Page 19 of The Love Language of the Cartel

“Because you’re the only one who can save thousands from unnecessary bloodshed. I might be a monster in your eyes, but I willneverunnecessarily sacrifice my people.”

I slumped back in my seat, my mind whirling with questions. I closed my eyes, trying to make sense of it all, but exhaustion and grief quickly crept up on me again. Despite my best efforts to stay alert, I felt myself drifting off.

As I slipped into unconsciousness, one thought echoed in my mind: Whatever game Ozias was playing, I refused to be just another pawn. I was Demi Malone, and I would find a way out of the dirt I’d been buried under. I had to. With that thought, I snapped my eyes open, refusing to succumb to the fatigue or the sorrow plaguing my heart. Ozias’s words echoed in my mind, stoking a fire of defiance within me.

“Nice try, Ozias,” I called out to him, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “But if you think I’m buying that bullshit you’re selling, you’re sorely mistaken.”

He emerged from the room, his dark eyes locking onto mine. The intensity of his brooding gaze sent an involuntary shiver down my spine, a mix of fear and . . . something else I didn’t want to name.

“You think I’m lying to you, Demi?” he queried as he stalked toward me, each step deliberate and predatory.

I forced myself to hold his gaze, chin lifted in defiance. “I think you’re full of shit. You’re a cartel boss, not some savior to your people.”

A cold smile played at the corners of his mouth. “And you’re the daughter of a Chicago kingpin. So, unless you popped out of Mother Teresa’s pussy, I don’t think you’re the expert on who needs saving.”

His words struck a nerve, and I felt my temper flaring. “I know enough to recognize a manipulative psychopath when I see one.”

Ozias chuckled, and the sound was devoid of humor. He leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear. “Oh, little fire. You have no idea the type of heat you’re dealing with.”

I tried to suppress the shudder that ran through me at his proximity, but I knew he felt it.Damn him.I hated how my body betrayed me, how a part of me responded to his dangerous allure even as my mind screamed in protest.

“Then educate me,” I dared, meeting his gaze head-on. “What exactly am I dealing with, Ozias?”

He pulled back slightly, studying me with those intense brown eyes and long, sweeping lashes. For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of vulnerability before it was masked by his natural cold amusement.

“You’re dealing with a man who has more enemies than friends, Demi. A man who’s been betrayed by those he trusted most,” he explained, his voice soft, but there was an edge to itthat spoke of barely contained rage. “And us, our union benefits us both greatly. It benefits our survival.”

I scoffed, even as a part of me wondered at the sincerity in his tone. “And why the hell should I care about your survival?”

Ozias’s large, tatted hand came up, fingers ghosting along my jawline. I hated myself for leaning into his touch, even as I told myself it was just to throw him off guard.

“Because, my fierce little fireball, your survival depends on it too. You have no idea how many men want you just to kill you. How they want to get under your father’s skin by killing his only heir, ending his line in the process and changing the order of succession.”

The words sent a chill through me, and I felt my heart rate quicken. Anger, fear, and a traitorous spark of excitement warred within me. I wanted to slap his hand away, to scream at him for daring to fucking touch me. But another part of me, a part I was desperately trying to ignore, wanted to lean in closer.

I settled for glaring at him, mustering all the contempt I could. “You’re clinically insane if you think I’d ever help you.”

Ozias responded with another dark and rich laugh that sent unwelcome shivers through me. “We’ll see, Demi. We’ll see.”

I narrowed my eyes, studying Ozias’s face for any sign of deception. The intensity in his gaze unnerved me, but I refused to let it show. Instead, I forced myself to focus on the situation at hand.

“You’re cocky as hell.”

“I see it as healthy arrogance.”

I lifted my chin rebelliously while rolling my eyes. “My father is going to come for me. Like you said, I’m his only child. He’d never abandon me.”

Ozias belted out another low and humorless laugh. “Ah, the naivety of youth. You’d be surprised what even the most devoted fathers are capable of when the stakes are high enough.”

His words sent a chilling ripple through me, but I pushed the doubt aside. I knew my father. I knew what he was capable of. And I knew he wouldn’t stop until he found me.

“You’re wrong,” I insisted, more to convince myself than him. “He’ll find me. It’s only a matter of time.”

As I said the words, a comforting thought occurred to me—the tracker.Of course.My father, ever paranoid, had insisted on it years ago. A tiny chip embedded just below my nape. I protested at the time, but it could’ve been my last chance at salvation.

I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips. Ozias noticed, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Something amusing, Demi?”

I trained my features into neutrality. “Just imagining how satisfying it will be to watch my father’s men drag you away in chains.”

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