Page 76 of Cartel King

“Then don’t sound like a petulant child.”

Will clams up, but it’s easy to tell he has far more he’d like to say. Since we can see Constantine nudging one of her sons, I know he must be Hunt. It’s Steve who speaks next, and I can tell he’s the peacemaker in the family.

“Mom, we thought you wanted as far away from syndicate life as you could get. And rather than run from it, you’ve run right back to it. You couldn’t pick somebody more entrenched than Enrique Diaz.”

“That’s just the way life worked out. It wasn’t like either of us planned this.”

Hunt’s eyebrows shoot straight up, and he glowers at me. I feel it’s time for me to speak up.

“I did not target your mother. I didn’t know who she was until yesterday morning when William showed up. Your mother has done an excellent job protecting her anonymity. I never would’ve guessed, and she never gave a hint.”

She jumps in when all three of her boys open their mouths at the same time.

“You know I disappeared, and you know how well I can stay hidden. If Enrique and his family didn’t discover who I am, then it means I did the job properly.”

“But do you really believe, Mom, that he didn’t know who you are?” Hunt pats Constantine’s head before gently easing the dog away from him, so he can lean back and cross his arms.

“Do you believe I’ll give away family secrets to Enrique? Is that what this is about? You’re worried what I’ll tell him?”

All three boys shake their heads.

“So, you believe he’ll torture me to get information from me?”

Three sets of eyes dart from their mom to me before looking back at her. None of them react beyond that.

“What would Enrique have to gain by doing that? If he’d discovered who I was sooner, he would’ve just recognized my reputation sooner. He would know I’m not telling anybody anything I don’t want to. He also would’ve known I haven’t done any jobs for Tommaso in quite some time. So, anything I might have to tell him wouldn’t be very current.”

“There are old family secrets you could divulge.”

“Hunter, do you really believe I would give away a single bit of our family business knowing how that would endanger you if I did?”

“He could force it out of you.”

Her expression hardens as she looks at her boys.

“Nobody’s ever gotten anything out of me, and nobody’s going to. It’s not like people haven’t tried.”

“Ellie, what’re you talking about?”

I turn to look at her rather than the screen. I haven’t seen any questionable scars, so that makes me wonder, are there invisible ones? What have men done to her?

She puts her hand on my thigh where the boys can’t see it and squeezes. She turns to offer me a reassuring smile.

“If anything horrible had happened to me, nobody would’ve let me live to tell the tale. The reputation I cultivated as the accountant meant people knew Tommaso would avenge me. You said yourself my nickname was ‘The Ball Buster.’ I didn’t know that, but that should be some reassurance.”

“Hardly.”

My voice overlaps with her three sons, and we scowl at one another. This conversation isn’t progressing as well as I’d like it to.

“Look, boys, I understand what an unlikely match we are. I understand the position it puts you guys in. Don’t you think it’s going to be even harder for Enrique?”

“Not if this has been his plan all along, and his family knows about it.” So much for Steven being the peacemaker.

“If Enrique were going to do something to me, don’t you think that would’ve happened the moment he found out who I am, so he could keep me from speaking to any of you?”

“Or maybe, Mom, he’s planting things he thinks you’ll repeat to us.”

“So, you expect me to betray all of you?”

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