He stood and stepped away from the bathtub, his gaze lingering on her body. The bubbles were completely gone, she had nowhere to hide. “We’ll be dining with Garza this evening. Dress to kill, Vee,” he said, his voice flat, no indication of the small battle they’d just engaged in or the sexual tension igniting the air around them. “Wear the heels.”
Chapter Nineteen
Vee realized what Sotza meant by ‘dress to kill’ when he handed her a small revolver tucked neatly into a small leather holster. It took her a few seconds to realize the strap was clearly meant to fit around a thigh. Fancy. She wished she’d gotten one for herself ages ago. Weapons that were easily concealed in women’s outfits weren’t easy to come by.
She raised an eyebrow as she accepted the weapon, pulled it from the holster and checked the chamber. Fully loaded. What the fuck was he thinking? She could shoot him where he stood, casually leaning against the tall bedframe, watching her emotionlessly. “Giving me a gun is either brave or stupid.” She felt compelled to inform him. Then, as she tucked it back in its holster she said, “Actually, it’s just stupid. I’m a good shot and I will kill you the first opportunity I get where I can do the deed and safely disappear.”
The edge of his lip quirked and he nodded. “It’s your bloodthirsty attitude that makes me feel safe giving you this small gift.” He took the three steps separating them and caught her chin, tilting her head up. She had to look way up, even in heels, she was still half a foot shorter. “Of course, I’m still wary of you with a gun. I have a healthy respect for your abilities in the deadly arts. But Vee, you need to know I will never leave you unprotected. Even if it means arming you myself.”
The thought that he wanted to keep her safe was alluring. The knowledge that he trusted her to keep herself safe was intoxicating. And the entire mix of emotions was topped off with a healthy dose of confusion because she wanted to hate the man.
She nodded and stepped away, freeing her chin and stepping around him toward the end of the bed. Glancing over her shoulder, she confirmed that his eyes were all over her as she pulled up the tight knee-length skirt of her red dress, nearly to her panties. She lifted her left leg and placed it on the chest at the end of the bed, her metal heel striking the wood. It took a few moments of fussing with the holster strap to get it on just right. She needed it snug around the upper muscle of her thigh, but she also needed it to lay against her skin without puckering the dress. Her profile had to be completely smooth if anyone glanced down her body. She finished and straightened, tugging her skirt back down and smoothing her hands over her hips and thighs.
Turning to Sotza, she asked, “What do you think? Can you tell it’s there?”
His voice was a little rough when he replied, “You look stunning, Vee. Absolutely flawless.”
Her cheeks heated and she turned away so he wouldn’t see her reaction to his compliment. Vee suspected he didn’t often compliment people, but he’d been doing it plenty with her. She hated to admit it, but the difference in the way he treated her compared to how he treated other people warmed her heart a little. She’d feel a tiny bit bad when she finally got the chance to kill him. Miss all those pretty compliments.
“You don’t look too bad yourself,” she said grudgingly, looking him over with a critical eye and coming up with nothing to complain about. Sotza was everything she might look for in a man. He was tall and surprisingly strong with long, leanly corded muscles. Regally handsome with an edge of rugged. He knew how to showcase both elements of his character, wearing dark, impeccably tailored suits that contrasted with the brutal man so many unfortunate dead people encountered. It was enough to make even her heart stutter a little; both in trepidation and admiration.
She approached him, trying to match her confidence with his and reached for his tie, straightening it. Though she despised the man and his methods, she knew that they needed to project a united front to the Mexican cartel boss. Sotza watched her, his face void of expression as she smoothed her hand down the navy blue tie, flattening it against his chest, her nails briefly scraping the fabric of his shirt. She felt the rapid beat of his heart under her hand and had a small moment of wonder – he was good, keeping his face impassive while his body responded to her proximity.
They stood for a moment, looking at each other. If it had been a different time, a different place. If they had been two completely different people, Vee would have been head over heels for this man. She would have put every ounce of her feminine wiles to work to capture his attention.
