Chapter 9
“I knew that was you last night.” Eduardo strolls in like he’s a welcomed guest.
“What do you want?” I keep my hand on the door knob, willing him to leave.
“Nice greeting for your brother. No ‘how are you?’”
“I know how you are, and I also know what you’re about.”
He points to the open door. “You might want to close that unless you want your new friends to know what you’re about.”
I ease the door shut, wondering what he knows about me or my new friends, but keep my distance from my twin.
“Kind of amazing you landed here. Especially since I’m doing business with the Bastards, and they own this gym.”
“I was running from Benito, the monster you sold me to.”
“I know. Benito called me the night you escaped and told me to track you down. Luckily, I saw you in Tijuana. I couldn’t believe it when you entered The Tropics.”
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw you getting roughed up by the Bastards.”
“Ahhh, you were worried about your big brother.”
“We’re twins, remember?”
“But I was born five minutes before you, so technically I’m the big brother.”
“Fine, but no, I wasn’t worried about you because you always land on your feet no matter what bullshit you do.”
“So, cynical all the time.”
“Being held captive will do that to a person.”
Eduardo drops onto the couch like I want him here. “I was supposed to have a meeting with their president, Smoke, but I got a little held up. He got pissed and called it off ‘cause I was late.” He laughs. “Who knew an outlaw biker would be anal about time?”
Typical Eduardo, thinking the world revolves around him.
“I can only imagine what made you late.”
“Hey, meeting up with these outlaws had me tense, so I stopped at a bar for some courage, and I met this girl.”
“It’s always something with you. Alcohol, gambling, women.”
“Benito wasn’t happy about it either—until I told him I saw you.”
“I’m not going back.” I point to the door. “So, you can leave now.”
“Maybe Benito doesn’t want you back. Maybe you’re more useful here.”
“How could I be useful to Benito?”
“You just don’t get it.” Eduardo shakes his head. “He could’ve sent his muscle to grab you, but instead he sent me to make a deal. He thought me being your brother, you’d listen to me.”
“Right, ‘cause you’ve been such a wonderful brother. Selling me off to the highest bidder to save your ass.” I throw my hands up. “I don’t know how you can even look at me knowing what you did.”
“So, you had to make a few deliveries.”
“A few deliveries?” I storm around the room. “I was guarded day and night, and given just enough food to survive.”
Maxie’s words about my weight rang in my head. A total stranger was worried about me, but not my own flesh and blood.
“Do you know what they would’ve done to me if I didn’t make that deal?”
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but whatever it was, you probably deserved it.”
“Nice way to talk to your brother.” He had the nerve to pout.
“You sold me to the cartel,” I scream, inches from his face.
“And you managed to escape, but your alliance with the Bastards could work in Benito’s favor. Which would help me too. He was pissed when you ran off, and he blames me.”
“Forget it, I’m not doing anything to hurt these people.”
“Benito knows you’re hanging with the Bastards, but he doesn’t know exactly where you’re living—unless I tell him.”
“Now you’re threatening me?”
“The way I see it, we’re both in this together.”
“Right, because you’re using me as leverage to save your sorry ass.”
“Like it or not, you really don’t have that many choices.”
More like no choices.
I let Eduardo’s words sink in, and the truth sends a shiver up my spine.
Benito’s power is far-reaching. Kickbacks from the border patrol, extortion and drug trafficking.
His tentacles touch every part of Mexico.
If he wanted to find me, I’d already be gone.
Eduardo hiding my whereabouts just delayed the process.
“He’s setting up a deal with the Royal Bastards and the underground casino he’s opening just outside of Tijuana. The Bastards will run security, and he’ll let them launder their dirty money. Win-win.”
“And how would I possibly fit into any of that for Benito?”
“As a spy.” Eduardo spits out the sentence like it’s a logical explanation.
“A spy?”
“You get close to one of them, then when you’ve hooked one of them, keep your ears open. Listen in on phone conversations. Find out their weaknesses, then report back to Benito.”
“And what if that doesn’t work?”
Give them some sad story about how you were kidnapped and abused. Men love that.” He waves his hand over my body. “You’re a good-looking girl; use what God gave you.”
