Chapter 23
23
A fter the armed guards released the gates to Sandoval’s estate, Blood and I drove our Harleys down a palm lined driveway. Ricky and Bolt didn’t have bikes yet so they followed close behind in the cargo van we used to transport the guns over the border. If I had my way I would’ve showed up with an army of seasoned bikers, but shit didn’t always go the way I expected—especially lately.
The multi-level home built into a cliff overlooked the Pacific. The front was a mix of stone and glass with chrome beams holding the ultra-modern structure together. I tried to wrap my head around the fact this was where Marisol grew up. Biggest fuckin’ house I’d ever seen.
I lowered my kickstand and exchanged a look with Blood. Bolt and Ricky stepped out of the van and it was obvious they’d never seen a place this big either.
“You two stay out here and keep an eye on things.”
I knew the guard at the door would only allow Blood and I to enter and I also knew he’d relieve us of any weapons before entering. Having Ricky and Bolt outside fully armed helped if this turned to shit and we had to make a fast getaway .
The guard was all mean mug and narrow eyes meant to intimidate. Big fuckin’ joke on him. Blood and I already sized him up, and between my skill in the cage and Blood’s overall bulk not much fazed us.
He patted us down, and as suspected they snatched each of our guns. We’d purposely stuck them in our waistbands in plain sight. A tactical move to satisfy the guard ensuring he didn’t search any further. Keeping him from knowing about the Kimber in my ankle holster or the Beretta in Blood’s boot.
The goon pointed to Bolt and Ricky. “They stay out here.”
“No shit,” Blood growled.
The guard opened the massive double doors, and jerked his head for us to enter a foyer bigger than most people’s apartments where another muscle-head led us to the back of the house. I wondered if Marisol was here. Her cryptic message gnawed at my gut, then an unnerving vision of her sitting at her father’s side with an evil smile on her face popped into my shaky brain.
Focus asshole!
I perched on the edge of the soft leather couch in the office wracking my brain for a way out of this mess before my father returned. I finally saw the man’s true colors and I had no doubts about the lengths he’d go to save himself.
I restlessly pushed off the couch and gazed out the floor-to-ceiling windows to the ocean beyond, then tracked back to the circular driveway and froze. I changed my position for a better view of a van and two guys getting off their motorcycles. Blood and Smoke.
I frantically banged on the windows, but I was at least sixty feet from the front of the house and with the crash of the waves below they’d never hear me .
Focusing on the security monitors I watched as Blood and Smoke entered the villa, then were escorted to the patio. I wanted to jump into the screen and warn Smoke, but I was forced to watch him walk into a trap and there was nothing I could do about it.
My father’s threats against Smoke left little doubt of how this meeting would end. I highly doubted a drug kingpin and an outlaw biker could sit down and make logical compromises which left only one alternative.
I had to get out of here. Now.
T he guard led us through the house and out onto a stone patio. The cool breeze from the ocean whipped around us and I couldn’t help thinking this place looked more like a tropical resort than someone’s home. At the far end under a covered alcove, Sandoval sat on a sectional sofa—alone. Thank fuck for small favors.
He stood and opened his arms like he was greeting old friends. “Welcome to my home.”
A few levels down, an infinity pool with a waterfall sparkled under the blazing sun. Amazing. The cartel bosses made enormous piles of cash so vast they resorted to storing it in the walls and floorboards of their homes, then spending the rest on material luxuries.
Sandoval motioned to the other seating. “Sit, relax.”
Like that might happen.
He said something in Spanish and the guard retreated and joined the other one on the patio.
“Can I get you anything to drink?”
I noticed the bar and full outdoor kitchen on the opposite wall, but Blood and I declined his offer. We just wanted to get this shit done and get the fuck outta here hopefully in one piece.
“Fine. Then let’s get down to business.” Sandoval shifted in the seat. “I talked to your boss . . . Sorry, I mean, Jameson earlier today. We came to a tentative agreement about the further shipment of guns to the States.”
Blood flipped up his palms. “Then why the fuck are we here?”
I shot him a look saying ‘stay cool’. Sometimes my VP reacted before thinking.
“To solidify the compromise and make sure you’ll both hold up your end of the bargain.”
I shifted forward in my seat. “And we’ll assume you won’t send in anymore cops on a bullshit charge, or anymore petty shit like the smash and grab you staged.”
“Agreed.” The corner of Sandoval’s mouth tipped up like he’d been caught in a practical joke. “It’s time we buried all the bad blood. Anger and deception profits no one.”
This was nothing more than Sandoval fronting and making us come to him, and we played this game long enough. As much as we wanted to get back to the States it wasn’t worth bowing down to the devil.
I debated my next sentence, but it had to be said. “I hope Jameson also made it clear the Bastards had nothing to do with your wife’s murder.”
“We’ve come to an understanding.” Sandoval sucked in a breath, then slowly exhaled. “In my business, I have many enemies, and sometimes the innocent getting hurt is an unavoidable circumstance. I’ve had to accept certain setbacks.”
Setbacks? His wife was gunned down in cold blood. This guy really did have ice running through his veins.
