12. Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Miguel
It's funny how he thinks chaining me to a bed and leaving me a note on a mirror would keep me from taking back what's mine. His heart belonged to me back then and I plan to claim it again. He can act like what we have doesn't mean anything to him anymore, but he isn't fooling anyone. Let alone me.
The way he had stared up at me with adoring eyes, trusting me in his most vulnerable state tells me I haven't lost yet. I'll have to keep reminding him of how precious he is to me until he believes it. Until my love outweighs all the hate he's been harvesting all these years.
Able stares at the road ahead, knowing better than to say anything. It wouldn't be anything I've never heard before, so there really isn't any point in him even bothering. The overstretching silence kills me more than his pestering questions though.
"I want you to get my jet ready again and to book the same hotel I stayed in when I was in Kansas City.”
His hands tighten around the wheel, and he sighs. "I've always been up front with you and it's my job to keep you safe."
"You can save the whole talk where you tell me I should move on. I'm not in the mood for it. I will leave first thing in the morning."
"You were just chained to a bed. You're lucky he didn't put a bullet between your eyes."
"He wouldn’t. I know my Marcus."
"Except he isn't yours anymore. Your son could use you here. There are bigger things at stake right now. We still haven't figured out who's been messing with the drugs or leaving the shells behind. It could be the same person."
"It's not."
"How can you—" His words trail off and his eyes widen. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me it's been him the whole time?"
"Yes. He's upset is all. I know him. Once it's out of his system, he'll stand down."
"And how many more of your men have to die until it's out of his system?"
"What are you talking about?"
"They took more than the drugs last night. Mateo didn't want to bother you while you were away. He figured he'd tell you when you got back. Whoever broke into one of the warehouses, planted a bomb inside, killed almost everyone who came into work. Your son barely made it out with his life."
I shake my head frantically, pressing my palms to my knees. "That's not Marcus. It can't be. I was with him last night."
"You and I both know him having an alibi doesn't matter. He has plenty of friends who could've done this for him."
"I'm telling you; Marcus would never risk hurting Mateo. He knows how much my family means to me and he knows how much Mateo means to his son, Gabriel. This fight is between us."
"Except when he fucks with the business, he fucks with us all. How can you be so sure he wouldn't do this as a warning of what would happen if you show up in Kansas again?"
"The men leaving behind the—"
"There were no brass shells found anywhere. At least take more than a day to think this through. Go see your son."
"Where is he?"
"I'll take you to him now."
He's wrong, he has to be. Marcus couldn't be the one responsible and if he is then I've been blindsided this whole time. The man I've loved all these years may truly be gone after all. And if he really had tried to hurt Mateo, is Isaiah in danger too?
Able pulls into Gabriel and Mateo’s new home. Gabriel is standing outside waiting on the front porch as we drive through the opening gate. I step out of the car, rushing toward the front door. "Where's my son?"
"Resting. I see you've finally made it back home. Isaiah called not long ago saying you were a lot of help during your visit. He said you got a man who was hired to leave behind more brass to talk."
"I did. That's how your brother was able to track down Mr. Williams. We will get these men too."
"I have no doubt,” he says with confidence laced in his tone.
"Did these men who attacked us yesterday know Mateo was in the warehouse?
"There's no doubt in my mind they did.” He blows out a breath. “They told him something before activating the bomb."
"What do you mean?" My voice wavers.
"They said his death will be a warning to you and that you wouldn't want to lose both of your sons."
A lump forms in my throat. "A warning for what?"
"Able said someone has been sending you messages for a while now by messing with orders and setting fires to the field."
I shake my head. "Those aren't related.”
"You're sure?" He lifts brow.
"Mostly."
"So you know who it is?" He steps closer.
"Yes." I scrub a hand over my face, feeling restless inside.
"Shouldn't we track them down and make them pay for the trouble they've caused? Then we can question them on whether or not yesterday was their doing."
"It's not that simple, Gabriel."
"Why the fuck not? Who are you trying to protect?"
I release a drawn out sigh. "Your father."
His brows furrow. "What does my father have to do with any of this?"
"We should go inside and talk."
He nods, leading me through the front door. We both take a seat in the living room, sitting across from one another. Gabriel stares out the window. "Are you going to tell me the real reason you were in Kansas City?"
"To see Isaiah and to pay a visit to Marcus." I shift on the couch, unable to stay still.
"You mean—"
"I'm well aware he's alive. You could only keep it from me for so long."
His face strains as his eyes meet mine again. "He made us promise. He said he'd tell you when he was ready."
"Looks like he chose to show me first." I grit my teeth, my pants bunching between my clenching fists.
"You're saying the order that was laced with fentanyl was Marcus?"
"And the fire in the field that happened right before I left,” I add.
"You're sure?" He scoots closer to the edge of his chair.
"He admitted it to me in the back of his car after he kidnapped me from a club."
Gabriel laughs. "You two really were made for one another. You couldn't have picked a more perfect time to have a fight, huh?"
"You understand now why yesterday's incident isn't related to the others?"
"Yes. Marcus wouldn't have threatened Mateo. He may hate you right now, but he wouldn't hurt you in this way and he wouldn't hurt me either. If it isn't him and it isn't the men leaving behind the brass, then who is it?"
"There was nothing left behind at all?'
He shakes his head, glancing at the floor. "We've torn the place apart and came up empty handed."
"And Mateo? Does he remember what the men looked like?"
"They all had on masks except for one. He said he'd never seen the guy before, but definitely won't be forgetting his face now. Mateo said they did keep mentioning a name."
I perk up in my seat. "What was it?"
"Del Rae."
My jaw tightens. "It was only a matter of time before he came after me. Santana probably let him know who was involved in sabotaging his delivery before she died. It pissed off many of his customers, ruining his reputation. No doubt he suffered lots of backlash for it."
Del Rae had owned Club Peaches and all the other clubs in Florida where illegal brothels were being held. Most men and women who worked in them weren’t there willingly. The ones who were, only did it to pay off a debt they probably would never get paid. Promises that come from men like Del Rae were never to be trusted. Once he had you and you brought him money, he’d never let you go.
Gabriel sighs, pulling out his phone. “I’ll call Carlos and see what all he can find on Del Rae and his whereabouts. If he is working with these others then—”
“He may not be. Del Rae prefers to do things on his own terms. He doesn’t care about anyone else not getting their merchandise. He only cares when his own dealings are affected. He made promises to his top clients at the clubs he runs and wasn’t able to deliver. No telling what kind of threats he received. I’m sure he lost plenty of money too.”
“He’s about to lose a whole lot more for fucking with the wrong family. We will find him and if we can’t, we will burn down each of his clubs until he comes out from hiding.”
“Good. One thing I know for certain, is no man can sit back and watch his whole livelihood burn around him without trying to save it.”
“He can try all he wants, but he will fail. They all will.”
Gabriel’s phone buzzes in his hand and his smile grows wicked. “Carlos says they got Mr. Williams.”
I scoot closer to the edge of the chair. “That was fast. These assholes make it way too easy.”
“Looks like there will be a few more visits from some of Mr. Williams's friends soon. A few of them have been spotted near Wichita. Carlos says they could use more reinforcements. I would go, but I need to stay here and be with Mateo until he’s fully back on his feet again.”
“I guess I’m heading back to Kansa City.”