Carrera Cartel: The Collection

by Kenborn, Cora

  But there was nothing ordinary about Val Carrera. From his slicked back black hair to his heavier-than-normal beard, the kingpin of the Carrera Cartel wielded power most men could never fathom. With a simple nod, he decided who lived, who died, and who suffered until madness took whatever remained.

  And if that weren’t enough, trailing behind him was the second most feared man in Mexico. Val’s most trusted confidante. The prince who’d become king should Val’s enemies ever succeed in taking him out.

  Mateo Cortes.

  A man who’d both killed for Val and nearly died for him. His family was the cartel. His loyalty knew no bounds. He was younger and more impulsive, but just as deadly.

  He was also my brother-in-law.

  “Val.” I nodded in return, watching him just as carefully. Then I turned my head. “Mateo.”

  Mateo dipped his chin. “Brody.”

  Adriana stood motionless beside me as Val made his way toward us. I followed his gaze, identical eyes meeting for the first time in over a year.

  “Marisol.” He spoke the name slowly, as if tasting the word on his tongue.

  “Adriana,” she corrected, not an ounce of fear in her tone. I didn’t particularly like the woman, but I had to admit, hearing her talk back to Val Carrera did something to me.

  Something that, if I didn’t get under control, would embarrass all of us real soon.

  Instead of launching into his usual tirade about respect and authority, the corners of Val’s mouth curled in the barest hint of a smile. “Of course. Adriana. My mistake.”

  “Where’s Eden?”

  Fuck.

  Yeah, I thought it, but I sure as hell didn’t mean to say it. The words just slipped out, and as soon as they did, I wanted to stuff them back down my throat.

  Mateo raised a questioning eyebrow, and if looks could kill, Val’s narrowed stare would’ve incinerated me to dust.

  “My wife is out.”

  I heard the meaning behind the words loud and clear.

  Stay away from her, asshole.

  “Besides, I thought it would be best that Eden not be here when she arrived,” he added, nodding toward Adriana.

  Adriana opened her mouth to object, but I stomped on the toe of her high heel, causing her to swallow a muffled groan instead.

  “Of course,” I answered for her.

  While Adriana shot me death glares, Val headed into a sitting area to our right and straight for the fully stocked bar nestled in the corner of the room. Filling a stem glass full of what I knew to be Añejo tequila, he placed one hand on the marble and drank leisurely before saying a word.

  “So, Adriana, I suppose I should welcome you home.”

  I glanced at Mateo who simply shrugged. This whole situation was a grenade waiting to explode, and at any moment, either Carrera sibling could pull the pin. To prevent a disaster, I did the only thing I knew she couldn’t resist. I stared hard into her gold-flecked eyes and dared her to play his game.

  Adriana Carrera never backed down from a challenge.

  And judging by her defiant stare, it was game on.

  She turned a brittle smile Val’s way. “Thank you for having us.”

  We stood in silence for a moment, each of us staring at the other, unsure of what to do or what to say. Finally, Val offered her a curt nod and motioned for us all to sit, breaking the tension.

  “I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to catch up later, but Brody tells me that we have pressing business to discuss. My men have heard rumblings of a new leader attempting to reassemble the Muñoz Cartel, but no one has managed to gather useful intel on him. I believe you have some information for me.”

  Her hands tightened by her side. “Yes. I have the name of the man in charge of restructuring them.”

  “I’m all ears.”

  He wasn’t the only one. Since returning from Chicago, I’d waited to hear the name of the man who stole my shipment and set this whole thing in motion. The man who’d made enemies of two powerful crime syndicates then opened the door for the woman who stood beside me to hold my life in the palm of her hand.

  “His name is Ignacio.”

  Taking a slow drink of tequila, Val studied her while running a thumb over his beard. “Ignacio…what?”

  “That’s all I know.”

  Val cocked his chin toward me, a smug smile twisting his lips. “That’s all she knows.”

