Chapter Two
Carlos
I didn’t even know what day it was or how much time had gone by since I’d hit that tree.
Yes, I remembered that event. Somehow, I survived.
I remembered most of what had led up to it as well.
What I couldn’t remember was any reason why someone would kidnap me while keeping me alive and not killing me.
In my world that was a huge danger. Getting yourself dead.
Therefore, since I was very much alive and still breathing, I had many questions to ask.
Then this woman that I did not know asked me about my sister’s twin children?
I needed to find out a few things before I answered that question.
Maybe more than a few things. I wasn’t knocked in the head badly enough to have lost all my common sense.
Suddenly though, curiosity overcame all other considerations at this moment.
Like who was this Mexican beauty? Why was she interested in me and my family?
I stared at her, taking in her features, I could smell her wonderful scent too.
She did somehow look familiar, I just could not place her.
And damn, she was beautiful. Latin descent too, big dark eyes, great skin, and curves.
But who was she? “First, I need some answers of my own.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she remained silent even though she looked pissed off. I hadn’t answered her question and her frustration showed in those expressive eyes of hers.
“Do you know how long I was out?” I asked her.
“It has been a month that you have been here.”
“And before that? Do you know how long my coma was?”
She shrugged and replied, “Maybe six months.”
I stared at her as shock rushed through me. “Six months?”
“From what I know, yes.”
Six months! What all had happened in those months?
“Please answer my question,” she urged.
“I need to know who you are and why you’re asking it.” I stared at her.
“Look…” She sat forward. “I answered your questions. You need to—”
“What?” I cut her off. “I wake up here. I do not know you nor do I know what your motives are. Then you ask me about my sister’s missing kids?”
Her eyes flashed with anger again. “Maldito…You are arrogant. Especially for a man who just came out of a fucking coma.”
I stared at her then I laughed. “And you have quite the ego yourself, senorita. And a temper on top of that. And this tells me what I wanted to know about you. You are cartel.”
She slowly shook her head even as she schooled her expression to a blankness.
“Si, you are.” I gave her a nod as the schooled blank expression was also a mafia tell.
“Cómo sabes esto? How could you tell that?” she asked.
I smirked at her. “First of all, it takes one to know one.”
She did smirk a little at this statement but said nothing.
I went on with my explanation, “You are a strong type, yet you try to hide this as well. You also have a quick temper and I have to say I could only see that in your eyes. Otherwise, you do well in hiding it. Then who else would have the balls to kidnap a Castillo, even if he was in a coma.”
She nodded at me as she openly smiled now. “I am unsure about the balls part…but yes, it appears that you have busted me. What else have you picked up on?”
“You somehow wield power. Like you are used to being in charge. I know that most cartels have no female lieutenants except two that I am aware of. One is in Venezuela so that one is out. The other one is…The Diegos. So that would make you…Selena Vargas.”
Her mask slipped for maybe a few seconds as she did look astonished.
I nodded at her. “So, it is nice to meet you, Selena.”
Her shock turned to anger again. “You won’t be glad to have met me if you don’t answer my original question.”
I stared at her. “I do not take well to threats, Ms. Vargas. Not with the life I have lived. Look at where I am. In bed after a coma that I should have died from. And that was because I was attempting to break the law in a most egregious way. And since I somehow survived this coma, I may have a new lease on life but I still know the facts. One of them would be that my life could be forfeit at any moment in time even if I have been saved from the fiery pits of hell that I most certainly have earned. More so than a regular Juan or Joe, as they say in America.”
Pausing at my speech about not fearing death, Selena let out a long breath.
I now went on with my reasoning, “In addition, I would never endanger those kids by giving over any information about them to a rival cartel. I may have had a head injury and been in a coma but I do not think I suffered brain damage to that extent.”
She kept shaking her head.
“And before you think of torture,” I added. “Just know that I would never betray my blood that way, not even to spare my own suffering.”
Leaning closer to me her eyes glittered as she replied, “Yet you betrayed your sister Gabriela.”
I now glared back at her. This accusation was something that would stir my anger. I doted on Gabby as I called her when she was little. I adored her ever since she was three and followed me everywhere. I never betrayed her that I knew of. “In what way?”
“You went along with Santiago,” Selena accused. “When he took those babies away from her.”
I sat up higher against the pillows and felt defensive of this accusation.
It could be what all of that looked like if someone knew of the outside events, but it was not what went on inside the Castillo family.
But only my father and I knew the truth of what happened between us.
“I wasn’t there. I was in America when all of that happened.
I did not even know she had given birth to any children until my cousin Ignacio told me, a year later.
” I wouldn’t tell her how I fought with my father to have her babies returned to her.
I was also enraged by her forced marriage to Mora even if that was a normal happening with most cartel families.
