Never Trust a Saint (LOS SANTOS Cartel story #1)

by Melissa Jane

  “I may very well reconsider letting you go, bonita. I could make great use of you.”

  “Fuck you!” I spat angrily, barely able to regain my breath.

  He laughed knowing all I had were weak fighting words. Spinning me around with a hand on my shoulder, I took advantage of the new found space between us. Using the leverage I had on the mattress, I swung my legs high, connecting my bare feet to his chest. He stumbled back knocking into the small table and sending everything on it sliding off. Regaining my posture, I made a run for it.

  I heard him curse behind me before a foot connected with mine sending me careening through the air. I landed heavily on the carpet, his hand wrapping around my ankle dragging me toward him. I clawed desperately, needing to get away but I was neither strong nor fast enough. He rolled me over until I faced his victorious smile.

  “You give in so easily to him, but not to me.” He was so caught up in what was between Hunter and me that it was consuming him.

  “There is nothing between us,” I reinforced, although it was falling on deaf ears.

  Straddling my lap, he yanked my red dress high on my waist and pulled both my breasts free. “Tell me what he does to you. I want every fucking detail. I wanna know how he brings you to your knees. How he has you begging for your pussy to be satisfied.”

  “He doesn’t do anything to me!” I made to punch his face, hopefully send him off kilter, but he caught my fist before it connected. Pushing my hand away, he took a swing, his backhand smacking across my cheek. Blood seeped into my mouth from my now split lip.

  He smirked. Proud with his achievement. Pleased my resistance was now broken.

  I was dazed, vision blurred. My breaths were short, my chest rapidly rising and falling.

  Slowly, deliberately he lowered himself back into me, his lips claiming mine causing me to wince from the fresh new wound. When he pulled away with my blood on his mouth, his eyes were glazed over like a crazy man.

  I saw it coming, I could see the pain he wanted to inflict. He smiled seeing my fear and was quick to move. Pinning my hands above my head, he freed himself from his pants. My screams were that of a frantic woman desperate for release. I wriggled, bucked, anything to make it difficult for him to enter me. Laughing, knowing I was stalling the inevitable, he rolled me onto my stomach ready to take me from behind. I could feel the tip of his cock pressing between my thighs at point of entry.

  “Please stop! Please stop!” I begged choking back the sobs. I may not be able to defeat him physically but I could try a voice of reason.

  “If you hurt me, I won’t complete the transaction,” I fumbled the shaky words, eager to get him off me. Unable to see his face, I stared ahead at the mess caused by the upturned table.

  This made him still.

  Putting all his weight on me his teeth bit into my cheek and I squealed from the pain. “Luckily you’re not in a position to argue about what goes down, bonita. I can make you suffer in the unimaginable ways and the worse thing about that is…” a smile lit up his face, “…it’s what gets me off. I can give you a little taste of things to come right now if you want?”

  He pushed the tip of his cock inside me to show he was winning. To prove that he could take whatever he wanted, whenever.

  “Wait!” I pleaded and he stilled. “You still need me to authorize access codes once the money reaches the US bank account.”

  “I can get you to do it anyway.”

  “One wrongly entered number and it alerts the authorities. You won’t even know that I did it until they’re tracing the IP address back to here, and they’re knocking on your door before they day’s out.”

  He pulled out of me, spinning me onto my back. His nostrils flared and I knew I was striking a cord. He had a job to complete before his Uncle Luis Santos arrived. If I fucked it up, he would get fucked up.

  “You don’t rape me, I complete the job. You do, and I will make sure you remain empty handed.”

  Once again, he lowered his weight down until we were chest to chest, elbows on the ground either side of my head. I was shaking from the close encounter, his lips grazing mine as he spoke, “All you’ve done is made me want you more.” I could feel his erection pressing between my thighs. “I will let you walk, but don’t for one second think you have seen the end of me. I will watch you, follow your every move. Watch while you undress and shower. Get off while you fuck. Every breath you take will mix with mine until the day comes when I take you. You will beg, you will plead for me to stop. You will break down knowing your tears mean nothing to me. I will lick them off your face before I lick your pussy. You will hate me and I will love destroying you.” He sat up, lifting his weight off my shaking body. “So go ahead.” He moved to the side allowing me to stagger away. “I will leave you alone and you will complete the transaction. But remember one thing… the face you see in your nightmares will be the face you’ll soon see in reality.”

