Page 3 of Cartel King (The Cartel Brotherhood #1)

Chapter Three

Ellie

I was in the middle of work the last two days when Enrique went by my window in the morning. I couldn’t pull myself away because of a deadline. He didn’t go for any evening runs while I was out with Constantine, but I’ve walked with him every morning for two weeks now.

I’ve run into him on the water three times too. It was exciting to see him glide across the lake’s surface, his body in perfect harmony with his oars. We didn’t do more than chat like we do on our walks when we happened to take breaks near each other. We chat about plenty of things, but neither of us is ready to reveal anything too personal.

I don’t want to be nosey, even though I’d love to know more. But if I ask, then I’ll need to reciprocate. There’s too much I don’t want to talk about with a virtual stranger. It’s a catch twenty-two: I want to know more, but I don’t want to share more, so I’ll never get to know more.

I’ve finally finished everything I need to do for today, so I’m headed out for my long walk with Constantine. I have an hour before it gets too dark. The sun is setting a little later, so I can get more done before heading out.

“If I didn’t know that all it takes is a pat on the head to tame your wild beast, I might fear running up behind you.”

I nearly jump out of my skin. I’m unprepared for Enrique's appearance. He isn’t sweating like he normally would be at this point in his run. I’m just heading up the hill at my snail’s pace.

“He’d give away where I hide all my silver and jewels for a biscuit. But don’t let that get out. He’s the biggest dog on the block. He has a reputation to protect. Otherwise, that little yappy chihuahua over there—” I point across the street, “—will think he can step to Constantine and do more than just bark.”

“I doubt your dog would do anything besides sit on the little ankle biter.”

“You’re not far off. His size is intimidating to anyone who doesn’t know him, but he’s the least aggressive dog you’ll likely ever meet.”

“That’s because nobody’s tested him. I’m certain if he felt you were threatened, he’d have a very different reaction.”

“I suppose you’re right. Nobody’s ever approached me in a way that’s concerned either of us.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

We’re quiet for a moment before I wonder about something he said the other day.

“You mentioned you play soccer with your brother and nephews. It sounds like there must be a lot of them.”

“I have a younger brother and two younger sisters. Among the three of them, there are five guys in their early thirties, so they keep me on my toes.”

“There’s seven of you all together. That doesn’t make for even teams.”

“Yeah, we take turns reffing, but if either of my sisters plays, then two of us switch sides.”

What? That makes no sense.

“I'm not following.”

“The team that doesn’t have my sister gets two extra men. We rarely let them play together because one of us always ends up injured for at least a week.”

“They’re that good?”

“Oh, yeah. They both played Division One soccer. So did a couple of my nephews, but my sisters’re fiercely competitive, especially protecting any of their sons who are on their teams. It doesn’t matter how many times we say no slide tackles or shoulder checks. If they think one of their boys is about to go down, Mama Bear comes out. So, it’s two of us to each one of them. We’ve played two on four and two on five before, and they’ve smoked our asses.”

“Really?” I can’t help but think he’s exaggerating, but he stops and points to a massive bruise I didn’t see on the back of his calf.

“That’s from my second sister, Luciana. Last week, she subbed in for two of my nephews, neither of whom is her son. When I got a little too close to one of them, she made sure I understood.”

“And your nephews are in their early thirties?”

“Yeah, but my sisters will always be their moms.”

I glance away, but I can’t hide my laugh unless I want to sound like I’m choking. I shake the hand that doesn’t have the leash in front of me. I don’t want him to think I’m laughing at him.

“I’m just like your sisters, to be honest. I’ve only gotten more competitive with age. Most of the time these days, I just compete against myself with work and my workouts. But I’m also a fiercely protective Mama Bear, too. I get how your sisters must feel. My boys rarely want to do anything competitive against me because, even though they’ve been bigger than me for years, I still put them to shame because my competitiveness makes me wily.”

“That’s what my sisters say. I’d invite you to play one of these days if you didn’t have calf issues. It’s a shame.”