Raising my chin, I asked her, “So if it is not to do harm to the Castillo family, why do you wish to know about these kids?” I paused, then added, “Bien, they are not kids anymore now, are they?”
She pursed her lips.
“Si, they are preteens now, not babies,” I went on when she made no reply.
“You do not know the details of that unfortunate time. And I will not defend myself to you unless I know why you are so blasted interested. You were not there when I was informed of these babies and their disappearance. You do not know the threats my father…” My voice faded away. “You do not have all the facts.”
“That is why I am asking. Tell me the facts.”
“I still need to know the reason you are asking. You do entender that, do you not? This is about my family members. Ones that are innocent in the world of the cartels. The twins never harmed anyone. I cannot just tell you where they are without knowing your motives.”
“I do not intend to harm them.”
I shook my head as I scoffed. “And that is all the answer you give? I have heard of you, Selena. You are a phenomenon. A ruthless female who takes no shit. A woman who does her own killing as she doesn’t toss that dirty task off onto lower soldiers.
You are a female soldier, who shows up with the Diego shipments while wearing a gun on her hip.
You have been known to execute your enemies with impunity.
I also heard you are fantastic with blades. Not only fantastic but deadly.”
She shook her head and tried to deflect all of that, “You heard all that about me? And here I believed I was a best kept secret.”
“Maybe from most but I was intrigued as all huevo about a female mobster. Si, I was,” I admitted outright. “So, I sent out feelers and gathered info on you.”
“And why did you do that?” she asked as a small three second twitch appeared at her left eye.
I shrugged even as I took note of this telltale twitch as I could possibly use it to see when she lied or told the truth. “As I said, I was intrigued as all fuck. Then it couldn’t hurt in case I ever came up against the Diegos.”
Selena seemed to study me closely before she replied, “Ok, I can understand that.” Selena reasoned. “Si, I also admit honestly that I suggested we take you from that hospital in case we needed to exchange you for any prisoners your cartel has that may be our people. A levantón.”
I sighed. “We rarely do kidnappings. The Castillo’s are too busy for levantóns. We do not want war, we want profits.”
“Except when it came to Alberto Mancini,” she uttered the words in a low tone.
I snapped my head up at her and stated also in a low tone, “That was personal.”
“Oh si, I imagine it was. He dared to sleep with your sister, did he not?”
I hid my rage and also wondered if I too had some kind of twitch to show my true feelings.
She’d hit a sore spot I admit. I’d wanted that man dead for that.
Double dead if there was such a thing. However, I already knew I wouldn’t be going after the Mancinis, ever again.
If I even survived this kidnapping. “We had a war going on long before that.”
“Si, I imagine that didn’t help though. I admired what she did. What better way to get revenge on Santiago and also keep herself safe from his wrath as well.”
Selena did have a good point and I admit I never considered those motives before. I shrugged and laid fully back against the pillows. “I will admit it enraged me, but… now…”
Tilting her head at me, she urged, “Now?”
I couldn’t tell her about the dreams. Or what I saw while I was under that coma.
I had yet to sort all of that out, but my absolute hatred for Mancini seemed to be gone.
My lust for retaliation and getting at his daughters – like I’d been doing when I was injured – was also gone.
In fact, many of the reasons I did the things I did in the past were gone. “I have different priorities now.”
“Such as?” This time her non-emotional mask slipped as she suddenly looked very curious.
“Such as finding Gabriela’s kids. Such as finding out who killed my best friend. And finding out a few other things.”
Her whole expression changed, though it would be hard to discern just what she felt at my answer. “So you do not know where they are?”
I stared at her and replied, “I never said that.”
“Then you are aware of their location?” She never took her eyes from my face.
“I will ask you again, why are you asking about them?”
“I do not wish to harm them,” she assured me in a firm, even tone.
“That is easy to say but harder to prove,” I retorted.
“I am a woman of my word, Senor Castillo. If I say I will not hurt them, I will not.”
I studied her. How curious. She seemed determined to get the location of these kids.
Why would she need this information though?
Except to use as leverage. That was the way the cartels worked.
All for the game of getting ahead. The war of making money.
Competing for territory. To be king of the hill.
“It is only fair that I know the real reason,” I defended my logic.
“If I wanted to ask about say… your brother, would you just tell me all about him without knowing why I wish to find out about him?”
Her eyes widened as they now glittered anew at me. “How fucking dare you!” she exclaimed in anger as she stood from the chair and stepped back. She didn’t bother to hide her emotions now. No, they were right out there to see. “You have no right to even bring him into this!”
At her angry reaction, I stared at her. Well damn, I sure hit a nerve in her now.
This emotional outburst went against the whole bravado bit she had going on.
Was it that she was that protective of her family?
Or was it just her brother? Intriguing. Si, that was the word to describe Selena Vargas. Intriguing as all fuck.