Carlito had made Guapo lock the door after Gunnar had gone all Rambo on their asses. The big metal door made a lot of fucking noise when it was being disengaged. It would be impossible to sneak in with that loud thing announcing their arrival, which meant it was the only reason either of us had gotten any sleep since we got here.
“Good morning!” Carlito’s chipper voice sounded, honest to fucking God, like nails on a chalkboard and the only reason I hadn’t brained the fucker was because of Marisol. “I hope you slept well.”
“A bed would’ve been real fucking nice,” Gunnar grunted out, refusing to do anything that might make Carlito think he had the upper fucking hand.
“Yes, I’m sure it would be,” he said with a giant fucking smirk that a man wore when he got laid and that thought only pissed me off. It made me see red. It made me want to get up on my feet and pound that fucker’s face until he was completely unrecognizable. “Smile boys, today is a good day!”
That false chipper shit grated on my nerves, but I kept quiet because he seemed to want to piss me off. Probably because he couldn’t stand the thought of another man being inside Marisol.
“What’s so good about it?” Gunnar rose to his full height and squared his wide shoulders, intimidating even when he wasn’t trying to be. Carlito took an unconscious step back.
With a snap of his fingers, Carlito produced Marisol who looked frail and pale. Based on the colors of her fading bruises it looked like pequeño diablo had kept his word. “I thought you might like to say goodbye to Marisol since you’re leaving today.”
I didn’t trust this fucker. “What’s the catch?”
“No catch,” he said quickly but his lips twitched and there was a gleam in his eyes that I didn’t like.
Gunnar took a step forward, anger emanating off him but I saw the smile in his eyes when Carlito slid Marisol between them. Fuckin’ pussy. “You mean see you soon, right?” Arms crossed to show off twenty-one inch biceps, Gunnar took another step forward at Carlito’s confused expression. “You said goodbye but that would indicate we wouldn’t see her again. So you meant to say see you soon, didn’t you?”
He swallowed, eyes wide with fear and trying hard not to show it. For the boss of a huge cartel, he sure was wimpy. But whatever this place was, it wasn’t his main base of operations because he didn’t replace the man Gunnar killed and the other one was still walking with a limp from the bullet that went through his leg. “Of course. Just a slip of the tongue.”
“Fine. What time do we leave?” Gunnar barked the question at him, his tone said he wasn’t in the mood for a bullshit answer.
“Soon.” That was all Carlito said and Gunnar nodded, drawing a smile from the tiny fucker.
“Good. Leave her with us until we go.” Carlito sucked in a breath, ready to argue but Gunnar held up a hand. “We just want to make sure she’s all right. Unless you’re planning to back out of our deal?”
“No, of course not.” Carlito shook his head a little too quickly and Gunnar noticed it too but stood still as a stone. His face emotionless. Blank and scary as hell. “She can stay but don’t think of doing anything to her.”
Gunnar scoffed and arched a brow. “That’s your style, not mine.”
“Jefe.” Guapo stood in the doorway glaring at Gunnar with a gun in his hands as he waited for Carlito to answer.
“What?” he snapped and whirled around on those fancy boots with the heels on them.
“It’s time to get the truck loaded.”
Carlito nodded and turned back to Gunnar. “Fine, you can keep her for now. I’ll be back.”
“Don’t fuck with me, Carlito.”
“Watch your fuckin’ mouth,” Guapo snapped at him and Gunnar smiled.
“Ready for ass kicking number two, fat boy?” Angry, Guapo took a step before but that was it before Carlito put a hand to his chest.
“We don’t have time for this. Go load the truck and I’ll come check on it. Now.” He turned again with a smile. “Remember who she belongs to.”
When the door locked, Gunnar groaned. “Are you really fucking that guy because I’m getting strong feminine vibes from him.”
Marisol still shook with fear but her lips twitched. “You don’t have to do this,” she said, her voice so damn small that if I wasn’t looking I wouldn’t believe it was her.
“I know I don’t, sweetheart. But I also don’t let innocent women get caught up in shit they don’t deserve.” His gaze hardened. “You don’t deserve this, do you?”
She sighed and her legs wobbled, sending me up on my feet and charging towards her, but Gunnar was closer and he scooped her in his arms first and set her on the chair he’d been sitting in. “Thanks. No, I don’t deserve it. At least I don’t think so.”
“Of course you don’t Marisol, don’t even think that shit. Fuck that guy,” I told her and wrapped my arms around her. When she closed her eyes and leaned into me, I noticed her soft curves had faded a little. She’d lost some weight and that just pissed me off. “Are you okay?” I cupped her cheeks and looked deep into big coffee brown eyes that had lost their spark. Seeing those dark brown eyes with ribbons of caramel and amber in them without their signature spark pissed me off and I knew I’d find a way to kill that asshole.
“A little sore but I’ll be fine, Stitch. Don’t worry about me.” She looked from me to Gunnar and back to me with a sigh. “You can’t trust Carlito,” she whispered. “He won’t keep his word, not about anything. Ever.”