“It’s tempting, but I tore it the second time kicking a ball around with my youngest. I still remember the feeling of tearing my calf both times. It’s not one I feel like repeating, even for a game as good as that one sounds.”

I caught myself before I said, even if it was for you .

“Maybe we could go out on the water together one of these days.”

I didn’t expect him to offer that alternative.

“That would definitely be nice. I still don’t know my way around the adjoining cove. I don’t know if there are any parts of Lake Hopatcong I need to avoid. I pretty much stick to the same route each time I go out. I just vary the workout.”

We walk for a few minutes in companionable silence. He suggests we work out together, but he doesn’t suggest a day or time. I guess he just tossed that out there.

“You know I come from a huge Latino family. What about you?”

I knew that question was coming. It doesn’t mean I want to answer it.

“It’s just been me the last twenty-nine years. My older brother died in a car accident when I was twenty, and he was twenty-three.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, Elodie. I know it never gets easier, even if you get used to it.”

I look over at him and wonder who he’s lost as he speaks from experience. He must read my thoughts.

“My sisters didn’t move to America permanently until well after my brother and I did. The younger of the two—the one with the three boys—didn’t come here until they were teenagers. It was four years after her husband died.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. It must have been horrible for them to lose somebody so important and then make such a massive change afterward.”

“Yeah, it was rough for them.”

He doesn’t sound like he wants to offer more explanation, which is fine because I don’t want to explain how my brother died. It was a car accident, but there was a lot more to it than just a head-on collision.

“You said your sisters didn’t move here until after you and your brother did. Did you all move here as adults?”

“Yes.”

He hesitates for a moment. I’m not sure why, since he opened the door to that.

“Luis—my brother’s two years younger than me—and I went to different prep schools in New England, so we started coming to America when we were very young. We went home during all our school breaks and for the summers all the way through high school. Then he and I each moved here for college and considered America our home, even though we kept going back to Colombia during most of our breaks. After I graduated, I split my time between Bogotá and New York for several years.”

“Have you been in Jersey for very long?”

“Yes. About eighteen years now, so this is definitely home.”

“Have you been in the same area the whole time?”

“Mostly. I lived in the city for a while during the week and would come home to my place a couple miles from here. Eventually, I sold that house and moved into the one I’m in now permanently.”

He kept a place around here as well as in the city, and he went to prep school. He comes from even more wealth than I suspected. I definitely don’t own multiple properties. I never have.

“How long have you been in Jersey?”

“I just moved here when I bought the house. I’ve been in it for two months.”

“What made you decide to live here?”

“I wanted a change of scenery. I wanted to be close to the city where I have friends, but also not that far from DC where I grew up until I was ten while my dad went through med school, residency, and his specialty training, then I came back for college. It’s easy to get to Europe from New York, so that makes life easier. I’ll even settle for flying through Newark.”

“Sometimes that’s simpler than LaGuardia or JFK.”

“Yeah, I discovered that over the years, but both are still better than trying to fly in and out of most of the airports in New England during winter. Can’t tell you how many flights I’ve had grounded trying to get out of Logan.”

Boston isn’t the only city with an airport in New England, but it’s certainly the hub for all major flights in and out of the area.

Our conversation pauses for a few moments, but it’s not uncomfortable silence. When the house comes back into sight, Constantine tugs a little more.

“Heel.” I give the command, and he obeys immediately. I know he’s ready for some water, but he still rarely pulls. That’s twice today. It’s not that hot, but who knows exactly what dogs think.

“Other than your garden, what other changes do you want to make?”

“There’s not a whole lot to do. The place was pretty turnkey, but I want to paint in a couple of places, particularly my office and the kitchen.”

“Are they a color you don’t like?”

“No, they’re white, which is fine by me. I don’t know if they were something different before the last owners sold, but I just have a thing about having yellow kitchens. I have for as long as I can remember. I don’t mean highlighter yellow, but something bright and cheery makes me think of sunshine. And even though I don’t bake as often as I did when I was much, much younger, bright sunshine and fresh baked goods go together in my head. I know it’s ridiculous.”