She stepped back, bracing herself for the coming evening. Sotza’s eyes hardened and he became all business. It was time to go to work. She straightened her back and stared past him, awaiting his next move. He didn’t disappoint, turning at her side and taking her arm in a firm grip. “Let’s get this over with,” he said, leading her from the room.
Nico looked extremely handsome in his formal suit, cowboy boots with black hair slicked back. His jaw was freshly shaven and he smelled like Dior Homme cologne as he bent over Vee’s hand, kissing the skin lightly and then rising to press a quick kiss to her cheek. Vee felt Sotza’s tension as the Mexican boss handled her, but he didn’t make a move.
Nico turned and introduced his companion, a stunning Latina woman that took even Vee’s breath away. Though it was less her looks and more the intense concentration in her eyes that put Vee on edge. Desi was a little taller than Vee’s height in heels. She wore a black velvet gown that plunged deep down her chest, the two sides held together by strands of interlocking silver loops. Her long black hair flowed in a shiny fall down her back. Vee realized within seconds of meeting the other woman she was most likely Nico’s personal bodyguard, possibly even his second. Desi stood to his side and slightly in front, her hands loose and ready to go for a weapon. She didn’t look even remotely pleased or relaxed, as the date of a man like Nico might look.
Though the two were obviously fucking. A woman didn’t run her hand down another man’s arm with such familiarity unless she knew him intimately. That, coupled with the scathing look she shot Vee from behind Nico’s shoulder when he kissed Vee, made her positive Desi would kill if she felt either of her positions threatened. Vee simply raised an eyebrow and treated the other woman with cool indifference. The last thing she needed was the drama only a woman throwing a jealous fit could throw down.
“Please, let us be seated,” Nico said waving them into the formal dining room.
Vee looked around appreciatively, noting that Nico had incorporated modern accents to the traditional Mexican décor. The combination was stunning. She was a little surprised by his all-around good taste. She would’ve pegged the tough Mexican as the type of guy who would prefer to be buried deep in the jungle inside an impenetrable concrete fortress. And while she supposed his home was probably fortified to the max, Nico clearly enjoyed luxurious surroundings. It reminded Vee a little of her old life, with Tony.
She caught Nico’s eye and he grinned at her, nodding as he noted her appreciation of his home. “You like, Señora?”
She smiled back, her lips stretching tightly. Though she would play her part, she was wildly aware that this ‘pleasant’ evening was more than light socializing. A sizing up of all the players, figuring out where they fit and if they could ultimately do business in a trade known for its deadliness.
“You have a lovely home, Nico,” she assured him. “What I’ve seen so far is stunning.”
He accepted the compliment, taking her arm and guiding her around the table. As their host pulled a chair out for Vee, Sotza did the same for Desi, seating her across from their host before taking the chair opposite Vee’s. His dark eyes lingered on her face as Nico sat next to her.
She wondered what he was thinking. There was a snapping tension in the air around him that made Vee’s heart flutter, captured her attention and mesmerized her. She barely noticed Nico at her side, speaking on light topics as she stared back at Sotza. Was the tension a result of Nico being near her, acting his
part as their gracious host, or was it something else? Something to do with the negotiations.
Though she gave the façade of basic politeness, Desi seemed to be in a mood. Her dark eyes followed everyone with malevolent suspicion and she barely spoke when someone spoke to her. Vee wished the other woman would stop glaring at her as though she wanted to cut Vee’s throat. She really needed to have a chat with the woman about having a sister’s back. After all, they were two deadly women, working in a man’s world.
Though Desi was magnificent, the epitome of Latina perfection, Vee didn’t envy her. She pitied the other woman. Living with a man, sleeping with him, and working for him. This is why Vee had a clear no fraternizing rule. It wasn’t professional and led to complications.
“What a lovely dress, Desi, is it Versace?” Vee asked, trying to draw the other woman into conversation. Perhaps if she attempted to befriend the hostile woman, she could ferret out more about Desi’s and Nico’s relationship status. It could come in useful.
