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“Did you get any hint of when the date might be?”

“No. They never talked about that. Nothing beyond suspecting the announcement tonight.”

“We can’t wait much longer. We’ll have to act sooner than I wanted. Enrique and Luis plan to come home for Josue’s birthday next week. I want Josue dead by the time they land on Thursday.”

Fuck. Talk about accelerating the timeline.

“You better do it while they’re in the air because they’ll start shooting the moment they land if they find out he’s dead before they get here.”

“I’d better? You’d better. I can have anyone watch his daughters. I wanted you to seduce the younger one to get closer to Josue. But if you have to shoot him from a rooftop, then that’s what you’ll do.”

“Even if I used Luciana to get to know Josue, that would take longer than you’re willing to wait.

And even if I got close to him, I could never draw a gun on him without getting shot myself.

I told you I wouldn’t die for you, Humberto.

I’ll work for you, but you know my loyalty is to my family, not you. I’ve never pretended anything else.”

If we weren’t alone in his office, I’d never say what I’m saying.

He’d have to save face and put me where he believes is my place.

He hates how I don’t bow down to him in private.

It eats at him that I don’t cower, but he wants my skills.

The only people who rival my marksmanship are Enrique and Luis.

I’ve heard their sisters are even better than them, but I haven’t seen them in a gunfight. I’ve seen Enrique and Luis.

Humberto picks up his phone. I know he’s probably opening his game or looking at the screen. He wants me to know I’m dismissed.

“Fine. He’ll go to the airport to meet them. Kill him on the way there.”

I’m fighting not to fidget as the minutes tick away. I just looked at my watch less than two minutes ago, so I know Luis is late. Looking at it again will do nothing but confirm that. It won’t make him show up.

If you fidget, then maybe you won’t pace .

My boat isn’t long enough for me to do that, and I don’t need anyone detecting my movement, despite the lights and engine being off.

I’m bobbing in the circular lake an hour and a half north of Bogotá.

Lake Guatavita sits within a crater that’s only fifty acres in size.

My boat’s visible from the shore, so any movement could alert someone to my presence, especially since boats are prohibited out here.

One boat alone is suspicious. Two boats tells people they want nothing to do with whatever’s happening on the water.

Some may think it’s a Cartel meeting. Hopefully, most would believe it’s a superstitious offering to the ancient Muisca god.

El Dorado —or the “golden one” as our Spanish conquerors called zipa .

Luis Diaz—if his ass shows up—wouldn’t be the one covered in gold out here.

If things go to plan, that’ll be Humberto’s ass.

Well, maybe not. The legend said the god washes away his gold and emerges from the water.

The last thing we need is Humberto coming back from the dead or any of his jewels floating to the surface to give us away.

I turn my head toward the soft whir coming from the approaching boat.

The wake it casts laps against mine as I reach for my gun.

I rest it on my lap, waiting to be sure it’s friend not foe before I shoot.

I recognize Luis immediately. His frame is broader than mine, but he’s leaner.

Too much time already spent in and out of Colombian prisons visiting anyone who forgets they breathe in those cesspits because Josue allows it.

He’s not even in his mid-twenties, and he’s already earned the nickname el Espíritu Santo —the Holy Spirit—because you know your soul’s leaving your body if he’s come to see you.

“ Hola, amigo .”

Friend. I doubt he’d call me that if he knew I passed my time daydreaming about Luciana while I waited. I’d be praying to God for mercy from el Espíritu Santo if Luis found out. Even God couldn’t have enough mercy for me if Enrique found out.

“ Hola. ”

“I’m late because Tío Humberto nearly caught me leaving my parents’ house. He showed up early.”

“I know. He told me would arrive late to keep your family waiting, but he left his house early, hoping to catch your father in the middle of something without him.”

Humberto is technically Josue’s second-in-command because he’s usually in the States overseeing their operations in New York, their North American hub.

But he’s been down here for an extended—uninvited—vacation.

Enrique’s only been out of college a couple years, but he’s the brains behind the operation up there.

Luis is his chief enforcer. Humberto talks a big game, but he wants his brother dead because he knows Enrique will soon oust him.

No one wants to do business with Humberto when they can deal with Enrique.