“It’s not. If that’s what makes you feel at home, then go for it. It’s your space to do with as you want.”

“It is. That’s why I’d also like to paint my office something like a soft misty green. I had a studio when I was in college, and my kitchen was yellow, and the main room was a light fawn green. I loved it. I’ve had white walls ever since then in most parts of my house. Otherwise, the few that were painted were much darker than I would’ve picked.”

I don’t want to get into how I came home from a trip with my boys to find Tim had painted the dining room almost chocolate brown. It made the space feel tiny, even though it wasn’t. I hated it from the moment I walked in till the moment we sold that house. I learned to live with it and didn’t think about how much I disliked it all the time. But as we were moving out, I remembered.

“I also just got new sod in the backyard, so I want to plant some flowers around it.”

“Oh, that’s why you were playing with Constantine in the front yard the other day.”

“Yeah. When the weather gets too cold, I’ll move my workout equipment to the basement, which I’m finishing as well.”

“That’s a lot to lug around.”

“Well, when I say I’m moving it, I mean my three strapping young sons will move it for me. Then I’ll have them move it all back up next spring. I like the fresh air, but it’ll get too cold to have the garage doors open. I don’t enjoy working out in there if I can’t have them open. I’d rather be in my basement then.”

We get to my driveway, so the conversation ends there. As we say good evening to each other, it’s the same as every time we part. I wonder if I’ll walk with him or see him on the water again.

It’s another two days before I see Enrique. He’s coming back from his run as I set off for my walk. I got a call I had to take, so I started later than I wanted. He hints he’ll be away for work for the next week. It’s as though he wants me to know that’s what he’s doing rather than maybe think he’s avoiding me. I appreciate the heads up because I would’ve feared I did something wrong if he stopped walking with me.

“I shouldn’t be away too long, Elodie. I hope we can plan for a walk.”

Together.

It’s a silent prayer.

“Mom, we can take Constantine out for you.”

“Thanks, Will, but I could do with the fresh air. I want to get my steps in for the day.”

“It’s not like you wear a watch that tells you to get up and move around. You only track it on your phone. Nothing’s telling you to go for a walk.”

“I know that, Steve, but I know I haven’t gotten my steps in after the brunch you guys took me out to this morning. Plus, there are those steaks you’re about to grill. I need to get up and move around, or else you’ll be rolling me up the stairs to bed.”

“I highly doubt that, Mom. You’ve never looked better.

“Thank you, Hunt.”

I appreciate that. It’s not like I’ve worked out to get a revenge body because I couldn’t give two shits from Sunday what my ex-husband thinks about how I look. I’m not interested in having a relationship with anybody, though it has been nice flirting with Enrique. At least that’s what I’ve been trying to do. I don’t know about him. I’m not sure if that’s what he’s doing, too.

He’s been gone for nearly two weeks, so I’m hoping today will be the day he’s out again, but maybe he’s with family since it’s Mother’s Day. He’s said nothing about having children of his own. If he has kids, maybe they’re with their mother. Maybe they do something altogether. I don’t know if his mom is around. If he’s back in town, maybe he’s doing something with his sisters. I have no idea.

It’s wonderful having my boys here with me today. It’s only since they’ve been adults that they’ve paid attention to Mother’s Day and tried to make it nice for me. After they got too old to make things for me at school, it became pretty much nothing. Tim never pushed them to celebrate the day, even though I always made sure they had something for him on Father’s Day.

That was the sad song of my life for years. I, like so many other women, only had gifts I bought myself or that I picked out, then wrapped myself. For years, if I didn’t do that, I had nothing to open on Christmas if it didn’t come from a friend or was mailed to me by my parents. My former husband never took the boys to get me gifts. He barely knew how to order anything online because I always took care of it for him.

Today’s an extra special day, so it’s not that I’m trying to ditch my boys, but it would be perfect if I got to see Enrique. I really enjoy our walks and our brief moments together on the water. Any chance to see or talk to him makes my day.