“And how did sending your daughter to spy on us fit into the plan?” Blood’s head jerked in my direction, his eyes wide, but I had to know .
“Marisol is very spirited, and I’m afraid I’ve spoiled her. She has a mind of her own and sometimes she’s hard to rein in. When I told her your club was to blame for her mother’s death, as I originally suspected, she wanted to come face to face with the men responsible.”
“Have you told her the truth?”
“About?”
“That it wasn’t our club who killed her mother.”
“Like I said, she has a mind of her own.”
I looked over my shoulder, then back to Sandoval. “Is she here?”
Fuck me, but I had to know, especially since she said she was going to confront Sandoval.
“No. She’s left Mexico. I felt it was best she disappeared for awhile.”
Disappeared? I sure didn’t like the sound of that, especially since he brushed off his wife’s murder as an unavoidable circumstance.
Blood and I exchanged a look. I didn’t like the vibe Sandoval threw off. I wanted to get the fuck out of here, and I wanted to do it now.
“Where to?”
“I don’t believe that’s any of your concern.”
I pushed off the couch and Blood did the same. “I’ll relay this meeting to Jameson, and we can move on from there.”
My heart sped up as my brain scrambled for answers. Marisol left me determined for the truth concerning her mother’s death, and now she was gone.
Something was definitely wrong here.
Sandoval joined us, then pointed to the sliding door and ushered us back into the villa.
S pinning around from the window, I groaned loudly and bent over from the waist. Both men’s heads jerked away from their phones to stare at me.
“I’m in so much pain.” I screamed out again, then collapsed to my knees wrapping my arms around my middle. “Please you have to help me,” I pleaded.
The two men exchanged a worried look but didn’t come to my aid.
“Are you going to help me or do I have to tell my father you left me writhing in pain?”
I just needed one of them to get close.
Carlos approached me cautiously. “What’s wrong?”
“I have my period and the pain is excruciating.”
His face froze in sheer terror. Nothing got results like mentioning your menstrual cycle to a man.
When Carlos turned to Juan I screamed out again, then wrapped my arms around his thick thigh, levered his weight bracing my feet to the floor and flipped him to the ground. He landed with a thud and I reached into his jacket and relieved him of his gun.
W e retraced our steps and when we reached the stairs a loud scream and then a thud sounded from a side hallway.
Blood and I stopped. “What was that?”
“Probably just the cleaning staff.” Sandoval waved us forward, and another scream rang out. A female voice. Marisol’s voice.
“What the fuck?” I moved away from Sandoval and he pivoted gun draw. “Don’t take another step.”
“ I guess you forgot about all those Jiu-Jitsu classes you had to take me to.”
Juan charged and I leveled the weapon at his chest. “Lay your gun on the desk then move next to Carlos.” I circled around until I had them both in front of me.
Carlos made a move to stand and I yelled, “Stay down.” I motioned with the gun for Juan to join him on the floor. “You both know how good I am on the range, and you also know I’m my father’s daughter, so I suggest you do as I say.”
I circled the desk, then rummaged through the top drawer until I found the key. My father’s office had the unique feature of locking from either side and right now I would use it to my advantage.
Their eyes were wide and frantic as they followed my actions, and I wondered if they were afraid of me or what my father would do when he found them.
I froze in place making eye contact with Blood. We’d both been held at gunpoint before and knew how fast a situation could fall to shit. I visualized my Kimber resting against my ankle. All I needed was a one second diversion.
“Let’s just take it easy.” I threw up my palms in a semi-surrender.
Two seconds later a door slammed and Marisol appeared carrying a .45. Our eyes connected. Then she focused on Sandoval’s gun.
“What are you doing?” Marisol approached Sandoval. “Let them go.”
“This doesn’t concern you.” Sandoval’s eyes never left mine .
“Is this your idea of working things out?” Marisol leveled the gun her eyes wide and wild. “Remember I’m an expert shot, and as you keep reminding me I’m just like you, so maybe I’ll just pull the trigger and end all this confusion.”
Holy shit, this was a clusterfuck of way too many emotions. I tried to gage the dynamics but there was way the fuck too much crazy going on. I had to wait for an opening, then figure out how to get us out of here alive.
Marisol sidestepped around us with the gun trained on Sandoval. “Did you tell them how you had your wife, my mother, murdered? Then blamed it on their club.”
My eyes flew to Marisol, then to Sandoval. “Is that true?”
“Of course, it’s true,” Marisol answered. “This man—” She waved the gun at Sandoval—“my father, has no regard for human life.”
“You won’t shoot me.” Sandoval advanced and Marisol backed up. “Because you’re weak, just like her.” The front door opened and Sandoval yelled to the guard, “Grab her.”
The beefy bodyguard grabbed Marisol from behind and twisted her wrist until the gun clattered onto the marble floor. Then he shoved her at Sandoval who spun her around gripping her around the waist.
“Amazing how quickly the position of power can shift,” Sandoval gloated.
Marisol fought against his hold, and Sandoval pressed the gun to her head. “Now, we’re going to handle this situation my way.”