Page 76 of Cartel Devil

“Tommaso, you’ve been saying that since I was sixteen and beat up Rocco for scratching my car—with his keys.”

He pauses then emphasizes the last three words. I recall something happening to my cousin when we were teenagers. Something to do with a rival syndicate, but I figured it was someone local. I thought it happened on a mission. Maybe not.

“Consider yourself lucky that I haven’t.”

My uncles lean in to hug me without suffocating me. They’re tentative, and it’d be sweet if I didn’t worry this meeting will erupt into a feud. I’m confident no one will throw any punches or stab anyone, but the animosity is practically palpable.

“Brazil is lovely this time of year.”

Oh, fuck.

I fight not to cringe as I observe Joaquin. His gaze is locked with Uncle Tommaso’s, and neither of them will back down. I know only a sliver of the details, but my uncle sent Elle down there while she and Enrique were dating. It went so far sideways it flipped around. It’s why Enrique said Elle could only come up here for two days before he’d make sure she didn’t murder my uncle. She wound up not coming because I insisted we’d be fine.

We can see where that got us.

“I need to speak to my niece.”

Joaquin nods, but he goes nowhere. He hears my uncle’s declarative statement, but he doesn’t view it as a command. He must sense me staring at him because he shifts his attention to me. His thumb sweeps over the back of my hand.

“What do you want, chiquita?”

His voice is so soft it’s soothing. I don’t want him to go anywhere, but I have family things I need to discuss. I can’t do that with him in the room. I’d rather avoid what’s coming, but I can’t.

“It’s all right, Joaco.”

“Ten minutes. That’s it.”

Thank God.

“We’ll be done when we’re done, Joaquin.”

“That doesn’t work for me, Tommaso. Ten minutes and I return, or I don’t leave at all.”

“You think because you got my niece pregnant that you own her.”

“I think because I got your niece pregnant I trust you even less.”

“You piece of shit. You think I’d hurt my niece?”

“Of course not. Kathleen would murder you, and Stella wouldn’t stop her. Vittoria would hand Kathleen the weapon. But I believe you’ll guilt-trip her and pressure her into continuing whatever fucked-up mission you gave her.”

Oh fuck!

Uncle Tommaso doesn’t shift his focus to me, locked in a staring contest with Joaquin. But Uncle Santi’s gaze jumps to me, and I read the suspicion in his eyes.

“Santino, back off. Tre hasn’t told me a damn thing, but I know she’s hiding something. For your sake, I hope you sent her to spy on the Mancinellis and not Tía Elle. We’re going to share a family member soon. You’re stuck with me. You decide how miserable you want to be. Coerce my girlfriend into anything, ever—but especially while pregnant—and what I did in Cambria will be nothing. Guard your docks well.”

Joaquin bends over and kisses my forehead. I squeeze his hand, now not wanting to let him go. I shake my head and reach for him as he pulls away.

“Ten minutes, Tre. Call for me if you need me. I’m not going farther than the door, which will remain ajar enough to hear you if you yell.”

He kisses the back of my hand before letting go and walking across the room. I know he’s not abandoning me. But with my parents and two sets of aunts and uncles staring down at me while I’m stuck in this bed, I feel like I’m facing a firing squad.

Chapter Seventeen

Joaquin

“Tío, I’ve never been so terrified. Not even when it was Papá.”