Epilogue
TWO MONTHS LATER
“Congratulations to the newest mayor of our beautiful city,” Ramírez announced in the town square in front of El Palacio.
“Celia Flores has my vote of confidence not because of the legacy her father left behind, his footprint stamped into the sand of our city’s history, but because of her passion to do the right thing for our people, for my home town.
I can’t wait to see what she does in the upcoming years.
” He raised a glass of champagne into the air as he talked me down from the podium.
I had just delivered my acceptance speech, thanking all those who campaigned for me and the citizens who supported my infiltration into politics. They didn’t know Celia Flores wasn’t just their mayor, but the jefa of the biggest crime organization in central America.
Not knowing would keep them safe.
Coming to terms with the fact that there were no good guys or villains was something I had to do as a child in order to sleep at night.
There were just people, some who did worse things than others.
Some of us enjoyed doing bad things, and some of us did it under a justifiable premise that it was for a better cause.
I wasn’t ready to define where I fit into that mold and there was likely a good chance I’d never need to.
Dominico and Luiciano waited for me on either side of the steps as I descended from the stage, joining the crowd to listen to the rest of President Ramírez’s speech. He had big plans, which required big money, and that’s where his vote of confidence started and ended with me.
But I’d already proven to him that I was a woman of my word, spreading the message loudly that any child found being used under my name would result in lethal consequences to the perpetrators.
With the dungeons reopened there was no need for deaths in the streets anymore, we handled our business quietly and in private.
I’d made fast changes and lucky for me, I hardly had to lift a finger to do it.
“They are waiting for you inside for photos, let’s make this quick eh reina? We have that amnesty meeting with the new Bratva leader later today,” Dominico reminded me.
It was just a video call, but it was necessary to be punctual, to be civil.
Allisher Sokolov’s eldest son, Viktor had taken over after his father’s untimely death.
There was no hiding the cártel’s involvement, especially when I sent my sister’s head and his men’s desecrated corpses back to his door as a message.
He was fresh on the throne, just as I was.
We both understood the nature of the game and his father’s death benefited more than it hurt him.
The sting of my sister’s loss and knowledge that the cártel couldn’t become something under his control and manipulation likely didn’t feel great either, but now he was free to marry whatever unfortunate soul would capture his attention.
If anything I’d done him a favor.
But still, we had to make nice. Forgive, not forget, but let el pasado ser el pasado.
Set up rules and establish boundaries.
The border would be one, to start. Some shithead racist had been elected and it looked like we had gotten the hell out of the United States just in time to watch the fireworks from the good seats.
The military police nodded towards my men, an amusing show of respect, considering they still covered their faces in fear for what my soldiers would do if their identities were discovered. Ramírez and I had an understanding, as long as they stayed out of my way, I had no reason to get in theirs.
Politics were boring, I knew well why my papá dreaded his civil duties. I was much more inclined to the blood and gore side of the business. Reporters and photographers took my photo, all of them calling to me at once and not giving me the opportunity to focus on a single camera at a time.
Flashes filling my eyes and a sense of victory and accomplishment washed over me at the realization that I’d done everything that I’d set out to.
Not bad por una muerta.
Hell, I’d even been resurrected from the dead.
Luciano and Dominico stayed by my side, reminding me of every single photo of my papá that existed documented in history. His men were always at his side too, ready to take a bullet for him.
And it wasn’t just the two of them, they all believed in what I stood for, in doing things differently. In ruling with respect.
I’d long burned the ledger as a show of good faith, erasing every trace of blackmail and debt each name had acquired and given them the option to stay rich and by my side or go retire with my blessing.
I didn’t lose a single soldier that day.
But I had one left to let go of.
Santos was tired of war, tired of gang life, tired of violence.
Which was good, because he couldn’t afford another scar on his body anyway.
We’d moved out to a secluded place so that he could spend his days relaxing in the sun like the goddamn perfect househusband he’d become.
I knew he was done with all the death the minute his knife sliced through Guillermo’s throat.
So I promised myself I’d never let him take another life in my name again.
