THE NEXT DAY, Domingo sends Ignacio and I to take care of some business matters. He’s buying some new docks and buildings to support our import and export business side of things. But honestly, it all feels trivial, like busy work. And I don’t like leaving Aria behind, especially with my uncle milling about. I don’t think he would touch Aria, and I would hope he would protect her in my absence. But I still feel something in my gut that’s telling me to be careful. And my gut is never wrong.
“What the fuck are we even doing here?” Ignacio asks, and I can’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind several times since we arrived.
“Not sure. Let’s just get this over with,” I tell him before looking over the contract one last time before applying my John Hancock to the bottom.
The owner made us tour the buildings and docks for hours only to have us come in for an early lunch to go over some contracts. My uncle definitely could have handled this, and I can’t seem to find a logical reason as to why he needed us to do it.
When I get back to his place, I’m going to question his motives. There must be an underlying reason why he wanted me here, and I know it wasn’t to spend quality time with his nephew. My uncle and I aren’t that type of family. We tolerate each other, at best.
I push the signed contract across the table towards the owner. “We done here?” I grind out.
He scratches his bald head and asks with a crooked grin, “You in a hurry all of a sudden?”
My palms itch with the need to shoot that fucking grin off of his face. I want to get the hell out of here and go back to the compound. I don’t like knowing that Aria is alone. Even though she’ll be under constant guard while I’m gone, I still worry. I’ll only feel better when she’s in my sight and in my arms.
“Shit,” Ignacio says as he looks down at his cell phone, drawing my attention to him. “Another explosion in one of our warehouses,” he informs me.
“Que mierda?” I mutter under my breath. The timing couldn’t be worse.
“Suspicious,” Ignacio says with a severe look on his face.
“Very,” I agree. I’ve never had an explosion in one of my warehouses since I started my cartel business. And now I’ve had two in the span of a week? Something is not adding up, and it’s making this whole trip feel…wrong. “Go back home early. Find out what’s going on,” I tell him.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Aria and I will fly back tomorrow,” I explain.
“Alright. Whatever you say, boss,” Ignacio says before packing up his stuff. “Call me if anything happens,” he says, giving me a pointed look.
Even he is feeling like something is amiss, and it makes my anxiety grow. Standing, I button my suit jacket and say goodbye to the owner.
The drive to my uncle’s place feels like it takes forever. I’m about two feet in the door when I hear a group of men whispering about a hot woman on the beach. Thinking nothing of it, I keep walking until I hear one of the guards say, “You know, they say the short girls have the deepest pussies. I’d like to find out if that’s true.”
Are they talking about Aria? Curiosity has me going to the window. Hoping, for their sake, that I’m wrong, I look out over the beach. And that’s when I see her.
Aria is lying on a towel in a bikini that looks like it was made two sizes too small for her body.
“I bet you a hundred dollars I could make that little bitch moan my name in five seconds.”
“Bullshit. Your little dick wouldn’t make that bitch moan,” another says with a loud laugh.
“Little? Have you seen the size of my cojones?” he jokes.
“Who cares about the size of your balls?” one retorts. “She’s only gonna care about the size of your cock when you’re laying the pipe!” he calls out.
The four of them are laughing, but all that laughter stops the moment I step into the room. “Something funny, gentlemen?” I ask.
“No, sir,” the youngest one says. “We were just talking about the woman on the beach.”
“Ah. Yes. Funny thing about her.” I glance around the room, meeting all of their nervous stares one by one before I tell them, “That’s my girlfriend.” Aria and I have never staked claim on each other in the sense of putting titles on our relationship, but she’s the closest thing to a girlfriend I’ve ever had. And I must admit it feels good calling her that.
After I drop that little bombshell, you could fucking hear a pin drop by how silent the room gets. No more joking. No more laughter. Just nervous glances and clearing of throats.
If they were my men, I would have killed them all. Fortunately, for them, they don’t work for me. And I can’t go into my uncle’s house and take out his security detail without a better reason than because I wanted to. But that doesn’t mean I can’t teach them a very valuable lesson.
“So, which one of you said you could make her moan your name in five seconds?” I question.
One of them steps forward. “I’m sorry, Mr. Navarro,” he spits out. “I didn’t mean —.”
Pulling out my Glock, I shoot him in the shoulder. It’s merely a flesh wound, but it will hurt like hell and teach him some fucking manners.
The man screams in pain as he cradles his fucked-up arm.
The rest of the guards stand there in shock with their mouths hanging open as they look upon their now wounded colleague.
“Now, did anyone else want to talk about my girlfriend out there?” I ask.
They all shake their heads.
“Good,” I say with a wicked grin spreading across my face. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I have an urgent matter to address.” Then, I walk out of the room and make my way towards the beach.
