Angel

Chapter 73

Silas

After the time we spent with the Palmas, North and I had become unofficial liaisons with them. We had gone on a run with them last night, taking out two drug houses and emptying one human trafficking warehouse that Carlos and his cronies ran. Word on the street was that he was getting desperate.

"We need to call in reserves, man, I'm telling you when Carlos feels threatened he gets belligerent," Rico hissed as he and North argued.

"We don't have the time to bring new guys up to speed," North countered.

"What if we use father's men?" Raven suggested.

"Dude, really? You want to bring in the Russians?" Rico gaped.

"You have better idea?" he said.

"Um, disculpe por favor," Lorna's soft voice came from the doorway. "Mr. Cardoza needs to speak with Mr. Raven."

Rico's eyes went wide when he saw her, then quickly schooled his features. I'd watched as he had studied her from afar over the past months. He was never crass or overt, even threatening those who were around her. He had taken on the role of protector, but I don't think they had even spoken.

I cleared my throat, "Thank you, Lorna. Hey, have you had a chance to meet Rico?" North gave me an odd look, but then a small smirk broke across his face.

"Hola, pleased to meet you, Mr. Rico," she said, stepping into the room as Raven left. She held out her small hand to him but kept her eyes lowered.

"Just Rico, preciosa," he said gently as he placed a kiss on the back of her hand. Her eyes darted up for a moment and a blush danced across her cheeks.

"Hey, why don't you show Lorna around a bit? We'll get ahold of Raven's dad and regroup later," North suggested.

Rico looked between us like a scared kid, then smiled. "Is that okay with you, Lorna?" he asked her.

She blushed a bit, then said, "S...sí, I'd like that." He took her hand and headed toward the sunroom and gardens.

"You realize Mattie may end up killing both of us for that, right?" I asked him.

He snorted, "Yeah if Tori doesn't beat us to it. He's changed though. Whatever happened with Mattie shook him to his core. Supposedly he was a huge man-whore before, but since then, his crew says he hasn't been with anyone."

"He looks at that girl like she hung the moon," I added.

North grinned as Tori came into the room and whispered, "Yeah, it's amazing what the right woman can do for you, isn't it?"

She stopped in front of us, looking up with her hand on her hip, "Did I just see Lorna hand in hand with Rico?"

Our resolve faded instantly. For such a tiny thing, she was damn scary at times. "Yeah, we thought they could get better acquainted," I offered.

She growled...okay it was more of a throaty huff, but it was adorable. "Are you two insane? The man is a creep. Do you have any idea what he did, what he does?"

I felt my stomach start to knot. Shit, did we just put that little girl in danger? Before I could answer, North asked her, "Have you spent any time with him recently, or even talked to him? He's not the same guy, Tori. Whatever he did to Mattie, tore him up." She snorted in disbelief. North pulled her to him, "He looks at her, the way we look at you, the way Mattie's men look at her, babygirl. If you don't believe us, then just watch him around her. He's got it bad."

Her eyes grew wide as she looked between us, "Really? You really think he loves her?"

I came up behind her and whispered in her ear, "Nice to see you finally realize we love you, ligi agapi." She moaned as my lips caressed her neck.

"Silas," she moaned as I began to nibble and massage her ass. North smirked and quickly began kneading her breasts as he captured her mouth. "Not here," she muttered as my hand started to lift her dress.

"Lead the way, ligi agapi."

Vivian

Never in a million years did I expect her to fight back like this. My shy, introverted little Matilda had turned into a force of nature. Apparently, the man who pretended to purchase her was a rather skilled killer and fiercely protective of her. I hadn't made the connection to the Academy until it was too late. My help in the Academy quickly dried up when they learned of our auction and my involvement with Carlos.

"Two more houses, Vivian!" Carlos roared. "Over twenty men dead and dozens of girls taken. What the fuck are we going to do?"

I laughed, "You decided to auction her. You provoked him for god's sake. Couldn't you just have kept her around and kept your damn hands to yourself?" I pointed at him, "I didn't do this, Carlos, you did. You and your fucking obsessions."

He stared at me, then broke out in howling laughter. "You. You have the nerve to lecture me about my obsessions? How's your plan to take over the Cortez cartel holding up, Vivian? Or haven't you heard that your fucking granddaughter is pregnant? You are just as far in this as I am now."

"She's what?" I yelled. How the fuck did this...well, I know how, but I never imagined she and Emilio would start a family this early.

"Yeah, Vivian. She's pregnant and all her men are now rallied around the cartel. Your damn pride put us here, not my obsessions. You better get onboard trying to salvage this, because I guarantee they won't hesitate to kill you for your part in this. Mattie has turned into quite the cold leader these days," he sneered.

My face paled. He was right. Even if I got my hands on Violet, I was screwed now. "Then what do you suggest?" I countered.

"Unilateral damage."

"Are you insane? We can't attack the compound," I gaped.

"Why not? They'll never see it coming and if we plant enough decoys they'll be spread thin. With Mattie being pregnant, she and Emilio will stay near the compound. Those are the two I want to hurt. I don't care about the others," he snarled.

"If you don't take them all down at once, you will be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life," I told him.

"Who says I plan to make it out? I want to make Emilio watch as I slit his pretty little wife's throat." His face broke into a sadistic grin. "Are you in or out, Vivian?"

"I'm in."

Author's Notes:  We are nearing the end, my lovelies.  It won't be all sunshine and rainbows...