I had to let go of all my chefs because he’d decided cooking was solely his responsibility. He settled into a life of comfort easily and nothing made me happier than to see it. He deserved this freedom.
Ronan was the head of my security team now, because god forbid he let my safety be under someone else’s control. I preferred it that way, it kept him close to me in my everyday life and I was glad to always have him within range.
Mateo easily fit into the dungeons, preferring to keep a place in my cártel and getting his hands dirty where it counted. He was a fast learner, and Dominico was teaching him everything he’d need to learn so that the old man could retire rich and in peace.
I pulled my phone out to check on Ignacio through the surveillance feed, wondering if the day would ever come where he’d give up and die so that I could stop dragging this on.
In some ways I kept him alive for me, to punish him anytime grief took over me for the things that I was forced to do because of the path he put me on.
Some days I kept him alive because I was a monster who enjoyed hurting him.
Some days I kept him alive because I was tired of killing my own blood.
“Are you ever gonna put that poor old man out of his misery, flower?” he asked, not hiding the amusement from his face as I pocketed my cell phone once again.
“Kill him? He’s family, Ronan.” I laughed, walking past him.
“Your idea of family has a really wide range, sunshine,” Mateo added. “Exhibit A, the fucking bird.”
“Don’t bring Pluto into this.” I shook my head, waiting for him to open the door to the Escalade for me. “He’s my goodest boy,” I chirped.
“You know, it wouldn’t hurt to talk me up half as much as you do that parrot,” Mateo complained, getting into the car behind me and shutting the door.
Ronan chuckled from the front, Santos was already waiting for us all in the passenger seat. I straddled Mateo and ran my hands through his hair.
“Mi vida, I didn’t know you wanted to be my goodest boy.” I smiled, pressing my lips gently to his as Ronan pulled away.
“Sunshine, I want to be your everything, whatever you’ll let me be I’ll be it for you. Quiero ser tu todo.” He blinked slowly with a smile forming over his face.
“Now, now, you know what I said about using Spanish against me,” I whispered into his ears as his fingers traveled up my side.
“How can I resist when I know how wet it gets you?” He peeled my suit jacket off, sliding his hands underneath the thin satin material of my tank top, his touch just light enough to send a chill up my spine.
“Mmm,” Escaped my throat.
“No fucking way, you start that shit now, while I’m driving, and I will pull over,” Ronan said from the driver's seat.
“Then you’re going to have to pull over because I’m not stopping,” Mateo taunted from beneath me, his hand cupping my breast and his tongue raking against my neck.
I gasped as he lifted my top up and placed his mouth over my nipple, his tongue swirling wildly across the hardened bead.
I cried out, my sounds forcing a growl from Ronan’s throat from his frustration.
He veered off the road going into the desert.
“What are you doing?” I shouted.
“Taking a shortcut,” Ronan gritted out like he was angry we were starting without him.
It wasn’t my fault somebody needed to drive.
I gasped at the feel of Mateo ripping my suit skirt at the side, making room for me to properly spread my legs and sit into a deep straddle over his engorged erection.
“Mmm,” I moaned as he kissed up my neck, his fingers gripping my back and pulling me somehow even closer to me.
His hands traveled lower, giving my ass a hard squeeze before his fingers slipped through my thighs, coating themselves in the slick arousal forming between my legs.
“Fuck.” I tipped my head back while he toyed with my clit.
His hands gripped at the fabric of my torn skirt and with one more tug he ripped it completely up the side, pulling it off of me and freeing me from the little barrier it provided.
“Let’s see if I can make you come before we get home.” He smirked, pulling his monster cock out of his pants and slapping my pussy with his thick length.
He lifted me, hovering me a few inches above his lap as he positioned himself in the center of the backseat before spinning me and facing me forward.
“I want them to have a good show,” He whispered in my ear just as I made eye contact with Santos through the mirror in his visor.
His smirk was almost unnoticeable.
“Take her shirt off,” Ronan instructed.
“Watch the road,” Santos chastised.
“I can do both,” he countered.