Chapter 6 #3
“Hija, estoy en una reunión muy importante. Esto tendrá que esperar. Siéntate. Cena con nosotros. Soy Shio Cuppacio.” (Daughter. I'm in a meeting. A very important one. This will have to wait until later. Have a seat. Have dinner with us. This is Shio Cuppacio.)
Her dark brown eyes shifted to me, and that seemed to make her even madder.
The frown on her pretty face deepened, and she stomped her fucking foot again while shouting, “?Que le den a este tipo! ?Solo quiero que me devuelvan la tarjeta de crédito! ?Me da igual esta reunión!” (Fuck this guy!
I just want my credit card turned back on!
I couldn’t care less about this meeting!)
Ines chuckled and reached into his pocket. I watched as he fished for a credit card and, instead of being satisfied that she’d gotten her way, she was still fuming like a brat.
“Puedes quedarte con mi tarjeta. Me has avergonzado, hija. Esto pudo haber esperado.” (You can have my card. You have embarrassed me, daughter. This could have waited.)
Her focus went from her father to me. She licked her nude, glossed lips and spoke in her native language right at me.
“Me importa un bledo este americano. Que me bese el culo. Ahora, tarjeta, por favor.” (I don’t give a fuck about this American. He can kiss my ass. Now, card, please!)
Ines chuckled again, but with a red face as he held out his card. She switched to her father, but she had to pass me before she got to him. Looking her straight in the eyes, she paused in her stride.
“No tienes por qué importarte un comino, pero el negocio que tu padre y yo llevamos determinará si alguna vez podrás volver a usar alguna de sus tarjetas. Ahora siéntate y ven a cenar con nosotros antes de que cumpla tu oferta y te bese el trasero. Aunque no va a salir como quieres.” (You don't have to give a fuck about me, but the business your father and I are conducting will determine if you'll ever be able to swipe one of his cards again.
Now… sit the fuck down and join us for dinner before I make good on your offer and kiss your ass.
Except it's not going to go the way you want it to go.)
Her chest inflated as her breathing heightened. All eyes were on us.
“O tal vez sucederá como quieres.” (Or maybe… it will go the way you want it to go.)
I stated the last sentence lowly so that she and I were the only ones to hear it.
I could feel the heat radiating off her body, and although her hair smelled like hookah smoke, the oils and perfumes she used on her dark skin went well with the spicy attitude she came in here with.
Ines held out the card, and instead of taking it, she stomped to her seat and plopped down in it.
No sooner than she was seated, the maid sprang into action.
She turned the maid down politely when she offered up a plate, even though she was still shooting daggers at me.
I didn’t give a fuck, though. I didn’t fuck with disrespect on any level.
“You speak fluent Spanish.”
Only then did I turn my gaze from the spoiled one to her father. “You didn’t find that out during your research?’ I taunted.
“Al igual que no descubriste que tenía una hija durante tu investigación. Supongo que todos tenemos nuestros secretos.” (Just like you didn't find out I had a daughter during your research. I guess we all have our secrets.)
Rubbing my hand down my chin, I shifted my eyes from his daughter, who was all in our conversation, to the older kids, who were now tuned in too.
“?Secretos o debilidades?” (Secrets or weaknesses?)
“?Que hables espanol con fluidez es una debilidad?” (You being fluent in Spanish is a weakness?) His thick brow rose.
“Now that you’re privy to it, yes.”
“You’re bilingual. Impressive.”
“I’m not bilingual.”
Ines stared me down, and I returned the jester before continuing with my leave. “I’m going to leave now. You folks enjoy your dinner.”
I pushed the plate that I hadn’t touched in front of spoiled ass. “Comer. (Eat)”
With a scowl on her face, she picked up the steak and chomped into it using her fingers. Juice dripped down her chin and into her cleavage.
“Fucking whore,” one of the older brothers whispered before snickering.
Another look from me had him shutting up. “Guard,” I spoke.
Confusion plagued Ines and Maura’s faces.
“Ponle la pistola en la cabeza. (Put the gun to his head.)”
Without hesitation, one of the three guards marched forward and placed the gun on the back of Ines’ son’s head.
“What the fuck is this?” Ines roared.
“This is me not taking kindly to disrespect. You know my name, but you don’t know who the fuck I am, Ines. Your son has three seconds to apologize, or the maids won’t be cleaning just shells of lobster and half-eaten, overcooked steak from the table. One…”
“Cortez. Apologize to your sister.”
“I’m sorry!” he immediately blurted out. The boy had probably pissed himself.
Nodding, the guard went right back to his post. This time, I stood for real. “Again, I’ll tell Don your wishes.”
I took one last look at the family, letting my eyes linger on the one devouring the steak with amusement in her eyes, and took my leave. I didn’t get ten steps down the hall before I heard Ines running after me.
“Wait! Shio!”
He grabbed my shoulder, and that was the wrong move because I had my pistol underneath his chin before his next breath.
His hands went up with a smirk. “I see why he sent you now.”
“What the fuck do you want, Ines?”
This pointless-ass dinner had gone on far too long, and I was ready to get the fuck back to the US. I had church on Sunday, and I had no plans on missing it.
“Please! Just hear me out!”
Shoving the gun further into his chin, I prompted him to speak.
“Take my daughter.”
“Nigga, what? If I don’t want your bitch-made-ass sons coming nowhere near my people, why in the fuck you think I want your daughter?”
“No, no… you have me all wrong. I’m not offering her up. I would like you to just take her and help her. She is the key to me ending this war with the Rodríguez Cartel. She is to marry his eldest son. However, she isn’t quite ready to be a wife.
“Listen, she hears you. She did what you said back there. She’s never done that before.
I love my baby girl with my whole heart.
She’s my prized possession. It pains me to hand her over, but I have to consider it all for the sake of this organization.
You see her. She’s as stubborn and spoiled as she is beautiful.
I just want you to mold her for me. I will have no say and stay out of the matters, if you agree.
I want her to be able to get along well once she fulfills her duty.
Her current ways will get her killed. You understand? ”
“I’m not in the business of raising bitches. Do I look like a debutant academy?”
“Of course not. Well, at least take her to the Americas. Get her away from here for a while, while I get this all squared away. Tell Don, whatever he wants, it’s his. He doesn’t even have to take my sons in. I will find other placements.”
I kissed my teeth. “We wasn’t taking them bitch-made-ass niggas in no way.”
“Do this for me, and I’ll owe you a favor. I’ll owe you and Don a favor. Whatever Don needs. Whatever you need. Granted.”
I should blow his head from his ass.
“Papá, ?no me voy a América! ?Estás loco?” (Daddy. I’m not going to America! Are you crazy?)
He jumped at the sound of her voice. Giving her one last look, he smiled before looking back at me. “Take her with you!”
“?Ni hablar! ?No voy con él! ?Estás sordo?” (Hell no! I’m not going with him! Are you deaf?)
“Jagoda Bay. That’s where you live now, right? Take her.”
“NO—” She went to speak, but stopped.
There wasn’t shit for me to say, so I left their casita. Pulling my phone out, I texted the pilot. By the time I made it back to the hotel, he was letting me know that the wheels could be up in the air in the next hour.
God first.
Make sure the family good.
Eye them Cuppacio boys, the little and the big ones.
Build a relationship with my brother.
Get my brother rich.
Health and Wellness.
Stay on top of my mob shit.
Keep Hobo alive.
Get through this meeting with Ines.
Find a wife.
At least I had one thing scratched off the list.