Page 14 of Cartel Cobra

The sewer. It’s the worst prison in Bogotá. The most hardened criminals go there. If it weren’t for the Diaz family, it would be a survival of the fittest in there. FuckingLord of the Flies. Josue ensures the rival gangs understand they keep their turf wars within the prison because he allows it. Any of them step out of line, and he sends Luis in to remind them that what Josue gives, he can take away.

Los Diazrun contraband through there. They make a shit ton manipulating guards to get the prisoners addicted, then keeping them hooked, but not dead. They also monopolize all sales and distribution of cell phones and cigarettes into the prison. Those are the two most coveted items besides drugs.

To outsiders, it sounds like nothing but a massive criminal operation. There’s no doubt it is, but it also keeps the peace. When there’s open hostility in the prisons, then there’s open hostility in the streets. With the Diaz family—with Josue—in command, there’s a balance of power among the gangs that ensures innocent people aren’t caught in the crossfire. With the tight rein Josue keeps on the prisons throughout Latin America, no one dares test his reach.

No one but hismalditopedazo de mierda—motherfucking piece of shit—brother.

“I won’t survivela alcantarilla!” Miguel looks ready to piss and shit himself while puking over the edge.

“You better figure out how to. When I say jump, you’ll beg to know how high. When I say grovel, you’ll crawl on your belly to lie beneath my boots. When I tell you to take it up the ass, you’ll spread your cheeks. You’ll smuggle whatever the fuck I want into that jail and do it with a motherfucking smile. If you don’t, Luis’ll toss you into the yard like a piece of steak to a lion pride. They’ll tear you apart while you’re still breathing. Do you have any idea how painful it is to be disemboweled?”

“Fine. Fine. I’ll do it.”

Nothing about Enrique’s tone or expression makes any of us think he’s exaggerating. Luis won’t think twice about following that order since the man cowering before us was prepared toattemptto kill their father. There’s no way he would succeed, but he’d try. It’s more convenient to have him on the inside than in a pool of blood in the hangar where their mother and sisters could see or get caught in crossfire.

“Check in tomorrow at seven a.m. Don’t make me wait.”

Enrique speaks as though Miguel’s going to a hotel not a penitentiary. Luis draws back his fist and slams it into Miguel’s temple. The man crumples to the deck. He won’t wake before Enrique and Luis’s men dump him outside the jail when we getback into the city. We remain silent as we head back to shore. I swab the deck and wipe the rails to remove any traces of us. The brothers help me attach my boat to the trailer and wait for me as I tow it out of the water. I have a place a few miles away where I store it alongside their boat.

“We may have ended that threat, buttíowon’t take the hint. He needs to go.” Enrique’s gaze bores into me as he speaks.

“I know.” He wants me to do to Humberto what Humberto wanted me to do to Josue.

The brothers turn toward their armored SUV as I walk to my truck. It’s far bigger than most vehicles on the roads here, so it sticks out. I only drive it when I have to haul something. Usually, I stick with a less conspicuous sports car.

“If anything goes wrong—if you can’t finish the job or something comes up, I’m trusting Matáis to get Catalina to safety, and I’m trusting you to do the same for Luciana.Mamáknows what to do. Fail me, and there’ll be no forgiveness.”

I nod. I’m not about to tell Enrique—or Luis, for that matter—just how far I’ll go to protect Lucy. They’ll want to know why, and I’m not prepared to tell them I’ll kill Domingo and marry their sister if the fucker doesn’t step aside soon.

Am I stalking her?

Some people would say yes.

I’ve followed Luciana whenever I can for the past week. Most of the time I’ve been invisible, but I’ve found reasons to show up in her path. We happened to go running along the same trail. We happened to be at the same grocery store. We happened to be at the same bookstore. That’s when I let her see me. Each time I kept the encounter brief. Little more than a smile, a greeting,and a nod because she had guards with her. I don’t need any of them questioning me, but I made sure I’m on her mind nearly as much as she’s on mine.

I’ve also watched her inconspicuously. With everything escalating and the increased danger around her father, I’m unwilling to trust her safety entirely to other men. It’s ridiculous since these men have protected the Diaz family for years—decades in some cases. I know it’s completely irrational, but now that I’ve found Lucy, I won’t risk losing her.

If she glared at me in anger or disgust, then maybe I wouldn’t be so insistent upon my silent mission. But heat flares between us when our gazes meet. I’m certain I’m not imagining it. At the grocery store, I wandered over and helped her reach a box of cereal from the top shelf. One of her guards could’ve—should’ve—helped, but none did.Herfingers brushedmyfingers as I handed it to her. She didn’t have to do it, but she wanted to touch me. I nearly hefted her over my shoulder and made off with her.

Right now, I’m watching her slip into the backdoor of an apartment building in a quiet suburb. It’s not where she lives, but it’s somewhere she’s visited before. I’m certain of that since she knows where to look when she sweeps her gaze around the area. I also know where to hide since this isn’t my first time here. She’s visiting Luis, who’s back yet again. The guy is a fucking yo-yo. He and Enrique were here three days ago for their father’s birthday. It went off without a problem since we locked Miguel in a warehouse storage room for a few hours when we got back to Bogotá after our brief cruise on the lake. Then we dumped him outside the prison just before dawn. Luis and Enrique went back to New York, but Luis arrived here this morning.

I’m dying to know what they’re talking about, but I can’t follow her in. I refuse to bug her place, her car, or her purse. I might be her shadow, but I won’t violate every bit of her privacy.She’d never forgive me for that, which would make wooing her impossible.

There’s just something about her.

Something that feels so right.

Not just physically, but far more. The way she pushes back against what I say. Most people wouldn’t dare. Nothing about me invites a discussion when I give an order. She has no such reservations about disagreeing with me. I know from Enrique how intelligent she is and driven. I respect her dedication to her family and her willingness to sacrifice. I admire her courage to accept a fate she doesn’t want. Her doubts about Domingo are clear whenever she talks about him, even if most people can’t see what’s so obvious to me.

I know I’m at an advantage because I know far more about her than she does me. Before meeting her, the things Enrique told me about his sisters were only mildly interesting. I didn’t give them much thought, but he’s always been proud whenever he talks about Catalina and Lucy. Now I understand why.

Luis’ll kill me if he discovers I’m surveilling them because neither he nor Enrique ordered me to watch Lucy. However, Enrique told me to protect her if anything goes wrong. How can I do that if I don’t know where she is or how to get to her? I doubt that’ll be strong enough reasoning if they discover what I’m doing, but I think it’s justified. If I stick with that and don’t deviate if they question me, then maybe they’ll believe me.

Rationalizing.

If I can convince myself, then maybe I can convince others. Since I can’t even explain to myself my compulsion to see her and watch her, I know I’m nothing more than a fucking stalker. I keep going around and around in my head as I wait. There’s plenty I could and should do right now. Things that would keep my mind off Lucy. Instead, I’m sitting in my car, waiting.

I watch Lucy and Luis leave the apartment together and get into a car Luis drives. Finally, I can concentrate on something besides my spiraling thoughts. I let them get ahead of me before I pull out. I know Luis’ll spot me in an instant if I’m not careful. I’m not in my usual car, which isn’t flashy, but it’s definitely nicer than most cars on the streets. I’m in the inconspicuous one that blends in. It looks like a run of the mill car in Bogotá. I stay five car lengths behind them, sometimes six. But I make sure I don’t lose sight of them.

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