  Breathing heavily through my nose, I met his challenge knowing that he was speaking the truth. He would never leave me alone. If Hunter and I got out of this alive, a new battle would begin and his name is Gabriel.

  ***

  I was released, almost unharmed but shaken to the core. My monster had made a promise I knew he would keep, but for now, he had a job to complete. Tattoo man had been waiting outside the door to escort me back to the room. He took in my torn dress and bleeding lip with a knowing smile. I wanted to tell him nothing sexual had happened. I wanted to tell him his boss was a coward. Instead, I remained silent, navigating the giant house back to my room.

  Before turning down the main hall leading to my sanctuary, I caught the eye of Hunter. He was with No-Name man, his brows creased together in confusion as he took in my current state. He went to speak, his mouth opening ever so slightly before remembering where he was. I held his gaze until I turned the corner, my last view was of him advancing forward.

  Tattoo opened my bedroom door and before he could close it again, Hunter pushed his way through and slammed it shut, his face marked with fury.

  “Cariña, what happened to you?” His tone was a mix of remorse and raging anger.

  “Gabriel.” The words stalled on my lips. “Where were you?”

  His thumb gently touched my lip next to the cut, eyes loaded with apology. Overwhelmed with his concern, I let the tears fall.

  “What did he do to you?”

  “I was taken to his room where he tried to rape me.” I emphasized the word ‘rape’ so he would understand the repercussions of bringing me here.

  “What do you mean he tried?” This time, his voice dropped to a deathly rumble, his fists clenched at his side.

  “He attacked me, but I stopped him with an ultimatum. For now, he will leave me be. But he promised to hunt me down if I get out of here alive. My guess is that he plans on disposing of me before I make it out of that door.”

  Hunter raked a hand through his hair. I watched as he paced back and forth contemplating my words in silence.

  Then he roared—an almighty roar that caused the veins in his neck to bulge and face redden with fury. In his rage he smashed his fist, shattering the drywall, a snowstorm of white powder mixed with chunks falling on the tiled floor. It was a rare show of uncontrolled emotion for a man who otherwise demonstrated control everywhere else.

  Gripping his shoulders I forced him to look at me. “Stop Hunter, please,” I begged. The last thing I needed was him making the situation worse. We needed to maintain the frontier if we stood any chance.

  His eyes softened as he drank me in. “You looked tired. Exhausted,” he said, jaw twitching. It was something he did when he was pissed or getting ready to ravage me. Both of those thoughts scared me right now. “I saw you going to your room and thought you were safe…” there was a pause before he continued, “…I was planning our exit out of here tomorrow.”

  This ignited a spark of hope.

  “I had no idea, this…” the back of his finger caressed my cheek. “…was
happening in the house.”

  “I’m okay, I handled it,” I assured.

  He took a step forward, cupping my cheek.

  “Luis Santos is due to arrive at noon. I expect us to be out of here within an hour after that.”

  “You sound confident.”

  “I am. Nina, I’m sorry for bringing you here.”

  I felt a hard lump form in my throat for it was the first time Hunter had acknowledged he’d had no right in taking me across the border.

  And then I surprised myself.

  “I’m glad you did.”

  “What?” Hunter’s brows knitted in confusion.

  “I wanted to find Garcia’s killers. I need to avenge his death and you bringing me here gave me the leads I needed.”

  “I will do my best to get you reinstated when we return.”

  “Don’t bother.” I had plenty of time to think about what the agency had done. Labeling me as a potential suspect. Shunning me without a proper investigation. “I’m done,” I said with certainty. “I’ll go back to clear my name, and at the same time officially resign on my own accord.”

