Page 91 of Obsession & Oath

Ever the overprotective husband, Leon watches her like a hawk as she moves toward the head of the table. Ignoring the stares, she takes her seat as if she’d never left it. Fiery red hair curls over her shoulder. She exudes an almost unnatural sense of control.

She clears her throat. “I have information.”

The words are simple, but they hit the room like a shot. Even Leon, who’s been glued to her side, steps back just enough to allow her to take the lead.

“I spent months in that house,” she continues. “In that time, I gathered intel. Learned things. Things about the layout of the Rubio mansion, about its security, the routines of the men who work for him.”

Her eyes flicker over to me for a brief moment, and I notice the subtle change in her gaze. It’s almost as if she’s measuring me, seeing how I’ll react.

“I believe I have a strong lead on what their next moves will be. Reinforcements from Cancún arrived only days before I left.”

Something akin to dread begins to pool in my stomach.

There’s a beat of silence before Leon speaks up. “Mia, you don’t have to do this now.”

“I’m not waiting. Time is precious. If we don’t act quickly, they’ll move before we can. And I need to be part of this now. I’m ready.”

I glance at Leon, who’s still hovering behind his wife, his protective instincts barely concealed. He may not want her to jump back into this world, but it’s clear that he’s not about to stop her.

I give her a slow nod. “We’re listening, Red.”

Her eyes meet mine as she delivers the news, “The reinforcements from Cancún include Hernando Lacruz.”

The name hits the room like a bomb. Teo’s jaw tightens, and Rocco’s hand grips the edge of the table. The others shift uneasily, their faces darkening.

For everyone else in the room, the mention of Hernando Lacruz is a major problem. The man’s reputation precedes him, a ruthless ally to the Cartel and one of Amos Rubio’s most powerful enforcers.

His arrival signals bad news for the Guild—more blood, more danger, more devastation. The thought of facing him in battle is enough to make anyone’s stomach churn.

But for me?

Hernando Lacruz is the man Carmen was supposed to marry.

The realization hits me like a punch to the gut. My mind spins, and for a moment, the rest of the room disappears. I can’t stop the wave of panic that crashes over me.

If Lacruz is coming, he’s coming for her.

“Dante.” Her voice is soft, quiet in the chaos and uproar around us.

When I look up at her, I’m stunned by her expression.

Mia knows.

She knows why Lacruz is here. She knows that Carmen is his intended bride.

And after my reaction, she knows exactly who Carmen is to me.

Despite her bruises, the ruin that has been her life for the past months while I’ve been playing Italian don an ocean away, I’m absolutely floored by the sympathy in her expression.

She was torn away from the person she loved, too.

Leon’s voice cuts through the uproar, trying to regain control of the meeting, trying to steer it back on course.

“We need to focus on the bigger picture,” he barks. “Mia, is there a chance we can negotiate with Lacruz?”

Mia glances away from me casually, like nothing happened.

“Perhaps. But if the Cartel has already made him an offer, it would be difficult. He has no loyalty to us, and Lacruz is a serious player. We can’t afford to underestimate him.”

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