Page 5 of Puma's Pride

As he glares at me, I realize who he is: Sal’s middle son, Josef. The only member of the Gutierrez clan I haven’t met.

“Look, Josef, I like your dad. He’s a mean SOB, but then so am I. I didn’t try to kill him and I can prove it.”

Josef frowns when I say his name, but he doesn’t question me about how I know it. He has other things on his mind. “How can you prove it?”

“Is Sal still alive?” When he nods, I continue. “Then it wasn’t me. If I wanted Sal dead, he’d be dead.”

I hear one guard chuckle, but he stops when Josef shoots him a glare. “You’re a cocky bastard, aren’t you?” He asks me, and I shrug. Why deny it?

“Tell me what happened to Sal?” I demand.

“Someone put a bomb in his car. It blew. Took out the whole garage.” Josef tells me. “Along with the driver. My best friend.”

With those last three words, I can see the pain that drove him to capture me. Even though what he did was fucking stupid and careless.

“If I wanted to kill your father, I’d use a gun. Or my bare hands.” I tell him.

He snorts. “You couldn’t kill him with your bare hands.” He informs me.

In a single motion, I bust the chair into pieces. Since whoever tied me up zip tied me to different sections of the chair instead of locking my wrists together, I’m free and have no problem wrapping my hands around Josef’s throat. I’m ready to order the guards to drop their weapons when the door flies open and my brothers pour in, with Dante in the lead.

“Fuck man, if you had it under control, you should have told us.” Dante says as Chill, Chaos and Wildcard take down the guards.

“Fuck you. What took you so long?” Josef paws at my hand so I loosen my hold just enough to let him talk. “I don’t know what the fuck you expected to accomplish by going after me, but all you’ve done is piss me off. Now you’re going to answer my questions and if you answer them correctly, I won’t break your neck. Got it?”

He nods, but his glare tells me he’s pissed off. Well, join the fucking club.

“Are you going to introduce us to your friends?” Dante asks.

“Josef Gutierrez. Sal’s middle son.” I say. “Josef, Dante, President of the Demon Dawgs.” I smile when I see Josef blanch. “Now that we have the pleasantries over with. Tell me about the attack.” I demand.

“He was leaving his estate for a meeting at Mandalay Bay. Dad’s regular driver ended up in the hospital after someone mugged him. Greg offered to drive him. When he went to get the car, it blew.”

“But Sal’s ok?” I ask and he nods. “Have there been other attempts?”

He narrows his eyes at me, but shakes his head.

I let him down, but as he’s rubbing his neck, I plow my fist into his gut. He goes to his knees as he desperately tries to draw in breath.

“Don’t ever fucking come at me again.” I tell him. “I’m not killing you, but don’t think I won’t if you try a stunt like this again.”

“What the fuck’s going?” Dante asks.

“He thought I planted a car bomb to take out his father.”

“You’re working with someone else to move drugs into Vegas.” Josef says once he regains his breath. “What the fuck am I supposed to think?”

Glancing down at him, I snort. “I’m not working with someone to bring drugs in. Sal knows what I’m doing. I’m trying to find someone else to move the drugs I get from you since I want out of the drug trade.”

“Done here?” Dante asks me, but he’s looking at Reaper. I glance at my nephew and see him clutching his phone like an expectant father.

“What’s with you?” I ask him.

“Flame got shot. Ashlyn is on her way back to San Diego.” Dante explains.

“Well, why the fuck didn’t you go with her?” I demand.

“Because she insisted on my finding your ass.” Reaper snarls back.

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