Page 15 of The Love Language of the Cartel

For the next hour, the petite Hispanic instructor took us through a sequence of poses, guiding us with her calming voice. The deep stretch of the poses, the rhythm of my breaths, and the natural beauty enveloping me were the trifecta. I was in perfect peace.

As the session came to a close, the instructor led us into the winddown phase. She encouraged us to lie flat on our mats, close our eyes, and relax. She handed out cool towels that smelled like lavender.

“This is your time to rest,” the instructor said calmly as she walked around to each of us. “Place the towel over your face. Feel the cool lavender against your skin and let the scent wash over you. Breathe deeply and let go of any lingering tension. You are here, in this beautiful place. It is time to rest in peace.Padre, perdóname,” she whispered.

I drew in multiple deep breaths, soaking in the last tranquil moments before the session ended. We all closed our eyes, soaking in the tranquility of the moment. The combination of the lavender on the towel, Veronica’s soothing voice, and the crashing sounds of the ocean waves had me in a trance. The deeper my breaths, the heavier my eyelids and limbs felt.

I went from feeling energized to tired in a matter of minutes. My arms felt like lead when I tried to remove the towel from my face. When I did, I saw the instructor kneeling beside me with a sympathetic look on her face.

On the inside of her wrist was the same tattoo as the man in the elevator. She was with the cartel too. But before I could utter a sound, her hand moved with lightning speed. A glint of metal caught my eye, and then I felt a sharp sting in my neck.

My vision began to blur almost immediately.

“What . . . what did you . . .?” I tried to ask, but my tongue felt heavy and uncooperative in my mouth.

My body felt heavier as if I were sinking into quicksand. I tried to fight it, to stay conscious, but it was a losing battle. The terrace spun around me; the sunlight blurred into streaks of color.

“No . . .” I murmured, barely audible.

My thoughts galloped, desperately trying to piece together what was happening.Who is this woman? Why is she doing this? And is she connected to Ozias?

Ozias. The name echoed in my fading consciousness. El Diablo. The devil himself. I’d never met him, but I’d heard the whispers, the stories. A man as dangerous as he was powerful.Is this his doing? Is this retaliation for some perceived slight by my family?

I wanted to ask, to demand answers, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. My eyelids were so heavy, and I couldn’t keep them open any longer. As darkness consumed me completely, one final thought flashed through my mind:I’ve failed. I failed to prove my worth and failed to protect myself. What would my father say?

Then, nothing.

Ozias

Istared out the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office, watching the city come to life as my gaze swept over the skyline. The view from the fiftieth floor of Rivera BioPharma Cancun headquarters was breathtaking, but my mind was elsewhere. My fingers drummed impatiently on the polished oak desk as I awaited news of Demi’s arrival.

Everything was falling into place, just as I planned. I’d been watching Demi from afar since the deal came across my desk to align our families. I knew her frequent whereabouts, how good she was at poker, who she told her secrets to, and how fucking good she looked even when she thought no one was watching. While my men were retrieving the Malone princess from the private mansion in Cancun, I was already en route on my private jet. It was only a matter of time before she would be delivered right at my feet.

I allowed myself a slight smirk of satisfaction. Cyrus Malone thought he could back out of our deal, but he’d soon learn that no one double-crossed Ozias Rivera and got away with it. I’d had men stationed in Chicago to retrieve her when I learned about her meeting in Cancun. I had Javier, my most trusted lieutenant, watch her at the restaurant. He sent me videos and photos of hermeeting and put a tracker on her vehicle, which led me right to the mansion she was staying at. Taking his daughter was just the first step in bringing the Malones to their knees. Making her fall in love with me and bear my seed was the second.

My phone buzzed with an incoming text. It was from Javier.

Javier:Package secured. ETA. Ten minutes.

“Excellent,” I muttered before pocketing the phone.

I turned back to the window, clasping my hands behind my back as I surveyed my domain. Chicago may not have known it yet, but the city, among others across the US and Mexico, belonged to me. Rivera BioPharma was just the tip of the iceberg—a perfectly legal front for the real empire I’d built. Every day, shipments of cocaine, heroin, and other illicit substances flowed into the country under the guise of pharmaceutical supplies. The DEA hadn’t caught on yet, and by the time they did, it’d be too late.

But drugs were just the beginning. With Demi as my wife, I’d have a foothold into the Malone’s territory. And once I crushed Cyrus, there would be no one left to challenge my power.

Ten minutes later, a knock at the door interrupted my deliberations. “Enter,” I commanded, not bothering to turn around.

I heard the door open, followed by the soft whir of wheels on the carpet. My pulse quickened, knowing who they’d brought me.

“Jefe.” Javier’s gravelly voice broke the silence. “We have her.”

I took a deep breath, composing myself before I faced them. I couldn’t let them see how eager I was to lay eyes on my bride-to-be. When I finally turned, my expression was a mask of cool indifference.

Javier stood beside a large laundry cart on wheels with Ángel hovering nearby. I approached slowly, savoring the moment.When Javier pulled off the sheet, I got my first glimpse of Demi Malone in the flesh. She was even more beautiful than her photos suggested. Long dark hair framed a face of sweet caramel perfection. Her curves were generous, her body delicate and inviting, even in unconsciousness. But it was the stubborn set of her jaw, the slight furrow between her perfectly arched brows, that truly captivated me. This was a woman who wouldn’t be easily tamed—and I was looking forward to the challenge.

“How long until she wakes up?” I asked, not peeling my eyes away from her.

Javier shrugged. “Shouldn’t be too much longer, boss. We gave her another dose when we got her in the truck, but it’s starting to wear off.”

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