Book 2 of Los Carnales
After going M.I.A. for months without a single word, Lauren returns to Miami only to find that she isn't the only person who has changed; the city she once knew as hers is no more. Candy has taken over her share of Miami-Dade...
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4:45pm
Candy reclines in one of the plush, leather backseats of her Cadillac SUV with an air of casual dominance as she watches the gradual change of scenery outside the black tinted window, unspeaking and in no hurry to change that. She has begun this day in her new sheer black dress, tailored to accentuate her baby bump while hugging her curves in a way that exudes both elegance and a hint of vulnerability, to signify the death of her newest, biggest enemy for the moment. Her blonde hair, styled in a large messy bun, has strands of wavy hair escaping to frame her face. Her makeup is meticulously done, like a housewife who loves her wine, filthy wealth, and keeping twisted secrets, emphasizing her sharper features with a layer of mascara and pinky brown lips that seems almost too perfect for the grim reality of the moment. She lounges with a smug, almost bored expression, her eyes occasionally flicking toward Chris with a mix of disdain and amusement.
Across from her, Chris is a stark contrast—his posture rigid, his face set in a hard mask of defiance. His wrists are restrained by zip-ties. His clothes are rumpled and disheveled due to his recent struggle and captivity. Despite his situation, Chris's eyes remain resolute, refusing to surrender any sign of fear or submission. He meets Candy's gaze with a steely determination, trying to project strength even in the face of overwhelming odds. Whatever she does to him from this point on, she will not get away with it, and he is content with her pending pain being more worse than he had planned and she could ever imagine possible. So his grave might be deep, but hers is deeper.
Carter, sitting beside Chris, wearing a purple zip up sweater with the hood over his head, is a menacing figure with a dangerous glint in his eyes. He leans forward slightly, the gun in his hand aimed deliberately at Chris's ribcage. His posture is aggressive, almost predatory, and his gaze is intense, eager to inflict pain or exert control as his fingers occasionally tap rhythmically on the gun's grip. He smiles devilishly whenever Chris has the balls to glance at him—just like a stalking male who takes the glance of a woman he's been eyeing for a while now as interest in him and the invitation to harass her.
Orion sits opposite Carter, his presence also commanding and unsettling. Clad in a grey suit with silky purple accents that catch the dim light of the SUV's interior, he exudes a chilling professionalism that compliments Candy's style, making him her perfect right-hand man. His blue eyes, cold and unblinking, are fixed on Chris, studying his every move with a calculating intensity. Orion's stillness is almost more intimidating than if he were to speak; his silence speaks volumes about his readiness to act with lethal efficiency if the situation demands, and to prove to be Chris' worst nightmare instead of Carter or even Candy.
Candy's smile is a cruel parody of sweetness as she regards Chris. "Chris, darling, did you really think coming into my city and causing trouble would be easy? Thought no one's lips would be as loose as yours, just dying to pass on information?"
"No, I figured someone would ring the alarm once I've touched down here. I just didn't think you'd control the line of taxis to stall my escape from the airport. I must admit, that was well played," he says.
