Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 118333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
“I’m Texan. I fucking know heat,” I hissed. Adelita fell into step beside me. My fists clenched tighter at her closeness. The bitch was doing it on purpose to rile me.
Amusement flashed on her face, but she quickly schooled her features. Her daddy had taught her well. She was a good little cartel princess. Not letting her emotions rule her. Not letting her “enemies” best her. “This way, Tanner Ayers. I have more of my country to show you. In fact, I have planned many days for us just like this. I’m sure you’re going to very much enjoy it . . . you will adore Mexico before you leave.”
My hands shook with anger. But I had to play the game for the sake of the cause. Then she’d be sorry. They would all be sorry when we prevailed . . .
I woke, still feeling the heat of that day on my skin, and rubbed my hands over my eyes. I could still feel Adelita standing close to me. Still feel the annoyance in my bones when she stood so close . . . still smell her perfume that I’d never been able to forget, the coconut scent of her hair . . . still see the red of her lips, her long lashes, her brown eyes . . .
The banging on my door ripped me from being lost inside my head. The door opened and Tank stepped through. “Church. The Diablos are here.”
“Why?” I got up from my bed. I slept like shit. I threw on my jeans, a black shirt, and my cut.
“Chavez and Shadow are here. Got some intel on Quintana.” Tank’s face frosted over. “Shadow heard whispers that the fuckers are planning to come at us strong.” I nodded my head. Grabbing the bottle of whiskey off my table, I took a mouthful. “You good?” Tank asked.
I nodded again. Truth was, Tank didn’t know it was Quintana’s daughter I was fucked over, just some cartel princess. I was waiting for him to put together the pieces. Her name being Adelita. The Klan in business with Quintana. It wouldn’t be hard to figure out. Only one person knew the truth—Hush. I fucked up and told him one night. Had too much fucking whiskey and told him. I knew he hated me. I’d wanted to show him I didn’t hate him. That I wasn’t the White Prince no more. I didn’t know if he’d told anyone. Didn’t know if Styx knew.
“You sure?”
I nodded again, then followed Tank to church. As always the place was crammed. I stood at the back, ignoring the few stares that came my way after yesterday’s shitshow. I felt someone come up next to me. Rudge crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “Alright, mate,” he said, his British accent instantly annoying me. I narrowed my eyes at him. “Slept off the Nazi shit from yesterday?”
“Fuck off, Rudge.”
The room fell quiet as Styx and Ky walked in with Chavez, the president of the Diablos, and Shadow, the ex-Quintana cartel member that got Sia and Cowboy out of Mexico a while back.
Styx sat down; Ky sat beside him. The prez immediately started signing. Ky spoke aloud. “Shadow got word that Quintana is planning on taking us out in a month.” I tensed. The temperature in the room instantly dropped. “A planned attack that’s aimed on sending most of us to Hades.”
“Why a month? Why so far away?” AK asked.
“There’s a wedding,” Ky said, this time speaking for himself. My blood, which had been running hot in my veins, turned to ice. Styx looked to Chavez.
Chavez nodded. “Quintana’s cousin has a daughter. She’s getting married in a few weeks in his estate. After that, the cartel are moving in. Joining the war.” Chavez nudged his chin to Shadow to take over.
I sagged against the wall in relief. It was Adelita’s cousin. My heart was a fucking bass drum in my chest as it recovered from thinking it was her. Feeling someone’s eyes on me, I looked up. Hush was staring at me from across the room. I quickly looked the fuck away. What the hell had I been thinking, telling him about Adelita? I had no fucking idea. I’d lost my mind.
It’s not Adelita getting hitched, I told myself again. Calm the fuck down. It ain’t her. A surge of pure rage swept through me, lighting me the hell up. She wouldn’t do that to me. I was coming back for her. I’d told her so. Made her a promise.
The thought that she’d go against that . . . that she’d fucking take someone else between her legs—
“Quintana has men coming to Texas. Men who are planning to take y’all out. Specialist men. Men that don’t fail. I don’t know much more than that, but they’re coming after the wedding. And they’re coming in strong. Klan have been flying solo until now . . . That’s all about to change.” I breathed out through my nose, trying to stop the fire that was burning through my veins at the thought that I could have lost her. That, after all the planning and shit it had taken me to get to a place where I’d be able to go get her, bring her the fuck home to me, she’d throw it away by marrying someone else. After I’d left the Klan for her, my damn family, after I’d got into a club that could protect her, keep her safe . . .