Humberto wants Josue dead for the title, the power, and the money he assumes is rightfully his as Josue’s brother. Never mind Enrique’s always been the heir. No one will pledge loyalty to Humberto over Enrique. At least, no one who wants to live long enough to pledge anything.

“He nearly succeeded. I stayed longer than I should have, but I wanted time with Cat and Ana. Papá ’ s letting Ana pick the date, but he announced the wedding will be before the summer’s over.”

It’s mid-June now.

“He’s putting her back up against the wall. Will she cooperate?”

“ Sí . But it won’t be pretty in private.”

“She really doesn’t want to marry him?”

“She doesn’t like to be forced into anything.

I think she cares about him, and who knows, maybe she’ll grow to love him like I love my wife.

But backing her into a corner will do him no favors regardless of how she feels about Domingo.

She could be head over heels for him, but she still wouldn’t appreciate it.

She’s already marrying him for our family’s sake. She doesn’t care to be reminded.”

Luis’s still a newlywed. He barely knew Margherita when they married, but they’re in love now.

Margherita’s father refused to consider Enrique.

He didn’t want his daughter to be a young widow since Enrique’s automatically a bigger target as the heir.

Little did he know what Luis’s position would become.

He’s in far more danger every time he comes down here since he deals with the dregs of society in the roughest prisons.

These aren’t American country club, white-collar crimes prisons.

These are the most brutal cartels’ homes, and Luis is usually an uninvited guest.

“Things are moving fast, Luis. Knowing your sister’s wedding is actually happening is making him panic.

He doesn’t want that alliance to go through.

He’s putting the hit on your father for Thursday while you and Enrique fly down here.

I warned him what would happen if you found out or if it happened before you’re in the air. He’s confident he can pull it off.”

Luis watches me and appears to trust me about as much as his sister does.

But he knows I never lie to Enrique or him.

I’ve had plenty of opportunities to, but I never have.

Enrique and I were freshman roommates and soccer teammates throughout college.

I met Luis while he was still at boarding school in the States.

My family runs the city of Medellín and once were rivals to Luis and Enrique’s.

Rather than lose everything, my great-grandfather decided it was better to stay in his lane and control all the poppy farms in Colombia.

He sold the harvests to los Diaz —or the Diazes as Americans would say—rather than die with nothing.

My grandfather and now my father agree with that wisdom. I do, too.

If I’d wanted to prove my huevos are bigger than Enrique’s or Luis’s, I could’ve killed Enrique a thousand times over in the year we lived together.

He could’ve done the same to me. Instead, we became close friends.

I’ll never take Luis’s place, and I’ve never wanted to.

Enrique and Luis know Enrique can’t take Alicia’s.

Someone has to have a conscience for me.

“How does he plan to do it?”

“By using me. He wanted me to seduce Luciana—easy.” I put my hands up.

“I’m not going to. I said he wanted me to, but I don’t wage my wars through women.

He thought that would get me close to your father.

I reminded him it would take longer than he’s willing to wait and that I’d die in the process.

I also reminded him my loyalty is to my family not him, so I won’t risk that. He wants me to snipe him.”

I know Luis saw the gun on my lap. I can see his. Neither of us has reached for ours, and I’m bold enough to cross my arms and lean back. It’s a sign of good faith. I might talk about killing his father, but I won’t. That’s not why Enrique planted me in Humberto’s inner circle.

“My mom and sisters are supposed to be with my dad all day Thursday. Then they’re coming to the airport to meet Enrique and me.”

“Are you going to tell your father?”

“Of course. My mom and sisters can’t be anywhere near him that day just in case.”

I sigh as I ease my hand down to my gun. Luis’s eyes narrow for a moment as I holster the weapon behind my back and stand.

“I’ll tell carechimba that my father expects me home for the weekend.

He can think I went to Medellín, but I’ll stay in Bogotá.

Whoever he plans to send in my place won’t make it past his front door.

But I need your promise that if Humberto looks in my direction, you’ll back me up.

” Vagina face suits him as much as caremonda —penis face.

“Of course we will.” He sounds duly insulted.

“Fine. I’ll call Humberto tonight and tell him. I’ll make sure my wire taps capture who he picks in my place. The guy’ll be dead before he can see daylight on Thursday.”

“Keep an eye on my sisters. I don’t trust my tío not to change his mind and target them to get my father to bend.”

“All right.”

Believe me, I’ll be watching Luciana .