  I whipped my head around, clenching my fists just to keep from wrapping them around her neck. “You lied to me?”

  “Brody, I—”

  “You told me you had inside information Val had to know in person. I put my reputation, not to mention my life on the line for you!”

  Her cheeks flushed. “If you would just listen to me for a damn—”

  A low chuckle from across the room caused us both to turn just as Val set his empty glass on the bar. “Well, this has been enlightening, but if you two will excuse us, Mateo and I have real intel to find before shit gets out of control.”

  “Val,” I called after him.

  He paused at the entrance to the sitting room. Tipping his chin over his shoulder, he leveled a hard stare at Adriana. “Brody will make sure you get back to Houston safely.”

  “You need me.”

  “Adriana!” I was going to fucking kill her.

  Provided she didn’t get me killed first.

  Val held up his hand. “No, let her speak, Brody. I’m intrigued.” Taking a few steps back into the room, he locked his hands behind his back. “And why would I need you?”

  I’d seen grown men fall to their knees under the predatorial hunt of Val Carrera. He stalked, they retreated. However, Adriana didn’t back down. She lifted her chin and met him eye to eye.

  Carrera to Carrera.

  “I’m the only one who knows the inner workings of the Muñoz Cartel and how they operate. To find Ignacio—to figure out who he is and stop him—you need me. If you send me back to Houston this little scavenger hunt of yours will take three times as long.”

  Little scavenger hunt.

  Mateo and I locked eyes across the room, and this time it was my turn to shrug. I had no idea what she thought she was doing. I wasn’t a pussy. I’d walked into massacres unarmed. I’d taken more lives than I could remember. I’d outsmarted some of the world’s most sophisticated criminals. But not once had I mocked a cartel boss to his face.

  And even though I knew allowing the repercussions for her actions to play out would solve most of my problems, I found myself standing in front of her.

  I made myself a goddamn human shield.

  For Adriana fucking Carrera.

  “She doesn’t mean that.”

  Adriana shoved her way around me. “Don’t answer for me like I don’t have a brain. I meant every word of it. He needs me, and he knows it. The three of you can stand around here congratulating yourselves on how big your dicks are, or you can go on the offensive and strike first. It’s your choice.”

  If and when we made it back to Houston, I’d kill her myself.

  Slowly.

  “Val,” I started, raising a hand. “Call your driver. I’ll take care of this myself and make sure she never—”

  “She’s right.”

  “What?” I whipped my head around sure I’d heard him wrong.

  “She’s right,” he repeated. “By the time I tracked this pinche cabrón down, the damage he might inflict on us could cripple our distribution channels and our infrastructure. We need to end him, and we need to do it now.”

  Mateo raked a hand over his long hair and let out a harsh breath. “So, what do we do?”

  Val never took his eyes off Adriana. “We strike first.”

  Unbelievable.

  Adriana managed to do something very few ever accomplished. She forced her way into the inner circle of two cartels and dragged me along with her. If she succeeded in drawing out the Muñoz organizer, my position within the cartel would be solidified.

  If she failed…
<
br />   Well, I didn’t care to think about that.

  Adriana fought a smirk as she dipped her chin. “I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

  A glint flashed in Val’s eyes. “Do you mean that?”

  I didn’t like the way this conversation was going. Something felt off. Like a sizzle running along an invisible current. Adriana was too confident, and Val was too agreeable. A combination as natural as oil and water.

  “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

  “Muy bien. Then I want you to go to Guadalajara.”

  “What?”

  Val smiled. “This is where you heard this Ignacio name in the first place, yes?”

  “Well, yes, but you can’t expect me to—”

  “Good,” he said, cutting her off. “Then it’s settled. You’ll leave first thing in the morning. You grew up there. You know the area better than anyone. Find out what you can and report back.”

  “What will walking into enemy territory prove? That I’m suicidal?”

