Page 6 of Tainted Blood
“Edier Grayson and Sam Sanders.”
I test them out in my head, deciding I don’t care much for either one.
He glances at me out of the corner of his eye, his stare turning deadly. “Grayson is the older of the two.”
That must be who was driving the sedan. Which, by default, makes the jackass with the big mouth Sanders. I grit my teeth, his words cemented in my head.
“He’s a Carrera. He’s their look-out. He gave the signal. Don’t you see? This whole meeting was a trap. He deserves to die like a dog for that.”
No, he deserves to die for being a lying shit. It’s just like pápa has always told me—a Santiago doesn’t deal in truth, he plays whatever narrative fits his needs.
I could’ve died right there in the goddamn snow, protecting the girl, and it wouldn’t have mattered. To them, I’ll never be more than that dog who should’ve stained the snow red.
I hope pápa is right. I hope someday those two boys accept their destiny. Then, when I’m in charge, I’ll show them exactly who deserves to die.
But that still leaves one unanswered question… Who is the girl in the red toboggan?
“Muñequita,” I murmur.
“What was that?”
I shake my head quickly. “Nothing.”
I’ve already told my father about the stolen sedan parked outside the church, but I’ve said nothing about who was inside it. And I sure as hell don’t tell him about her.
Choices have consequences.
There’s a stretch of silence as pápa drains what’s left in his glass, then clears his throat. “How’s your shoulder?”
“Hurts. How’s your side?”
“Filleted.”
I laugh at the absurdity of the conversation. Sometimes I wonder what it would’ve been like to have been born into a normal family. One that watches America’s Most Wanted instead of starring in it.
“Get some sleep, son,” he says, rising slowly from his seat. “We have about four hours until we land in Mexico City.” He motions toward my swollen eye. “We’ll both need our strength to deal with your mother once she sees your face.” With that, he disappears into the small bedroom at the back of the jet.
Left alone with a million questions, I recline my chair, allowing a single word to stain my lips once more.
Someday, I’ll return.
To rule.
To reign.
To blur the sky with bullets.
Someday, I’ll see my muñequita again. And when I do, I’ll tell her about the night I chose her innocence over my loyalty.
Chapter One
Santi
Present Day
I’m standing on the marble steps outside Legado Casino. Unable to move. Unable to breathe. Unable to right everything that’s just been wronged. Watching as Grayson’s taillights disappear into the darkness, like a thief in the night.
A thief who just stole my wife.
