36. Matheus
The vibe inside our private jet remained tense for the whole flight.
My brothers were told they wouldn’t be able to contact their women once they arrived in the jungle ahead of us.
Still, André had paced, knocked back shots, and continuously cracked his knuckles.
Giovanni fiddled with a high-tech device that apparently monitored India’s whereabouts. He’d placed it in her purse before she’d left the plantation. Being him, he had expected to outsmart our host, quickly learning it was impossible when the GPS tracker stopped transmitting.
A few hours ago, their women had virtually vanished off the face of the Earth.
From that moment, a palpable silence had kicked in.
Tomás quietly sat over a double whiskey and stared out the window, lost in his head. Even though he fully trusts the plan and knows Carina is with her brother, he doesn”t like the thought of his girl going dark without him next to her.
She’s out of reach and he’s miles away.
While my brothers brooded, Mama slept on the couch near the cockpit. Her bodyguard covered her with a blanket, sank into the opposite seat, and made the most of his rest time too.
He may as well be an honorary Souza, given he’s with Mama twenty-four seven—just like Dani and me these days.
Although after the chapel massacre, she’s one of us and always will be.
I stroked her arm as she’d napped while sitting upright on the seat beside me, her head resting on my shoulder and our fingers linked, both of us content in each other’s company.
I’m sure it was exhausting to hold rank next to the Souza cartel given her history, but she recognizes there’s more to us outside of the drugs and violence.
If it’s possible, I love the woman even more for trusting me.
Afterwards, my brothers shook her hand and André even kissed her on the cheek, making my blood simmer. A few slugs to the chest didn’t change that cocky fucker.
After the shooting, Blanco and Mama spoke at length outside the chapel. She escorted him back to the house, opened a bottle of cognac, and offered him a Cuban cigar.
He wasn’t amused by the Souza show of authority, or the fact he’d been duped into attending a fake wedding. However, Tomás and he shook on a new syndicate. A Souza led kinship which involved Blanco and the Mannix family.
After too many hours in the air, we finally stepped off the jet in Manaus airport under a dark sky. We met a guy named Salvador who introduced himself as Carina’s brother.
His tightly wound curls were clipped short, and his vigilant gaze almost black. He wore combat pants, a loose t-shirt, and a pair of work boots laced up to his shins.
Salvador didn”t say much to us at the start, other than barking out a few non-negotiable instructions. The main one being that all weapons, including Dani’s daggers and Giovanni’s concealed guns had to be left behind.
I’m surprised Tomás had agreed to it, especially when Giovanni didn’t look happy in the slightest.
At one point, I thought he was going to punch our guide in the throat to stop him from speaking. However, as Salvador pointed out, trusting Carina’s family was the price we had to pay for absolute safety.
We were given assurance that the only threat we might face would be the wildlife and, if we respected their territory, we had nothing to worry about.
Mama soon squeezed a conversation out of Salvador in the chopper, and then Tomás joined in too.
A few minutes ago, the two men actually shared a joke––and laughed briefly at the same time.
Giovanni kept his arms folded over his chest and wore his typical low-key scowl. Whereas André unfastened his harness, popped open the buttons on his shirt, loosened the tails, and scrubbed his face, clearly fed up with being confined.
We’re skimming over the Amazon jungle in a passenger helicopter. Dani gazes out at the never-ending moonlit treetops.
The view is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.
I like that. Knowing we’re together exploring and sharing firsts.
In the distance, clustered lights dot the landscape, and the chopper swoops low, descending between towering evergreens in the middle of the rainforest.
A circular helipad guides the pilot into what feels like a big black hole since it’s circled by skyscraper high trees.
When the helicopter door opens, André throws off his headset and jumps out first.
A loud chorus of nocturnal creatures swarms the cabin and muggy heat moves across my face.
I shrug out of my jacket, unbutton my waistcoat, and strip it off. There won’t be a need for a three-piece suit in the wild, and once I shower, I’ll lose the dress shirt and pants too.
Beside me, Dani gets ready to disembark. I drop my gaze to her tits trapped behind red material and smile to myself. That dress won”t last long either.
“Fuck, I need a smoke,” André mutters.
He digs out his tin of rolled up blunts and sparks his lighter flint, flaming the tip, and inhaling smoke deep into his lungs like he needs it to breathe.
“Right, you guys have bored the fuck out of me for long enough.” He exhales smoke as he speaks. “I need my wife and kids. Adios, motherfuckers.”
He saunters over to Salvado, who’s helping Mama with her luggage.
“Hey, brother-in-law, do me a favor and take me to my wife?”