“I’ll be back in like half an hour. I won’t do a full loop in the park. Just enough for Constantine and me to stretch our legs.”

I pick up the leash, and Constantine trots over to me, pushing between Steven’s and Hunter’s legs. He ignores my middle and youngest sons. He has no fucks to give if somebody’s standing between him and a walk. I’m barely off my driveway before I hear Enrique call out to me. I’m certain at least one of my boys can see him walking up.

The grill was already going, and Will was headed outside with a plate of meat. He’ll hold off putting the steaks on until I get back, but in the meantime, he’ll make some burgers for himself and his brothers. It’ll be their appetizers. They’re in their mid-twenties and still have appetites like they’re fifteen. They have the metabolisms to get away with it.

“Hi. Welcome back.”

“Thank you. I hoped I’d catch you this evening. Are you having a nice Mother’s Day?”

“I am. It’s been really enjoyable. My boys took me out to brunch. They’re at the house now. They’re going to grill tonight and hang out with me for a couple more hours before they each have to take off.

“Do they live near here? Do you get to see them often?”

“My middle son, Steve, lives in Connecticut just outside the city, but my other two sons are still in New England.”

I don’t want to get much more specific than that because as much as I enjoy talking to Enrique, we haven’t even exchanged last names yet. I’m kicking myself for telling him even one of my son’s names.

“How was your trip?”

“It went well.”

Is that all he’s going to say?

“I bet you must be glad to be home.”

“Yeah, it was nice to get back to my own bed.”

“Did you go anywhere interesting?” I feel like that’s the next natural question, but it’s like pulling teeth.

“I had to make a couple of stops, but it was all for work. So, just meetings. Nothing exciting.”

Clearly, he wants to talk about his trip about as much as I want to talk about my boys and about my past. I’d call him cagey if I weren’t evasive, too.

“Elodie, I missed our walks while I was gone.”

I look up at him, and his expression is so tentative. I suppose that’s the easiest way to describe it, as though he’s not sure whether he should have admitted that.

“I missed them too, Enrique. I’m glad you’re back. Constantine’s great company, but he’s not much of a talker.”

We grin as we approach the park. We have some companionable silence now that we’ve admitted we missed each other. The quiet isn’t bad, but it’s a little stilted compared to usual. He makes up for it when I turn to look at him.

“Would you have time to go for a walk tomorrow morning?”

“I’d like that, but I always feel bad when you catch me on your way out for your run. I feel just as badly on days when you double the distance.”

“A little extra fresh air and activity is good for me. I don’t have to run every day to stay in shape, so I’m not too worried if I walk rather than run some days.”

“All right, I’d like that.”

We linger for a moment, looking at each other. We say goodbye before it gets awkward. I head into the house through the garage, and I’ve barely stepped into the kitchen before my boys confront me. They’re all leaning against something, one foot crossed in front of the other, their arms crossed against their chest.

“You learned that from me, so it’s hardly intimidating. I don’t care if you’re all a foot taller than me. I’m thirsty.” I turn toward the cupboard to get a glass, but they close ranks.

“Mom, who was that?”

“A friend.”

“Mom—”

“Steve, you get that tone from me, too. You cannot intimidate me when I’ve been using that tone of voice on all three of you since the days you were born.”

“Look, we’re not upset you went for a walk with someone.”

Will isn’t always the peacemaker, but he’s trying today. He hands me a glass of water I down while he continues talking.

“We’re glad you’re making friends in the neighborhood. We just didn’t expect it to be a guy who looks like he could snap you in two.”

“That’s your reaction to seeing him? You think he’d hurt me?”

“No, we just don’t know him. That’s all. Are you guys dating?”

“No, we’re walking.”

“That sounds like something out of one of your books, Mom.” Steve jumps in, and I’m not enjoying them being adults as much as I did this morning.

“I didn’t say we were walking out together. He’s not courting me.”

“What do you know about him?” Hunt won’t be left out either, and he can be the most dogmatic of them.