Desi shot Vee a borderline scathing look and answered, her tone carefully bored, “No te entiendo.”
Vee doubted very much that Desi didn’t understand. If Desi was Nico’s second-in-command then she would definitely know how to speak the language of a major trade partner. But Vee switched easily to Spanish and asked the question again. If anything, Desi’s countenance grew colder, angrier as she snapped that, yes, her dress was Versace.
Vee couldn’t help herself. She probably should, but the old Vee, the one who dined regularly with high society mavens, simply couldn’t resist needling the unpleasant woman when it became clear that Desi wasn’t going to accept her attempt at friendliness. She continued in flawless Spanish, “And your shoes? Simply marvelous. Where did you get them? What brand are they?”
“Manolo,” Desi snarled, barely concealing her annoyance. She snatched up her wine glass a mere second after the servant poured. “My bracelet is Cartier and my make-up is mostly Armani. That about sums up my wardrobe unless you want to talk about my underwear.”
Vee nearly laughed out loud. Wow, it was easy to get under Desi’s skin. She really wished the other woman weren’t so hostile. She suspected they actually had quite a lot in common, even the quick temper. It would be fun to chat her up, see what it was like inside a Mexican cartel from the viewpoint of a powerful woman.
Nico interrupted their fun though by growling across the table at Desi, telling her to shut her mouth if she couldn’t be polite to his guests. Vee was surprised when, instead of looking contrite, Desi turned her furious gaze toward her lover. She didn’t speak, and Vee understood. Desi would push Nico too far if she disrespected him directly. Appearance was everything to a cartel man.
After that, Vee got bored. Desi behaved herself, even when Vee tried to bait her into a response. Nico continued acting the perfect host, politely inquiring about their wedding plans. Sotza played ball but gave non-committal responses. Nico didn’t try to flirt with her as he’d done on the airstrip. She wondered why. He’d obviously been playing with them earlier, but was his lack of overt attention to Vee a sign of respect toward Desi? That would imply their relationship was deeper than it appeared on the surface.
Vee was curious about their weird little dinner party. It was steeped in hostility and tension, yet nothing spilled into the polite flow of conversation. What was the point? Was Nico simply being polite, inviting his guests to an evening meal while they stayed with him? Or did this meal have a more sinister undertone? Was their host trying to assess them, assess Sotza’s strengths, perhaps even his feelings toward Vee? And for what reason? Would be dare to strike out at them while they were vulnerable on his property? It would be a stupid decision. He must know the strength of the Venezuelan cartel. Retaliation would be swift and predictably brutal.
A quick glance toward Sotza confirmed that he was watching, his eyes never leaving Nico. His gaze was neutral, completely blank. Vee shivered as something stirred in those black depths every time Nico spoke or directed a comment to either one of them. She wondered what stopped Sotza’s hand. She knew, if The Butcher chose to make a move, to slaughter everyone in the room, they would all be dead before their soup spoons fell. Vee didn’t know if it was their need of a Mexican partner that stalled his hand, or if he was playing another game. Somehow, she didn’t think it was the negotiations. He’d cut off Domingo’s head with nary a thought to the ripple effects of his loss throughout Mexico. He’d simply done as he wanted and moved forward.
When the meal ended, Nico escorted Vee and Sotza to their room. After assuring him they would join him for breakfast he left. Sotza saw Vee into the room and then stepped out for a few minutes to talk to their security. Vee paced across the lush carpet, then pulled her shoes off and tossed them toward the end of the bed. When Sotza entered the room, Vee turned to him and stopped moving. She waited for him to speak first.
He locked the door and glanced over at Vee. He didn’t disappoint her expectations. “You were a beautiful sight tonight, Vee. You worked that room like a pro.”
Vee was elated and grinned broadly at the compliment. Maybe she should have brushed it off, but right now she felt awesome stepping back into her old role, one where she ruled a room with ease, but this time it wasn’t behind a desk or in a warehouse. “Tell me you saw what I saw?” she demanded.
