Stolen By The Queen: A Narcos Romance

Chapter 19

The house located at the address sent over the burner phone was more modest than Ryan expected. He wasn't surprised that this meeting wouldn't take place at Carlos Sinaloa's main house--not that he knew where that was, even Jacob had yet to find it. But that prickling sixth sense of a setup shot up his spine, his grip tightening on the steering wheel.

Camila started to open her door, the woman unusually quiet and still on the car ride over. He could still feel her on his fingers, the way her body hard arched back into his. But he shot that line of thinking down fast. Not the time.

"Wait." Ryan's voice was a harsh command and Camila slowed clicked the door shut, keeping her gaze fixedly forward. Ryan got out of the car, scanning the short drive to the hacienda-style modest home, two guards prowling out front. Overall it didn't seem that many people were here, a quiet suburb outside of downtown. Ryan engaged the tracker on his smart phone and opened the car door to place it under the floorboard of his jeep, receiving confirmation that Jacob had his location. 

He dragged his hand roughly over his mouth, looking across the car's consul to Camila. "Let's go." 

The gravel crunched under their feet, the gun at Ryan's back feeling like cool metal and comfort. Like a part of his damn body. If they didn't let him keep it, they'd bail on the meeting. Simple as that. Giving up his one gun simply wasn't an option. 

The two guards eyed them with cool disinterest as they approached. Or at least, eyed Ryan. The heat in their gaze was palpable when it landed on Camila's yellow-silk-clad figure, her dark hair shimmering under the sun. 

"Palabra clave?" *Code word?

"El diablo." *The devil. Ryan had to restrain a scoff when he'd seen that word come through with the time and location of the meeting with Carlos Sinaloa. Couldn't a cartel boss be a little more original? 

The guards nodded, automatic rifles strapped to their chests as they moved aside to allow Ryan and Camila to walk up the steps toward the front door. He could feel their eyes searing into his back where his gun was tucked, no doubt noting where his firearm was but luckily not taking it from him. 

Music filtered through the front room, the spices and smells of lunch wafting through the one-story home as if they were visiting a friend's place. Ryan wrapped a protective arm around Camila's waist, his touch clinical, as he led her through to the dining warm where the voices and music were louder.

"Ay mira, es el gringo!" *Oh look, it's the gringo!

Esteban Sinaloa stood with a drink in hand, his large, stiff belly barely held in by his belts. His eyes were glassy like he was already drunk but the smile on his face was broad and genuine. 

"Y su hermosa diosa, ya veo." *And his beautiful goddess, I see.

"Hola, esta es una casa encantadora. La comida huele celestial." *Hello, this is a lovely home. The food smells heavenly.

Camila's voice was soft and gently, her body relaxed at his side as she conversed with Esteban. 

"Either of you want a drink?" Esteban turned toward a fully stocked bar cart, already pulling out two tumblers before either agreed. "Business talk is always smoother with a little tequila in one's blood, no crees?" *Don't you think?

"Thank you." Ryan accepted the tequila, taking a tentative sip as Camila took a hearty gulp, his eyes narrowing slightly at her but so far she'd done better than he expected at hiding her nerves. He couldn't exactly blame her for needing a little liquid courage.

"My brother is outside, let's go meet him." Esteban smiled like a Cheshire cat, another ripple of suspicion rippling up Ryan's back but even legit meetings always came with inherent risk. One wrong word, one perceived offense, and the whole thing could go to shit. He'd powered through that sense enough times to know how to calibrate his action according.