“I can’t believe you just said that out loud to your own sister.” I lower my eyes. “I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
Quick as a snake, he closes the distance between us and grabs my arm. “I’m your twin brother, I’m in trouble, and you need to help me.”
“You’re always in trouble. That’s nothing new. I’ve been bailing you out for years, and yet you just don’t get it. You go from one disastrous situation to another thinking someone is going to take care of you.”
He releases my arm and lowers his gaze. “This time is different. This time—”
“This time is what?” No matter what he says, I refuse to fall back into his trap.
“I’ve screwed up bad. I had the money I owed them, and I lost it. I’m ashamed to say it,” he whispers. “But it’s the reason Benito held you for so long. The original deal was two months, but when I couldn’t pay up, he kept you longer.”
I digest his words, and my fists clench at my sides. “And now you expect me to help you again?”
“It’s the end of the road for me. If I make this deal with you, they’ll wipe away my all debt . . . If I don’t—I’m dead.”
I stare up at the ceiling.
“I promise after this, I’ll never deal with the cartel again.”
My mind plays back all the other times Eduardo promises to do better, be better, but it never happens.
“You have to believe me ‘cause this time is different. I’ve learned my lesson. I want to change and make a new start, but I can’t until I make this right with Benito.”
He just gets in deeper and deeper.
“I want to go back to the States and help you and Mama out. Everything will be better, but you have to help me this one last time.”
I don’t trust or believe one word he’s saying. I want to tell him to go straight to hell, but my mother would never forgive me if I was the reason Eduardo never came home.
“I have your passport.”
“What?” I hold out my hand. “Then let me have it.”
“It’s safe.”
“Where?”
“It’s yours after you do this for me and my debt is paid.”
I blow out a heavy breath. “Let me get this straight. You’re holding me and my passport hostage until I do this.”
“That’s not fair.” Eduardo frowns.
I bark out a harsh laugh. “Nothing’s changed. You’re still the same conniving, selfish person who uses family to fix your problems.”
“All you have to do is get close to one of them. Make them believe you’re on their side.”
“How about you give me my passport, and then I do this for you?”
His expression changes, and for a split second I think I have him.
“How do I know you won’t leave me hanging?”
“‘Cause I’m not like you. If I say I’m going to do something, I do it.” I stand my ground. “But you have to tell me where you’re living here in Tijuana.”
“Why do you wanna know that?”
“So, that on the very sure chance this whole scheme of yours goes bad, I’ll know where to reach you.”
“Did Benito give you a phone?”
“Hardly. The only one who had a phone was the cartel member he’d pair me with to make the trips over the border.” I retrieve the phone Maxie just gave me and hand it to him.
“Where did you get this?”
“A gift from the Harlots.”
“Nice.”
“They have my back.” I stare at him for a few extra seconds to make my point.
“Don’t get it twisted, sis. The Royal Bastards are criminals too.”
“But they take care of their own business without using others as pawns. Now, are you going to give me your info?”
A long few minutes pass between us, but I stay strong, knowing the first one to fold is the loser.
He focuses on the screen and says, “Remember, I could’ve ratted you out to Benito. Told him where you were living, but I didn’t.”
“Right, but that wouldn’t have facilitated anything for you. Better to set me up and make me betray people who want to help me.”
Finally, he taps on the screen, then hands the phone back to me, and I read his address. “You’re living in the Zona Norte on Calle Coahuila?”
“You can’t miss it. The whole fuckin’ building is painted pink.”
“I guess you already know that’s the worst part of the city.”
“I got a friend there. She lets me stay at her place for free.”
“Only you would make friends with a hooker and manage to get something for free.”
“Yeah, yeah. Are you gonna help me or put a death sentence on my head?”
“Are you going to give me my passport?”
“I have another meet with Smoke in two weeks. That should give you enough time to get some useful info that I can pass on to Benito.” Another pause. “When I’m done, I’ll text you, and you can meet me in the back lot.”
“No, we’ll meet in the taco shop next door. I don’t want to chance anyone seeing me with you.”
“Real nice.”
“If they suspect we know each other, everything will fall to shit.”
“True. I didn’t think of that.”
Of course he didn’t. “That’s why you can’t keep your ass out of trouble.”
“Are you going to do this or not?”
“What do you think?”