28. Dante
TWENTY-EIGHT
I stumbled through the dimly lit parking lot, my body heavy with exhaustion. The familiar weight of my car keys jingled in my hand as I approached my sleek black Maserati, the promise of a few hours of respite calling to me like a siren’s song.
But just as I reached for the door handle, a prickling sensation crawled up my neck, a sixth sense honed by years of living on the razor’s edge of danger. I tensed, my muscles coiling like a spring as I whirled around, ready to face whatever threat lurked in the shadows.
Too late.
A sharp sting pierced the side of my neck, and before I could react, a wave of dizziness washed over me, my vision blurring and my limbs growing heavy. I tried to fight it and lash out at my unseen attacker, but my movements were sluggish and uncoordinated, as if moving through a thick, dense haze.
Then the world tilted on its axis as my knees buckled, my body crumpling to the unforgiving pavement. I struggled to stay conscious, to cling to the rapidly fading threads of awareness, but it was a losing battle.
The last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me was a pair of scuffed boots advancing toward me with a slow, deliberate stride.
When I came to, I was in the trunk of a car, at least by the smell of it. My limbs felt like lead as I tried to piece together what the hell just happened. Motherfucking Javier Cruz, this had to be his work. It reeked of the desperate, back-alley tactics that asshole loved. Well, he picked the wrong fucking guy to mess with this time.
My head was still cloudy when the car lurched to a stop. I could hear muffled voices outside. I tried to make out what they were saying, but with the buzz in my ears, it all sounded like underwater shit. My heart pounded, fear of what was coming next gripping me.
I gasped for air as the trunk lid opened, and blinding light from a flashlight pierced the darkness. As my eyes adjusted, I found myself staring up at… Natalia? What the hell? Her expression was a mix of determination and something else – something I couldn’t quite place.
“Dante,” she said, her voice steady, betraying none of the turmoil I knew must be raging within her. “We need to talk.”
I struggled to sit up, my limbs still heavy and uncoordinated from the effects of the sedative. “Talk?” I rasped, my throat dry and aching. “Is that your word for kidnapping, special agent Natalia Ramirez?”
Natalia’s eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening ever so slightly. “Don’t play the victim, Dante,” she countered, her tone sharp and unyielding. “You knew what you were getting into when you gave me those false leads.”
I felt a surge of anger course through me, pushing past the lingering haze of the drugs. “And you knew what you were doing when you lied to me and manipulated me with your undercover shit,” I shot back, my voice rising with each word. “So, let’s not pretend like either of us has the moral high ground here.”
A flicker of something like regret passed across Natalia’s features. “You’re right,” she conceded. “We’ve both played our parts, deceived each other in our own ways. But that’s not why we’re here, Dante.”
I arched an eyebrow, curiosity, and caution warring within me. “Then why are we here, Natalia?” I asked, emphasizing her real name. “What’s this all about?”
She inhaled deeply, her eyes never leaving mine. “It’s about the truth, Dante. The truth about the DEA and your father, about the corruption that runs deeper than we could have imagined.”
I felt my heart skip a beat as her words sank in. “What are you talking about?” I demanded.
Natalia’s eyes blazed with anger and determination. “The raid on the warehouse that went wrong,” she began. “It was a set-up, Dante. Someone within the DEA tipped off the cartel and compromised the entire operation. Killed my partner, Agent Matt Bennett.”
I shook my head, my mind reeling with the implications of her revelation. “That’s impossible,” I breathed. “No one knew the details except for...”
My voice trailed off as the realization hit me, a sickening weight settling in the pit of my stomach. “My father,” I said, the words tasting like ash on my tongue. I remembered him telling me that he had moved the product. However, I’d never imagined an informant within the DEA had told him. “He set me up, used me as bait to get your partner killed. But why?”
“Maybe Matt was getting too close. No matter what, the cartel had a mole in the DEA for a long time.”
“I swear to you, I had no part in that setup,” I rasped. “I’m not proud of everything I do, but I’m not a murder...”
She held up a hand, silencing me with a gentle shake of her head. “I know, Dante,” she said, her eyes shimmering with sadness and resolve. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if I thought otherwise.”
I searched her face as I tried to make sense of it all. “So, what are you saying, Natalia?” I asked. “What do you want from me?”
