Chapter One #2
We didn’t expect an attack. Luis Santiago, who was the head of the cartel in this area, was curious to know why we’d asked to meet with him. He also wouldn’t have accepted if he hadn’t heard of us already. He would have seen the cover story we’d painted decades ago of successful businessmen.
What he didn’t know, like most humans, was that shifters were real, and he was about to have three of them on his premises.
As far as I knew, the only humans who knew our true identities were loved ones and trusted friends.
Of course, there’d been speculations from randoms—from those who’d seen glimpses and tried to push their thoughts to the world, but not many actually believed them.
Besides, it was up to the vampires to take care of and erase all those types of cases.
The only ones, outside of family and friends, who were aware of shifters, vampires, and fae, were a small sect of the government, but my brothers and I had nothing to do with them. The council of our communities placated the government in the know into believing us “others” were harmless.
Another thing the government wouldn’t have knowledge of was how our shifter council was responsible for our kill orders—those that would appease our beasts.
We got this job because of our foster mother, Ruth, who was on the council.
When she’d taken our younger, feral selves in, she knew what we’d crave in the end.
How our beasts hungered for violence in our own twisted way of vengeance.
The daily torture routines we’d all suffered at the hands of our families called for an outlet.
Not all shifter communities had been like ours: cruel and controlling.
Ruth’s wasn’t. Thankfully, she’d been patient and kind with us, and understood our need to hurt and kill anyone who targeted those weaker.
Sometimes we wanted the blood of any motherfuckers that pissed us off—we weren’t complete angels. Luckily, we knew how to hide our kills, so no one found out.
Pushing the thoughts from my mind, I pulled open the front door and stepped in. The scent of food was stronger inside, making my stomach rumble.
Riker laughed. “See.”
“We’ll get dinner after,” Nox said. That was if things went well and we got what we wanted.
As soon as we reached the front counter, a waitress tucked her shaky hands behind her back and dipped her head. “Welcome. Mr. Santiago is waiting for you.”
She walked us through the restaurant, and I could hear her heart pounding in her chest. She had nothing to worry about from us, but I didn’t know how Santiago treated his employees.
My brothers and I discretely scanned the guards along the way, using our heightened senses. The hall she took us down to the private function room was quiet, though. Two people moved on their feet at the far end. Other than that, the rest were out in the dining area.
She stopped at a door. “Just in here. The waiter for the room will be along shortly to see if you would like some drinks or food.”
With a grunt, I opened the door as soon as she’d started back down the hall.
Moving into the room, I made my way over to the table and sat opposite Santiago.
My brothers took the chairs on either side of me.
At least the seats were comfortable. I rested my hands along the armrests and stared at the man across from us.
His lips twitched. “Mr. Blackwood, welcome. Would you prefer to get down to business, or would you care for some food and beverages first?”
A door opened behind us. I glanced toward Nox and subtlety drew in the scent. Male. Smelled like food and sweat.
“Business,” I stated, meeting his gaze once more as I straightened the lapels on my jacket.
Santiago waved the waiter off and I heard the click of the door closing once again.
I wanted to sigh when a different door opened in the next second.
Instead, I thinned my lips and looked to the younger man that just walked in from the entrance behind Santiago, who was now scowling over his shoulder at the new guy.
“You’re late,” Santiago clipped.
For a split second, I wanted to rip Santiago's face off and beat it against the wall for his tone against the goddamn stunner of a guy.
The man dipped his head toward his boss, then stood to attention beside the door. Santiago grumbled under his breath about “Ungrateful pieces of shit” as he turned back to me.
It was a struggle to drag my eyes away from the newcomer with his sun-kissed, wavy hair and electric-blue gaze, but I managed to meet Santiago’s stare with my own cold one.
Both men and women appealed to me and my brothers, and we’d had our fair share of attraction with all types before leading to a one-night stand.
However, with blondie, my reaction was different, instant, and weird.
Like I’d never had before. As if an invisible force punched me in the gut to fiddle with my damn organs.
I drew in a breath, but I scented all the other assholes in front of him. They needed to move. I ground my teeth together to stop my bear’s grumble.
Yeah, there was something else about him, something more than just his looks.
I wasn’t sure what exactly, but I’d figure it out.
“Tell me why you wanted this meeting, Blackwood,” Santiago ordered.
“We’ll pay you a onetime sum of five-point-five million if you cease importing your products into this area.”
Santiago glanced to his main henchman standing to his left before laughing. The monkeys joined in. All except the stunner. Instead, his shock was easily read when he gaped at me like I was an alien.
Until he quickly tensed when he noticed me staring and blanked his expression before looking to the floor. He didn’t like that I’d caught his reaction. But did his shock mean that he hoped his boss would accept? Maybe he didn’t agree with what went on in the business.
Santiago clicked his fingers and the room quieted.
His cocky smirk had me gripping the armrests of the chair. My bear and I wanted to break every tooth in his too-big mouth and make him eat them; whatever was about to come from his lips, we weren’t going to like.
No one else, but me, noticed how my brothers adjusted slightly. Preparing for a fight if it happened.
“I might consider the payment, but not a one-off. I’d request it every year, Blackwood. Honestly, it’s hilarious you had the balls to bring this to the table to begin with. Are you stupid?”
“I don’t believe so,” I said through clenched teeth.
“You have to be.” He shook his head and waved around him. “I have an army at my back and all you have are the men sitting next to you and a few hired hands.”
Yeah, he’d definitely done his homework on us. But only learning the public knowledge we allowed people to see.
Double-locking my anger and bear down, I replied, “That may be, but I believe it will be in your best interest to reconsider. At least think about it longer. We’ll be in touch.”
Before we could stand and make our exit, the damn door behind us opened again.
The stench of strong alcohol touched my nose just before my attention swung to blondie as he clipped a low, “Shit, Mamá.”