Page 60 of Queen's Move

Vee understood. Sotza was exactly the same. In the two years that they’d been married he had become more overbearing in his desire to keep Vee from harm. She would have balked except he also treated her with respect. He kept her apprised of all the business he conducted, and after she’d learned the ropes, brought her on as an equal partner. It hadn’t been an easy transition moving from drugs to arms dealing, but she was a fast learner. It helped that Sotza was a patient and loving instructor. He listened to her opinions and, after he deemed her ready, allowed her to take on several negotiations. They found that the men they worked with often preferred her softer touch to his harsh, uncompromising way of doing business. The organization had benefitted twofold by her presence.

Married life suited them both. They rarely left Venezuela, spending most of their time either on the estate or the island. They preferred their home turf. When they did have to travel for business they always went together. They’d become inseparable. They worked side-by-side and lived as a unit. This marriage was nothing like any of her previous relationships. Sotza had even accompanied her on a shopping trip to Caracas, insisting they go together or not at all. She thought he would be bored out of his mind. Of course, he wasn’t. Somehow the man found pleasure in anything and everything that had to do with his wife. He gave her that small tilt of the lips as she tried on clothes and showed them to him. He offered his opinion, which of course matched hers, when she was looking at purses and shoes. He had been the perfect shopping companion.

After their trip into the capital Vee had approached him about the ridiculous high prices for food and basic necessities. Money had no meaning to them, it was endless. But it had meaning to the people of Venezuela, many of whom were starving. From talking with the staff, she knew that most of them saved every penny of their paychecks and sent the money home to their families. Sotza already had a bead on local politicians, engaging them in talks about funding for social programs. But at Vee’s insistence they started a charity that would make sure more people in more regions were fed. And if that didn’t work, they would use other parts of their organization to make sure people had the necessary paperwork to immigrate to neighboring countries if that was their wish.

Not every part of married life was perfect. Vee missed Raina terribly, but refused to have any contact in case it could be used to trace her. It was like having her heart stabbed for a second time, having to give her up at birth and then again just when they were developing a relationship. Raina’s absence caused tension between Vee and Mateo. He refused to forgive her for helping his woman escape. And she refused to regret that decision. Not for a single second. Every time her heart ached she would imagine what Raina was doing, what kind of experiences she was having. Knowing that Raina was free to make her own choices and that she had a good head on her was enough for Vee.

Her absent gaze fell on Sally who was crawling after a caterpillar. “Have you ever thought about having another one?” she asked Casey.

Casey seemed to think about it for a few seconds and then said, “Yes. I want one, and so does Reyes. But he’s terrified that I could have a stroke or something since I’m higher risk for those things. I think we probably will one day, but for now, we’re happy indulging our baby Llama.”

“Llama!” Vee burst out laughing.

Casey laughed too. “I wanted her pet name to be something native to Bolivia and there are llamas everywhere. We even have a herd that lives wild in our area.” Casey watched Vee for a moment and then said softly. “Have you thought of having another? It’s not too late, plenty of women have babies in their forties.”

“No,” she said quietly. “I’ll never have another child. I won’t bring another life into the mafia.”

“I understand,” Casey said, reaching out to grab Sally as she was about to squish the caterpillar. “It’s a bit hypocritical isn’t it? How we’ll take advantage of all the riches the mafia has to offer but despise the parts we don’t find appetizing.”

Vee thought about it. About her beautiful garden, even nicer house filled with all the staff she could ever want. Her private jet, her private island. The clothes, the jewels, everything. Was it worth it?

“We’re the women of the mafia, Casey, we were born to this. We didn’t have a choice. We may as well take advantage of the privileges, they help us get through the awful parts.” She looked down at Casey’s scarred hand, which was splayed across Sally’s back, holding her in place. The raised ‘H’ would be with her forever, a reminder of her dead husband’s cruelty. “We are the children of mobsters. You were born to the mob, I was born to it. Gina and her unborn child are mafia.” She named Casey’s cousin, currently in Bolivia with her husband, Alejandro. He wouldn’t allow his young wife to travel while pregnant or she would have been right there on the bench with them. Vee continued, “Sally was born to it and so was Raina. She’ll have to come home eventually, to face her roots. I’ve made my peace with that.”

“That sounds so bleak,” Casey said, her voice catching a little. “True, but bleak.” She stared at her daughter, allowing the horror of Vee’s words to sink in. Sally would always be mafia, she would never be free.

“Maybe,” Vee agreed, turning to look fully at her best friend. She reached out to trace a finger over the brand on Casey’s neck, the tiny feminine crown. A matching masculine one adorned Reyes’ throat. “But we’re the Queens. Bad or good, right or wrong, we rule our Kings and everything around them.”

“Amen,” Casey breathed.

Deciding it was best to lighten the mood, they changed topics and played with Sally a little longer in the garden. The weather was warmer than usual, heating the paving stones, so the women sat on the ground, Sally tottering around them giggling, carefree in her childish innocence.

“Vee,” Sotza’s voice reached out to her and she turned to look as he strode toward them, Reyes at his side. The two men together were utterly breathtaking. Handsome, hard and dominant. Sotza was taller and more regal than Reyes, but Reyes was broader, more muscular. Both men exuded that casual confidence that came with their positions in the world. The top of their respective regimes.

“You know… it was my husband that decided to send Sotza to Miami, to go after you,” Casey murmured.

“And who suggested he might be a good fit for my particular situation?” Vee replied, turning back to eye her friend.

Casey grinned unabashedly. “It worked out, right? You seem happy to me.”

“That is a pretty deadly game of match-making you played there, Señora Reyes. You couldn’t have known he would fall in love with me.”

“I never had a single doubt,” Casey whispered as the men approached.

Although Reyes and Casey had come to Venezuela for a visit, they were there first and foremost for business. The four of them were in the process of creating a strong alliance that would consolidate power throughout South America. Both Vee and Casey joined in most of the negotiations. The major debate among the group, once the alliance was set in stone, was what to do about Mexico, now that Nicolas Garza was dead. Hunted down and taken out by Mateo, under Sotza’s orders. Without Domingo or Garza heading operations, Mexico was becoming even more desperately violent as men fought to take over the shreds of the Garza cartel.

The next order of business was Miami. The hub for all underworld traffic on the East coast of the United States was in chaos. The region needed strong leadership and they needed to find someone they trusted for the job.

Vee stood, brushing her skirt off. She cringed inside, side-eyeing the serious damage Sally had done to Sotza’s precious garden. She was definitely going to hear about it later. How she’d allowed a toddler to storm the shrubbery without once lifting a finger to stop the destruction. She opened her mouth to speak, to pardon the small creature, when Sotza took her arm in a tight grip.

“Isaac –” she started to say, but he interrupted her, directing his words toward Casey. Reyes had stopped beside his wife and crouched down to retrieve his daughter, holding her delighted squirming body against his chest.

“Please excuse us, Señora Reyes, I must speak to my wife. It is urgent.”

“Of course,” Casey said, her voice holding some confusion and worry.

Sotza nodded toward Reyes and turned on his heel, striding toward the house. He by-passed the cobbled paths and walked straight across the grass, something she’d never seen him do. Even when he was in a hurry to go down to his prison and interrogate someone. He always respected his immaculate lawns and gardens.

“Isaac!” Vee gasped, trying to keep up with his long strides and failing. “My shoes!”

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