Page 82 of Embedded
“Excuse,” Armondo approached and leaned into my ear, “we have a problem. Archie is dead, and Nicole escaped.”
Rage ripped through me like a chainsaw.
Mama gave a dramatic sigh. “Are you even listening?”
“No,” I barked and spun on my heel and headed toward my office. Rio blocked my path, and my gaze landed on his bloody shoulder. His face was pale and sweaty.
“Do you know?” he gasped and glared at me with such intensity I could physically feel it.
“Know what?” Mama’s voice cut through what little sanity I had left. “Rio,” she rushed to his side, “what happened to you? Have you been shot?” Her voice was full of concern.
Rio struggled to speak. “I’m nowhere near all right. Your son has been a hiding a secret.”
I couldn’t deal with the two of them; I needed to get to my cameras. “I’m not in the mood for you right now.” I moved around him, but he dared to grab my arm, and I saw red. I jammed two fingers straight into his wound and felt the satisfaction as he dropped to the floor.
“Bruno, stop!” Mama cried and reached down to help Rio to his feet.
Rio groaned like the little bitch he was as he held his shoulder and leaned into her. “Tell her or I will!” Saliva flew from his lips. “Tell her how you let the enemy into our lives. Into our world!”
I rubbed my face and pulled my gun and pointed it at him. “I don’t have time for this!” My voice boomed across the room. “Say what you mean or get the fuck out of my house!”
“Eric Noah. He’s a fucking Blackstone soldier!”
I jerked back as I took in his words. My mind spun as I thought about all the times Eric and I had done business together. I’d seen him shoot people point blank in the face, he trafficked women, and had been close with my uncle Martin.
“What have you done?” My mother’s eyes were dark, round pits. Her voice scraped my brain.
“You’re a fool, Rio. That’s a total lie.” I seethed at him. I knew Eric. He was friends with Grim Gates and Trigger. There was no way he could be what Rio was saying…unless I was being played… by Rio.
Things started to click in place. Rio was always coming at me. He had Mama’s full attention. I looked at her hand on his arm. He had her in his pocket. Of course!
“Get the fuck out of my house!” I screamed at him. When he didn’t move, I shot over his shoulder, shattering the window. Men quickly came inside with their guns drawn.
“That’s enough!” Mama demanded. Then she whistled for one of her men. “Take Rio. He needs medical help.”
“Wait,” Rio looked at her, “do you want to know who Eric is protecting? It’s that reporter, the woman who he claims isn’t here.” Mama’s face went to stone as he turned to look at me and sneered. “She got away, in case you were wondering.”
“Rio, that’s enough. You need to get that shoulder looked at. I can’t have you out of commission.” Mama waved him off, and he nodded and started to limp away like it was his leg that was shot and not his shoulder. I didn’t wait around for her reprimand and headed up the stairs toward my office. I’d get my men to look at the cameras. I was wasting time dealing with all these lies.
“Where do I even begin?” She had followed me.
“You can start by leaving,” I shouted over my shoulder.
I heard her come up the stairs behind me. “You don’t walk away from me, boy. I am your mama. I say when you leave! How could you let this happen? How could you be so blind? I’m pulling your position in this family. I’m stripping you of the Perez name altogether.”
I expected to snap, but instead everything fused together and seemed to make perfect sense. I turned to her.
“I’m more of a Perez than you, Mama. Need I remind you that you’re a Castillo, and last I checked, that blood line ends with you.” Her mouth dropped open, and before I saw it coming, her hand made contact with my cheek.
I chuckled at the sting, then I sprang forward and wrapped my hands around her neck and squeezed with all my might. Her eyes bugged out, and I watched dispassionately as her mind tried to understand what was happening. All the white noise that came with her started to dissolve. She had seconds left when I let go. She put a hand to the wall as she sucked in deep, gasping breaths which then turned into nasty sobs.
“You tried to kill me,” she croaked.
“No Mama, I did kill you.” I lashed out with my foot and kicked her in the chest and watched as she toppled down the stairs. Her legs flipped over her head as she summersaulted a few times, then her head hit the floor below. Her limbs were spread out in all directions.
Silence.
I leaned over the banister and studied the pool of blood that trickled out from beneath her head.