  “Take the dress off.”

  “Excuse me?”

  His demand was so serious and left of field, I wasn’t expecting it. “Take it off. It only reminds me of what could have happened to you.”

  When I hesitated, he grabbed the hem and lifted it up and over my head leaving me standing naked.

  “Much better.” His lips twitched with an intended playfulness to lighten the mood.

  He turned around and headed for the door but instead of leaving, he grabbed the wooden chair that was against the now broken wall and hooked it under the door handle to prevent anyone from entering.

  “Come,” he instructed holding his hand out to me. I let him lead me to the adjoining bathroom, where he turned on the shower. Holding his hand under the stream, and happy with the temperature, he pulled me under before undressing himself. I watched transfixed. Although we had been intimate before, Hunter had always seemed guarded. Now, as his length sprung free, and he lifted his black well-fitting shirt over his head, I finally got to see him in all his glory.

  I was breathless.

  In awe.

  And dare I say, turned on.

  While his cock was gloriously erect, Hunter’s struggle with restraint was obvious. Using liquid soap he ran his hands over my body, cleansing me from the vile stench of Gabriel’s touch and not once did he act on sexual impulse.

  “Lift your hair,” he instructed in his gravelly voice that without a doubt always made me wet between the legs.

  Doing so, I twisted my long mane into a makeshift bun and held it together. His own hands soothingly slid their way up my back until they reached my neck. He paused.

  “What is it?” I asked when he didn’t move for quite some time.

  Without answering, his fingers gently moved over the bruising that now marked my skin. I flinched, not realizing it was there until he touched. I heard him sharply exhale.

  “It’s fine. It’s done,” I assured, wanting him to return to the present. Gabriel would get what’s coming to him.

  He remained silent as he washed the suds off my body and turned off the faucet.

  Drying ourselves, it was my time to pause.

  There it was.

  Everything that was wrong with this situation.

  The last thing I saw before the drugs took hold.

  Reaching up, I ran my fingers over the tattoo of Mother Mary that sat high on his shoulder.

  He too stilled, his back to me as I touched him.

  “Do you hate having this on you?” I asked, unsure about his take on the whole thing. He met my eyes in the mirror.

  “With a passion,” he replied without hesitation. “Los Santos stand for many things. Unfortunately, however, their flaws are dangerous ones.”

  Hunter took great care in always only revealing pieces of information when he saw fit. I guess that was his job. His way of staying ahead of the game.

  “For the sake of a two-year sting, it’s been a necessary evil. When this is over, it will be replaced.”

  “Gabriel won’t let us leave here alive, will he?” This time, he turned, once again inhaling deeply.

  “No. He and Luis Santos have a reputation for leaving their victims for dead. Did you ever hear of the La Balsa genocide?”

  “No.” Did I really want to know?

  “Fifty-six men, eighty-five women and children. All from a tiny village along the Colombia, Ecuador border. All burned alive because he believed someone amongst them was a snitch who cost the drug empire millions. Turns out, the snitch was amongst his own cartel.”

  “So they all died for nothing?”

  There was a sudden emotion in his eyes that told me this had something to do with why he was here. “He wiped out the entire population of La Balsa because of a lie he was told. Did he feel any remorse? It’s not in his blood to give a damn about those he slayed. If anything, he used it as his gain. Spreading propaganda through other villages growing Coca. Reminding them of the power he exuded and the lengths we would go to, to source the rat.”

  I felt physically sick. Hunter noticed and guided me to the bed. We were both wrapped in our towels, in a drug house, surrounded by people who were going to kill us the next day. My head grew light as I thought of the battle ahead.

  “Cariña, tomorrow is war. Tomorrow everything changes. When Luis Santos arrives, it’s on. Do you think you can stall them until then?”

  “I can do better.”

  He looked at me with confusion and I told him the plan between Alex and me. How Gabriel and Luis Santos would jump for glee thinking the money was in their account only to have the digits disappear later on.

