Ice (Regulators MC 1)

Lazaro Sandoval has earned his title one kill at a time. Each territory he controls has been acquired meticulously, with his very own hands. He doesn’t keep an enforcer on his team. It is his thrill to personally see to ending his opponent when he has been crossed. This is a man who is not afraid to get dirty, not in the least bit.

“If you want something done right, do it yourself, or so they say,” I state, making sure my voice shows I am far from being intimidated by him. Others may cower in his presence, but to me, he is nothing more than another scumbag I have every intention of burying. I merely have to wait for the right time, gather all my evidence, and worm out the information from him that my boys and I need to know.

“They would be correct,” Lazaro agrees, a creepy smile spreading across his face. “You know, a man in my position can’t be too safe. A man like me doesn’t get where he’s at by doing business with just any yuma for quick money.”

“No, a bisñero, such as yourself, can’t do business with any foreigner, as you say. Funny you call me the foreigner here, though. Last time I checked, it’s my country you live in, not your own.” I am possibly pushing my luck here, but this smug fucker needs to remember where he is.

“Ice,” my name rolls off his tongue in a hiss, “understand that one in my position must learn of their allies and adversaries. A man of my power must also treat my allies as my future enemy.”

My blood boils as I fight to maintain composure. The man before me easily dishes out threats as if they are compliments.

“This is a simple business transaction, Sandoval. Certainly you can understand the concept of supply and demand. You have a supply for a product in demand, one in which I wish to purchase. Consider me your frienemy, that’s fine by me, but let’s cut the bullshit and handle business.”

He laughs at me, rubbing his hands together. “Impatience can be a weakness, Ice. Being too quick for one’s release could cost you relationships, both personally and professionally. A woman wants a man with stamina and endurance. Both are key traits in business and the bedroom. Trusting one with a product, as well cut as mine, is much like sharing a woman. A beauty writhing under you makes it hard to control your load. Releasing too soon promises the lady will not return. You are far from a teenage boy unable to control his dick. As a man with much experience and control, with both women and business, I will dispense half of what you have requested. Once my associates on the street confirm you handle your street business with as much discretion as you do your club business, we will renegotiate the terms of our partnership.”

This smug bastard is pushing my buttons just to fuck with me. He has already scouted every avenue of our businesses. I know because I let the information be fed to him so we could move forward with our deal. At this point, he knows everything there is to be found about the Regulators. It took months to even get a meeting with the man to negotiate any sort of affiliation. He is more than patient, more than thorough, and more than on his game.

Hammer shifts behind me, feeling my agitation.

“Time is money, Sandoval. You know this. With such an ego about your blanca, I need a sample before this goes any further. You stand here, changing the terms of our agreement by only releasing half of my order, yet the powder I seek may be nothing more than angel dust.”

With the sharp raise of his arm, his pointer finger going up, one of his men shifts and turns back to the car from which they exited. We are in a private hangar used by many Cubans who are transporting goods from South Beach back to their communities in small cargo planes. My intel states the hangar is owned by a prominent plastic surgeon in downtown Miami.

From what we have gathered, Sandoval is not bringing the drugs in via planes, though we haven’t worked out his system yet. It has taken months of build-up along with multiple negotiations and shows of good faith before we could get him to do any business with us. After a few small transactions with his low ranking men and lower cost products, we have finally gotten into larger opportunities.

His man makes his way back over to me, carrying with him a small brick of white powder ready to be cut and distributed. The drug has the street value of gold that I need in my club’s possession like yesterday. He hands the cocaine over to Sandoval, who extends the brick to me, smiling cryptically. I can read him. He is testing me. All future transactions will rely on how I react to the drugs.