Page 58 of Burdens
“He passed away last year,” Nassim said, his voice strained. “Car accident. He died on his way to the hospital and I never got to say goodbye.”
I gave him a nod of understanding. “I know what that’s like,” I whispered. I could feel Amalia’s gaze boring into my skin, but I didn’t look her way and kept my eyes on Nassim. Before either could ask what I meant by that, I redirected us to the topic at hand. “What’s your plan?”
Nassim didn’t question my changing the subject and explained what he and Amalia had been working on for the last year. I initially thought they had a solid plan in place, but the more he revealed, the more frustrated I became.
Once he was done with his explanations, his eyes stayed on me, waiting for me to comment. Silence stretched between the three of us as I glanced back and forth between him and Amalia before my gaze landed on Nassim.
“So your plan is to essentially kill my father, take over, and become the newRai’s?”
“Yes.”
I huffed out a laugh of disbelief. “You’re out of your fucking mind. I thought you had a better plan than that. Do you not think Barrera won’t have you killed the second you’re in his line of sight?”
My gaze slid to Amalia. “Especially you.”
She’d essentially committed the highest treason you could against the cartel. The moment she was in my father’s reach, he would have her executed and there was no way I’d let that happen. She absolutely could take care of herself and handle her own, but I was also acquainted with what my father was capable of.
I couldn’t care less if it made me sound like an asshole, but I wouldn’t let her put herself in harm’s way. I wouldn’t risk losing another person I loved, especially not at the hands of my father.
“I can’t believe you agreed to this,” I mumbled, bewildered. She’d worked for my father for who knows how long. Surely she knew this would never work.
Her gaze twitched with irritation. “I did because it’s the best shot we have. I’ve worked for your father for the last three years and he certainly won’t recuse himself. The only thing that’ll stop him is if he’s six feet underground. If we don’t put someone in power ourselves, the cartel will fall into Hamza’s hands since Mateo’s dead and he’s just as bad asyourfather.”
The way she’d said the last words felt like getting punched in the gut. I could hear the resentment in her voice and I hated it. But a small part of me focused on the fact that this was the first time she’d shown some kind of emotion since I’d told her. She wasn’t indifferent anymore and I’d hold on to that like a lifeline.
She spoke again, “Besides, I doubtyouwant to be the nextRa’is, but what do I know, with all your lies, you just might.”
I had no plans of taking over the cartel from my father. No matter how much I wanted his reign to be over, I wouldn’t put myself in a world I’d never wanted any part of in the first place despite it technically being my legacy.
I wished their plan were better than barging into theriadand killing my father, but we were out of time, especially after the picture Nassim had gotten of Amalia and the hit my father had sent on Adil’s head.
We were looking at a few days at most before things would become a lot harder to handle if my father gained control of Alaoui’s assets and territory.
My eyes cut back to Nassim. “I still think this plan is incredibly stupid, but I’m in. Except I have two conditions.”
“Name them.”
“She stays with me at all times and my father can’t be killed if I’m not present.”
From my periphery, I noticed Amalia’s eyebrows shoot up in bewilderment. “Stay with you at all times?” Amalia’s laugh was harsh. “You don’t get to make decisions for me,” she hissed.
My eyes didn’t leave Nassim. “Those are my conditions or I walk, and you need me,” I stated, holding my ground. I knew Amalia didn’t like my first condition, but I didn’t care. “I might not have seen the man in almost thirty years, but he’s still the same.”
I knew my father well, just not in the way most kids knew theirs. Years might have passed, but deep down, he was still the same man. His ego had always gotten the best of him and my presence would unsettle him.
He’d never anticipate me coming after him, let alone overthrow him. Even after I almost choked him to death during our little reunion.
A sigh left his lips before he conceded, “Deal.”
Amalia’s head cut sharply toward him as anger emanated from her. “Nassim,” she interjected, disbelief evident in her tone at him agreeing with my demands.
He looked her in the eyes. “We need him. I won’t have time to rally up everyone we need on such short notice. So I can use all the extra hands I can get and it’s his father,” he explained. “And if my own cared for him, then I trust him.”
“Fine,” she mumbled in irritation.
“As for your crew issues, I know someone who can help,” I told him. “He’ll be on board when he knows who’s involved.”
There was someone I trusted implicitly, someone I knew would help once I told him who we were after, especially after the events that transpired a few weeks ago involving his wife.