She leaned in closer, her face mere inches from mine. “I want you to help me take down your father,” she said.
I narrowed my eyes. “I had a feeling. Maybe we can discuss that later, but first, there’s a little matter we need to clear up.”
“I’m listening,” she said cooly.
“You stuck a fucking needle in my neck,” I breathed in her face.
She didn’t flinch. “You spanked me twice. I think we’re even.”
Before I could utter a comeback, Natalia’s lips crashed against mine, her kiss fierce and hungry. I melted into her embrace, my hands tangling in her hair as I surrendered to the emotions that threatened to consume us both.
A pointed cough from behind Natalia broke the spell, and we parted, breathless and flushed. I noticed the other woman standing a few feet away, her arms crossed over her chest.
“As touching as this little reunion is,” she drawled, “maybe we should take this somewhere else.”
Natalia flushed, her cheeks coloring with embarrassment as she straightened, her composure slipping back into place. “You’re right, Val,” she said, her gaze flickering back to me. “We have much to discuss, and this isn’t the ideal location.”
I nodded. “Lead the way,” I said. “Preferably a place with alcohol. I need a fucking drink.”
I nursed my tequila as we settled into a secluded booth at the back of the dimly lit Cuban joint Valentina had suggested. The mouthwatering scent of spices and sizzling meat wafted through the air, a sharp contrast to our uneasy vibes.
“So,” Valentina began, her dark eyes flickering between Natalia and me. “We all know why we’re here. The question is, what’s the plan?”
I took a sip of my drink, letting the fiery liquid burn down my throat before responding. “The plan is simple,” I said. “We take down my father and anyone else loyal to him.”
Natalia nodded. “Easier said than done, Dante,” she pointed out. “Your father is a powerful man with deep resources and connections. We can’t just waltz in there guns blazing.”
“She’s right,” Valentina chimed in, her brow furrowed in thought. “We need to be smart about this, play our cards close to the chest until we have enough evidence to make a case that’ll stick.”
I leaned back in my seat, my mind whirring with possibilities. “Then that’s where I come in,” I said, a slow smile spreading across my face. “I can spy on my father, snoop around a bit, and find out what he knows about the mole in the DEA.”
Natalia’s eyes widened, a flicker of concern passing across her features. “Dante, that’s too risky,” she protested, her voice tinged with worry. “If your father even suspects that you’re working with us, he won’t hesitate to eliminate you as a threat.”
I reached across the table, my fingers brushing against hers in a gentle, reassuring gesture. “I know the risks,” I said. “But this is our best shot, our only shot at bringing down the cartel and exposing the mole.”
Valentina nodded. “He’s right, Nat,” she said. “We can’t take down the cartel without insider information, and Dante is our best chance at getting that.”
Natalia’s jaw tightened, her eyes burning with emotions – concern, determination, and something else that I couldn’t quite place. “Alright,” she conceded.
I squeezed her hand, my thumb tracing soothing circles against her skin. “I promise I’ll do whatever it takes to keep us both safe.”
We spent the next hour hashing out the details, our voices hushed as we strategized and planned our next moves. Valentina would continue digging into the mole, using her contacts and resources to uncover any evidence that could lead us to the traitor. Natalia would deal with Agent Morrow to discover what he was hiding; if he was hiding anything at all.
Meanwhile, I would play the part of the devoted son and try to uncover information about his dealings with the mole and the events surrounding Agent Bennett’s death.
As the night deepened and the tequila flowed, laughter replaced the initial tension. Natalia’s hand brushed mine, fingers lingering a moment too long, sending shivers down my spine. Her gaze met mine, eyes dark with desire, and I felt the heat rising between us, undeniable and electric.
Ever the voice of reason, Valentina was the first to call it a night. “Alright, lovebirds,” she quipped, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she slid out of the booth. “I’ll leave you two to... reconnect.”
Natalia flushed, but her gaze never wavered from mine. Her eyes burned with a mix of desire and vulnerability that sent my heart racing.
As Valentina disappeared into the night, I turned to Natalia, my hand finding hers beneath the table. “So, mi reina,” I said, my voice a low, seductive purr. “What do you say we take this reunion somewhere a little more... private?”
Natalia’s lips stretched into a slow, sultry smile, her fingers tightening around mine. “I thought you’d never ask, Dante,” she purred, her voice thick with promise.