  By the time I finished, he looked at me with a sense of pride.

  “Brilliant, Nina.” He cupped my face drawing me in for a kiss. “Absolutely fucking brilliant.”

  Chapter 18

  I woke the next day tucked protectively against Hunter, his arm circling my shoulders. We had fallen asleep after we continued discussing a brief plan of what was to come. I slept fitfully, fearing the worst, but with Hunter by my side, he quickly put me at ease.

  We weren’t intimate. Although we both wanted to, the weight of the situation was only growing heavier as the minutes ticked by.

  As the sun was rising, Hunter kissed me on the forehead and slid his way out of bed. I watched sleepily as he dressed and then exited the room. He had business to attend to. Business that would see our path out of here.

  By mid-morning I was finally ushered out to the dining room where everyone was seated. The tension in the room, obvious. Hunter sat in his usual spot, his right hand fisted, jaw line tight. Gabriel, on the other hand, was enjoying knowing he had caused Hunter’s reaction.

  “Good morning, bonita. I trust you slept well.” His innuendo hung thick in the air.

  “Unlike some, it was very satisfying.” Hunter’s lips twitched just a fraction of a smile. No-Name’s brows creased as he took in my bruised face.

  Gabriel chuckled slightly yet his condescending stare could strip paint off walls. “I believe waiting only increases the appetite.”

  “Or kills it.”

  “That could definitely be arranged.” There it was, a promise I was sure would become a reality if he had his way. “Sit down, bonita. I am excited to see what has come of things.

  I claimed my seat and logged into the department’s portal using Garcia’s details. Checking his inbox, I found exactly what I needed—a response from the Cuban National Bank composed by the wonderful Alex.

  I smiled, Gabriel interpreting it as good news.

  He took his usual position behind me, hand circling my neck. I flinched, feeling the tenderness of the bruising. Hunter maintained a watchful eye under a stoic face. I was certain Gabriel would have known of my night time visitor, and I’m almost certain he wouldn’t have been too thrilled about it.

  “This is the letter confi
rming the funds are no longer frozen.”

  “Excellent. Now, complete the transaction. I want to see this happen today.”

  “I need your account details.”

  I glanced up to see the twinkle of joy in his eyes. It wouldn’t last long. It was a pity I wouldn’t be here to see his face when shit went south.

  “Type it,” he demanded nodding to the screen.

  Retrieving the official FBI monies transfer form that was sitting on a minimized screen, I filled in the details of the Florez account and listened to Gabriel as he rattled off the number of his. Alex would hear everything and take care of it on his end. Submitting the form, Gabriel breathed a sigh of relief. It was a sigh of someone who thought they’d won. The Cuban National Bank would never receive the request. The Florez money would still be sitting safety in its original Cuban account. Using the account number Gabriel just gave, Alex’s masked funds would be sitting pretty in the cartel’s account in a matter of minutes.

  “How long now?” he asked, impatient.

  “Within the next half hour.” I hoped.

  “That seems almost too good to be true.” There was suspicion in his tone but I didn’t let it rattle me.

  “For the average investor it would take a week for the funds to transfer, but when it’s government issued they don’t mess about,” I lied and hoped it was convincing. It wasn’t that easy for anyone. In fact, in these situations, it would take just under a month and a lot of negotiations to complete the entire transaction, even longer for the government. Most banks were hesitant to release large sums as the sudden loss of interest earned was quite damaging. But Alex had worked a miracle for the sake of saving my hide.

  Gabriel took a seat at the far end of the table, eyes narrowed as he studied me. His fingers drummed a beat on the table while his other hand propped up his chin. He was silent, determined to see fear in my eyes as we all waited anxiously for news.

  If this all went wrong, I had no doubt I would bear the brunt of Gabriel’s wrath. Thankfully, Alex didn’t keep me waiting. He sent through an email from a fake Singaporean West account confirming the funds transfer. I almost balked, jaw threatening to fall on the ground when I saw the amount. Twenty-six million dollars.