From the shadows a gritty male voice comes after a distant monkey screams.
“She’s waiting for you. India is in her allocated cabin as well. You lot come with me. He points at André, Giovanni, and Teresa, barely glancing at her bodyguard. “The rest should follow Sal.”
Immediately, we all turn towards a wooden platform, accessed by a set of steps, and dappled in fragmented moonlight. A shadowy figure looms over us, his large physique almost camouflaged by the thick foliage surrounding him.
I’m guessing this is our host.
El Fantasma.
The ghost.
An ex-cartel money launderer and full-time vigilante on the shady side of the law.
The intimidating guy stands before us like he’s a jungle king or some big boss. I know exactly who he is, though, and he’s definitely not a man I’d choose to pick a fight with––especially in his own territory.
Even though we’re allies, I’ve been informed that agreeing to let my family stay here is a huge deal for him. He set a limit on guests allowed to keep complications to a minimum.
Despite his strict rules, Carina’s happiness was a priority. And that”s why we’re camping with the insects and putting up with sticky humidity.
El Fantasma moves into view, allowing the silvery light to brighten his bearded face.
A golden pendant sits on top of his dark t-shirt. Laced boots settle wide and bulky arms cross over his broad chest.
The whites of his eyes glow under the peak of a plain baseball cap, watching us.
Subconsciously, I inch forward, positioning myself in front of Dani. It’s a dumb thing to do given she could easily take the man down in a bare-knuckle fight. But something tugs inside of me…something primal.
“Tomás,” the guy says cordially, pulling a handheld radio from his camo shorts and speaking into it. “The Souzas have landed.”
“Dante.” Tomás nods in his direction, greeting him informally.
Over the past year, these two power players had made an amiable alliance through their mutual love for Carina.
“I’d like to see Cari now.” Tomás pulls back his shoulders and starts walking, clearly impatient.
Dante descends the creaky steps and prowls toward him, holding out his gloved hand.
“She’s already settled for the night.” They shake hands and then Dante turns to the rest of us. “It’s probably best to keep the dog on a leash,” he announces. “For your safety, do not wander off the walkways. If you want to hike through the forest, let me know first. I’ll supply everyone with walkie-talkies and machetes.”
The air’s filled with a rumble of engines, the sound growing louder until it collectively dies out. Dark clothed figures appear and quickly take the stairs, moving around us and gathering our bags.
“I’ve extended the oasis considerably and the cabins are spaced out for ultimate privacy. You won’t meet another person unless you want to. Use the Quad bikes if you’d rather not walk back to the main hub. Everything is in place for the wedding, Tomás. You’ll see Cari tomorrow.”
Tomás frowns. “I want to see her now. Where is she?”
“No,” Dante replies, his refusal surprisingly blunt. “Not tonight.”
While Tomás’ hands fist, Giovanni strolls to his side and folds his arms over his chest.
“He wasn’t asking for your permission, Dante,” he says coolly. “My brother would like to see Carina now he’s arrived. We’ve had a long day and would appreciate your cooperation.”
“Do you believe in bad luck, Tomás?” Dante cocks a brow at him.
When I start walking towards my brothers, Dani follows.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, frowning.
Dante sighs heavily and looks right at me, his expression hard.
“Carina doesn’t want to see him tonight,” he tells me, then returns his gaze to Tomás. “It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride the night before the wedding.”
Mama joins them and puts her hand on Tomás’ arm.
“He’s right, son. It was always going to be like this. Even if you were getting married in the city.”
Dante folds his arms. “I’ll give you a walkie-talkie, so you can speak to her. That’s all you’re getting.”
“Look, Tommy,” André explains on a smoky exhale. “Once I’ve checked in on my wife, I’ll call in with Carina. I’m sure she’d like a big hug from her favorite Souza.”
Dani clucks her tongue and takes a confident step forward. I can tell without even looking that she rolled her eyes as well.
“I’ll stay with Carina tonight,” she offers.
Dante’s eyes settle on my woman and linger for a second longer than I’m comfortable with. It’s not from attraction, but more of an assessment. He’s probably wondering where she fits in this dynamic, which is right next to me.
“That’s not necessary. Carina is staying with my wife,” Dante tells her, matter-of-factly. “They’re drinking champagne and talking about wedding shit. It’s what Cari wants.” His gaze flicks back to Tomás. “The next time you see her, she’ll be in her wedding dress walking down the aisle.”
A slight smile twitches the edges of Dante’s mouth.
“Right, let”s move out.” His eyes hunt out mine. “Follow Sal and don’t burn the fucking rainforest down tonight.”