Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 96167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96167 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Frizz reclined in his chair and whistled a song. The table fell quiet, listening as he continued the tune.
“Is that…?” Chispa made a disgusted face. “’Dead Babies’ by Alice Cooper? You want Dead Babies to be our motto?”
A smirk pulled at strings on Frizz’s pale lips.
“Frizz…” Matias rubbed his free hand across his scowl. “Why’d you have to go there?”
Frizz shrugged.
“Moving on…” Chispa shook with an exaggerated shudder. “We also need a logo.”
“I’m bored with this conversation.” Nico scowled into his beer.
“Dude. All the other cartels have one.” Chispa leaned forward, his dark eyes animated. “We can hand out monogrammed switchblades and put up a Facebook Fan page.”
“Facebook,” Matias said dryly. “What’re you going to post? Pictures of dismembered corpses, status updates on our assault weapons sales, and incriminating selfies?”
“Yes, exactly!” Chispa pointed a finger at him, laughing. “Think about how many likes we’d get with that shit? Everyone knows mutilated bodies get more shares than adorable duckling pictures.”
Because dumbass kids loved to brag about their cartel affiliations and celebrate murderous gangs like sports teams, going so far as to take time out of their midday gunfights to post photos of themselves posing with guns.
“I think we’re freaking them out.” Chispa lifted his chin at Camila and the Latina on the floor.
He was probably only referencing Camila, but included both women to avoid suspicion. Everyone in the inner circle knew what she meant to Matias and what his plans were for her.
“Nah.” Matias tugged on a lock of her hair. “They know we’re just fucking around.”
She grew limper, more relaxed on his lap, probably fighting sleep. He moved his hand to her waist and simply held her. Her body had endured an intense amount of strain over the past twenty-four hours, and he needed to put her to bed.
After the last course was served, the veranda thinned out, leaving half-empty tables cluttered with full ashtrays and discarded beer bottles. It was time to go.
“Is there room on this lap for me?” Yessica’s voice clawed like nails over his shoulder.
Camila roused against him, lifting her head and blinking heavy eyelids as she stared at Yessica.
“Calling it a night.” Matias shifted Camila off his lap, holding on to her hips as she wobbled.
“So early?” Yessica propped a hand on her cocked hip. “Send that one off to her room”—she waved a hand at Camila—“and come have a dip in the pool with me.”
“We’re not dressed for swimming.” He tossed back the last of his aguardiente and stood.
“Since when do you and I need clothes?” She tilted her head and pushed out her mouth to emulate a puffy-lipped pout.
Her duck face detracted from her pretty features.
Camila stood motionless beside him with her hands fisted at her sides and a twitch in her eye. She was upset, but it had nothing to do with Yessica. Her attention was glued to Frizz’s slave, her body leaning subtly toward the woman on the floor as if she wanted to swoop in and protect.
“Goodnight, Yessica.” He curled his fingers around Camila’s upper arm and dragged her away from the table.
“I’ll walk with you.” Nico joined his side.
They strolled in silence toward the west wing. Camila dragged her feet, seemingly losing strength with every step thanks to the painkiller.
Matias’ hands flexed with the overwhelming urge to carry her. But preferential treatment wouldn’t have gone unnoticed in the busy halls as residents geared up for the usual late night parties in the various sections of the estate.
When he reached the wooden doors to his rooms and found the corridor empty, he lifted her listless body into his arms. She rolled against his chest, and a night’s worth of tension uncoiled inside him.
Nico stepped in front of the retinal scanner and opened the door for him. Then Nico trailed him through the expansive living space and into the bedroom.
By the time he laid her on the bed, she was out. Breaths deep and even. Eyelids relaxed. Lashes fanning over her cheeks. Gorgeous as sin.
He rolled her to her stomach and sat on the edge of the mattress to tackle the ties of the corset.
Nico stood at the foot of the bed, watching intently, his natural scowl darkening the edges of his mouth.
“Well?” Matias unraveled the knot at her tailbone and worked his way up her spine, slowly loosening the cinch.
“We still don’t know if Gerardo revealed—”
Matias made a slashing gesture with his fingers across his neck and aimed a pointed glare at Camila. He was almost positive she was asleep, but the almost was too big a risk. He wasn’t ready for her to know this secret, and the gritty details of this conversation could wait until morning.
“We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing.” He reached the last tie on her back and wiggled the corset loose around her ribs. “If the mole knows, he or she will expose it soon enough.”