Page 119 of Sinful King

I unmuted the phone.

“Are you a friend or foe, Miguel?”

“Well…” he cleared his throat. “my cousin says you’re as loyal as they come, even if you had an agenda from the start,” he said. “Even though you and your husband made a deal with the devil. She just can’t seem to let you go.”

Mmm.

“Augusto alive?”

He snorted.

“Yeah but I had him sidelined once I stepped foot in this muthafucka. It wasn’t hard to turn his men. They didn’t like him and eventually he agreed to bring Esmeralda home for his life. Killing the old man wouldn’t do me any good, especially when he’ll be dead on his own soon enough anyway.”

I didn’t really care one way or another, not after learning about all Augusto had been up to over the years.

“Where’s Esmeralda?”

“Finally, we’re getting to the good part of the conversation…” his arrogance was beginning to work my nerves. “I’ll free Esmeralda, if you agree to an alliance.”

I laughed and shut my laptop.

Everybody wanted to work with little ole me and it was starting to get annoying.

“I think I’ll pass,” I told him, ignoring the look in Liam’s eyes. “But here’s what will happen and I want you to listen to me carefully, Miguel. You are going to put Esmeralda on a private flight to New York by ten tonight or I’ll be in Miami by morning to fuck your whole world up. And before you try to puff your chest out to prove you have the upper hand, remember my husband’s last name. Remember whohisallies are. One call and I’ll have Esi back at my side and your head on a fucking stake for all Miami to see. Is that deal good enough for you or should we declare this war now?”

Was it a gamble? Yes.

Miguel could kill Esmeralda before I ever got to Miami, but the ones who came with the intention to negotiate weren’t hard for me to understand.

He was silent for a long minute, probably weighing his options.

“How about this—”

Finn chuckled.

“—I put Esmeralda on a flight to New York like you askedbutyou handle somebody for me.He’s becoming a pain in my ass and I got big plans. Fighting with you and your army ain’t what I want.”

I thought about it for a second, glancing at Finnegan who nodded for me to take the bait.

“Put Esmeralda on first.”

He sighed but I heard shuffling, two doors shut and what sounded like him walking down a flight of stairs.

She must be in the basement, I thought.

“When I get out of here I’m going to skin you alive,” I heard Esi say as calm as can be, bringing a smile to my face. “I’m not taking that.”

“But then I won’t get what I want. Talk to your friend.”

Not even a second later, her voice spilled from the phone.

“Hey, Blair baby,” she spoke with a smile in her voice. “I knew you’d get suspicious and call after that bogus text. I can’t believe we got tricked into me coming back here. You know these muthafuckas had the nerve to drug my drink on that fucking flight.”

I got out the car to have a private conversation.

“Are you hurt?”

“Nah. I’m sure even though I’m locked down here, everyone is afraid what I’ll do if they get to close. Except the annoying face staring at me right now.”

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