I can see why you took your time getting the bitch down here,” he egged further.

I gave him nothing.

“Time to take my cut, perhaps?” He leered, and Nina shuddered. “Was she this feisty for you, Hunter?”

“She practically begged for it.” I hated every word. I needed him off my case. The more he persisted, the more Nina would be hurt.

“Is that so?” He seemed pleased. “I can give rough if you like it that way, puta. Just say the word. Or I can take you nice and slow and watch you squirm underneath me.”

“Perhaps we should put her to work,” I interrupted.

Gabriel turned to me, amused. “Come on. You’re like a brother to me, Hunter. No harm in sharing is there? Or is she,different?” More bait.

“I don’t see the point in wasting time. Where’s Luis Santos?”

I needed to bring him back to reality. Back to why she was here to begin with.

Gabriel lost all humor. “You’re not here to do business with my uncle. Anything you have to say can go through me. That’s how it’s always been.”

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