  “No, that you have no lingering Muñoz loyalty, and you’re completely invested in keeping the Carreras in power.”

  I couldn’t blame him. It was a dick maneuver, but a shrewd one. Besides, at least with Adriana gone, I didn’t have the black cloud of her threat hanging over my head.

  “Fine.” The word crawled out of her throat like a beast trying to claw free from her chest. Pushing past me, she stomped toward the front door. “Whatever it takes, brother.”

  “Adriana…” Hearing Val call her by her given name, she froze, her hands fisting by her sides. “I’m not a stupid man. While I’m willing to give you a chance due to the blood we share, I’d be foolish to trust you because of the same reason. Our mother gave love unconditionally, while our father used it as a weapon. Where your genetics fall remains to be seen, and until then, I can’t put anything past you, especially betrayal.”

  “So, what are you going to do?” she taunted, popping a hand on her hip. “Send a group of spies to report back to you?”

  “Close. I’m sending Brody.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Adriana

  I spun around so fast the room blurred. “I’m not going anywhere with him.” To make my point clearer, I flung an arm in Brody’s general direction.

  “Over my dead…” A low grunt broke his protest as the back of my hand slammed against his chest, “…body.”

  The stealth of his movement and the sudden impact caught me off guard. Without thinking, I turned away from Val and stared blankly where my hand still pressed against his chest. Even through the layers of his pretentious suit, the hard muscle molded against my hand, and my head filled with flashes of being pressed against a wall.

  The sound of a throat clearing broke the moment, and all eyes turned toward Val. He stood with one arm crossed over his chest, stroking his chin with the other, his eyes bouncing between us.

  He said nothing. In fact, the entire room had gone silent.

  Jerking my hand away from Brody, I ignored the heat burning my cheeks and scowled at both of them. “No.”

  Well, that sounded convincing.

  Val quirked an eyebrow. “No?”

  “No.” Why did my voice sound all breathy? Squaring my shoulders, I tried again with more conviction. “I work alone.”

  “And I sure as hell don’t want to babysit her.”

  I inhaled slowly, forcing myself not to turn around and punch him in the face.

  “Val, come on,” Brody protested, stepping in front of me like a damn caveman. “That’s not feasible. I can’t drop everything and spend God knows how long in Guadalajara. I have an entire stateside operation to run, in case you’ve forgotten.”

  I stared at the back of his head like it had grown horns.

  Insubordination. I would’ve shot him on sight.

  Apparently, Mateo had the same thought. In the blink of an eye, he crossed the room and stood beside Val, his hand disappearing under his black leather jacket. However, Val held up his hand and Mateo’s relaxed, dropping to his side.

  “I’m sure you’ve left it in capable hands with Rafael,” he said, his tone slow and calculated. “Besides, you owe me for the mess you made in San Marcos, don’t you think?”

  Brody’s face blanched. “Val—”

  “I’m the boss of this cartel. It’s time you remember you take orders, not give them, lieutenant.”

  A tense silence filtered around the room, and for once in my life, I didn’t know what to say. All eyes were on Brody, and all ears waited on his response. I had no idea what happened in San Marcos, but his entire body language changed at its mention. The fight drained out of him, his shoulders dropping, as if those two words carried the weight of a mountain.

  I’d found another chink in his armor, and I tucked it away for later.

  Lifting my eyes, I met Brody’s tortured gaze, but it wasn’t focused on my face. It was locked below my chin with a resigned intensity so strong it commanded my body without my permission. As he stared, my fingers brushed over the scarred skin at the base of my neck. I swallowed hard, the moment uncomfortably intimate.

  Too intimate.

  It was like he saw through my scars and forced his way into forbidden territory. My fingertips danced along my chilled skin, and as my hand shook, he caught my eye.

  A simple glance.

  No smirk. No wink. No words.

  Just silent acknowledgment of an unintended show of weakness.