He nodded seriously and strode toward the bed, sitting on the bench to pull his own shoes off. Vee tried to shrug away her sudden discomfort in the intimacy of a man taking his shoes off in a bedroom they would both sleep in. He’d seen her fully naked, the sound of his shoes hitting the floor shouldn’t be causing such a flutter in her stomach. “Desiree is clearly his second-in-command. She’s a terrible actress. I would lay money that he told her to act stupid, vapid. Just a beautiful bimbo companion to a rich man.”
“Exactly!” Vee said excitedly. “She rose to my bait so easily. Even when she finally locked down her emotions, I could still feel her anger and resentment. If her job was to gather intel, she seriously fucked that up. Which is why you don’t fuck around with the boss, messes with priorities.”
“Agreed, they shouldn’t be mixing business and pleasure. Tell me, Vee, did you learn this lesson from personal experience? From Danny Russo?” When he said the words, he stared at her. His mask dropped for a second and she saw The Butcher. He was demanding to know if she’s fucked Danny. Probably assumed she had.
Vee crossed her arms and gripped her biceps. She glared at him. “If you’re asking if I fucked Danny, than the answer is it’s none of your fucking business.”
“Even if it meant his life?”
She let out an annoyed huff and gave him the answer he wanted. “I know better than to fuck the staff.”
“Who would you fuck, Vee?” he persisted.
She lifted her chin and snapped, “I think you mean, who did I fuck? Do you want a list, Sotza, because it’s a long one? Isn’t that what you’re really after?”
“Careful,” he warned her.
“Or what?” she snapped throwing caution out the window.
He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, the first visible sign he’d given that he might be tired or affected by her constant resistance. The moment passed quickly and he straightened, giving her a glacial look. “You may have noticed that I’m fairly subtle most of the time.”
She frowned. That was true, he wasn’t particularly heavy-handed, yet he always seemed to get his way. “Yes?”
“Silent contemplation is how I survive in this business. I observe the people around me, find their weaknesses, and come up with creative punishments.”
She shivered. She’d heard of his ‘creative punishments,’ his meticulous brutality. “You would punish me?” she asked, her voice wavering a little.
He nodded. “If it became necessary. I never say anything I don’t mean to follow through on.”
They stared at each other, a battle of wills. Vee believed him. He always did what he said he was going to do. He’d told her fro
m the beginning that he was taking Miami, that he was taking her, that he would marry her. Vee was starting to believe it. Believe that she couldn’t stop him.
“I would punish you back,” she said, unable to allow him the final word.
“I believe you’ll try,” he agreed. And once more she caught a flash of exhaustion etched into the grooves of his face. He spent months chasing after her, taking Miami from her and setting up his own command. All this while he still had his own cartel back in Venezuela, making sure it ran smooth without his presence. And now this negotiation with the Mexican cartel. He would have to be ten steps ahead of Garza at all times. She decided to back off… for now. She didn’t want to find the limit of his patience now. Not here in this dangerous place.
“I’m tired,” Vee said, opening the suitcase and digging around until she came up with white silk pyjamas, something she would definitely have bought for herself. She looked pointedly at the bed. “Where are you sleeping?”
He grinned suddenly, a wolfish smile that made her heart stutter. She was becoming accustomed to his gentlemanly demeanor, the cool way he carried himself. The sudden heat in his expression took her breath away. He didn’t answer the question she posed, instead he said, “Vee, when I’m ready to share a bed with you, you’ll know.” Then he turned and left the bedroom, the audible click of the lock a stark reminder of her situation.
She shouldn’t be sparring with The Butcher, she should be trying to find a way out of the cage he was building around her.
Chapter Twenty
The flight from Mexico to Venezuela took about five hours. Sotza was happy to be back. Watching Vee’s face as they descended over the mountainous jungle region of his home made this landing special. Her professional mask slipped away as she clutched the window frame and leaned in her seat to better see the breathtaking beauty of Venezuela. He could see a combination of excitement, exhilaration and trepidation in her lovely features. He suspected she’d never travelled this far.
Queen’s Move: Book Two of The Queens Page 11