  Pulling his eyes away from me, Brody stepped forward and settled them on Val. “Message received, boss. However, there’s no way Adriana can get inside Muñoz walls after they—”

  “After they found out I was a Carrera,” I interrupted, commanding Val’s attention. “It’s all about protecting the bloodline…right, brother?”

  Brody glanced back at me with a question in his eyes I ignored.

  My words hung in the air, and Val’s grip on his glass tightened. Lines sank deep into his chiseled face, and the corners of his eyes pulled downward. “Adriana, I want to believe you. For almost a year, I’ve tried to find you. I…” His voice trailed off, and he lifted his glass, draining half of it. When he spoke again, his voice was clipped, all emotion on his face erased by the hardened mask of a ruthless leader. “My men will ensure you have all you need. I’ll expect regular updates.”

  Without another word, he finished what was left in his glass, slammed it onto the marble bar, and stormed out of the room.

  Mateo started after him, then paused, turning back toward us. As usual, his expression held both the unreadable secrets of an exclusive brotherhood and the transparent loyalty that said he wouldn’t hesitate to take us both down to protect them. “Try not to kill each other. I’ll be back to show you to your rooms.”

  Brody and I stared after him, speechless for what seemed like forever. Scrubbing my hands over my face, I slumped against the wall, slowly sliding down until my ass hit the floor.

  Well, that went well.

  A shadow crossed in front of me. “Why wouldn’t you let me tell Val they hurt you?”

  Every muscle in my body coiled as I peered up at him through a small space between my index and middle fingers. “Even though he doesn’t trust me, he wouldn’t have let me go if he knew.” Dropping my hands, I rolled my head against the wall and gazed up at him with a half-hearted smirk. “Come on, even a former Muñoz knows Val’s strict code against violence toward women. I told you I want to prove myself, and I meant it. If this is the way I have to do it, then so be it.”

  “Are you willing to die for your cause?”

  At that moment, the sarcastic shield Brody Harcourt wielded as a weapon failed him. Gone were the dozens of masks he hid behind, leaving only the raw power of a man on the verge of anarchy. A man caught between fighting for a life he never wanted and against his natural instinct to throw me to the wolves.

  And in that same moment, I stared down the quiet hallway where the only family I had left disappeared, and the carefully constru
cted walls I built around myself bent.

  “I already have,” I whispered. “Dying isn’t the hard part, Brody. Living, now that’s the real torture.”

  * * *

  An hour later, I settled into a quiet room on the third floor of the Carrera estate. A place that, despite being the hub of everything I was raised to hate, felt oddly familiar. Almost as if the walls themselves whispered my name.

  Dropping my bag on the oversized bed, I found myself drawn to an antique dresser that sat tucked against the opposite wall. Muted and worn, it seemed almost out of place, considering the over-the-top grandeur of the rest of the estate. Closing my eyes, I fought a wave of emotion as I trailed my fingers along the dark wood, every divot and crevice painting a picture of a life I couldn’t remember. A life as real as the wood under my skin, but as ruined as the scratches that marred it.

  A life just like this antique dresser. Preserved, yet somehow still lost in time.

  Ghosts lived in this room. I heard their whispers, and they tore at my soul. I heard the lullabies coated in the soft, soothing voice I used to hear in my sleep. One I convinced myself over the years was nothing but a hallucination. Only it wasn’t because if I listened hard enough, I could hear it now. I felt her in the air. I felt her in the wood under my fingertips, and I knew it was no accident I’d been put in this room.

  I’d been here before.

  I’d lived here before.

  I’d died here before.

  My back slammed against the wall, my eyes squeezing shut to block out the memories assailing me like snapshots from a photo album I’d never seen but knew all the same. The father who never once held me or allowed my name to pass his lips. The small brother who sat outside my bedroom window, watching and protecting as if he somehow felt the end nearing.

  And the mother who, in the midst of a massacre, gently sang Duérmete Niño, keeping our family together until the last note took both of us away.