“His name’s Enrique. He doesn’t live far from here. We’re both rowers. We both grew up playing soccer. He’s got a lot of guys in his family who aren’t too much older than you, and he was traveling for work the last few days.”

“That’s it? That’s all you know about him?”

“Am I supposed to know much more than that?”

Will shoots his brothers a look, and they back down.

For now.

“We just want to make sure you’re safe. No one wants to see you happy more than we do. You deserve it, and if you enjoy his company, cool. We’re just not used to seeing you talking to a guy you might date.”

Will wraps his arm around my shoulders, and I lean against him. I’m not completely used to having adult children.

“Let this run its course. Do nothing unless I ask.”

I don’t need a dossier on the guy, which is what I’ll get if I let the boys do what they want. That or Enrique will never speak to me again.

“Ellie, I can’t go on our walk this morning because I have an early meeting. I didn’t want to just not show up.”

“I understand.”

Enrique’s standing at the foot of the driveway with me, and his expression says he’s disappointed—but not heartbroken. I try to hide how much this bums me out after he was gone for two weeks.

“I plan to go out on the water tomorrow. Would you like to join me?”

“I’d love that.”

“Great. I’ll meet you at the boathouse at six, if that works for you.”

“Perfect.”

I watch him run back toward the bottom of my neighborhood, and I can’t stop thinking about tomorrow morning until I fall asleep. Then it’s the first thing on my mind as I open my eyes.

Rowers are early morning athletes. I’ve always loved it because I start my day on the water, and I’m done with my workout before most people finish their first cup of coffee.

I have most of my equipment unpacked and staged. I’m standing on the lip of my car with my driver’s door open as I lift my single rowing shell off the car rack. I hear someone behind me, then heat spreads across my back as long tan arms reach past me.

Enrique’s body brushes against mine as he takes my boat from me. I’m unprepared for the boat’s weight to disappear as he steps back. It puts me off balance, and I nearly fall. Enrique presses his chest to my back, keeping me from lurching backward. I grab the side of the door as an arm wraps around my waist, lifting me off my car and setting me on the ground. I know he has the shell resting on his head like rowers normally do to carry them, but we usually don't carry a person along with it.

“I’d never let you fall.”

His lips are beside my ear, and his firm hold around me has me pinned to him. I feel all his muscles against my back. I know what I feel against my ass, and I’m tempted to rub against his hard on. I’ve wanted to believe he might feel even a sliver of the attraction I do. If his cock is like that because of me, then it’s a yes.

He doesn’t let go as he takes three steps back, getting us clear of my open door. I push it closed and turn to face him. I reach up to take the boat from him, and that squeezes my breasts together. I’m wearing a sports bra and tank top that cover me modestly, but he still has a full-frontal view.

My mind flashes to him running his tongue between them. To looking down and watching him sucking on them. To feeling his hands on them. His gaze drops to them for a moment, but it’s so brief I think they don’t impress him. But as he lets go of me, his hand definitely trails over my ass even if it’s only a mere second.

“Thank you.”

We work in silence as we assemble our rigging and walk along the dock. Neither of us says anything about whether we’re sticking together. I assume so since he suggested we meet here, but I don’t know. I don’t want to slow him down.

“Do you have any favorite drills to warm up?”

I nod. “A few.”

As we get in and shove off the dock, I tell him what my workout usually includes. I worry I sound weak and out of shape. He grins at me as I speak.

“I’ll need a nap after this. How long do you work out each day?”

“A couple hours. I have the time now, so I do. I feel better for it.”

I expect him to ask me why, but he doesn’t. I’m not ready to delve into that. I don’t want to discuss my ex-husband or that relationship’s shortcomings.

We work through the drills I suggest then decide on the distance and pace we want to row and take off. His body is the definition of muscular grace. His muscles flex and release as his boat glides over the water. I do my best to maintain my concentration and stay on course, but he’s mesmerizing and mouthwatering.

We only speak when we take breaks. I enjoy the companionable silence we often have together. We pick up where we left off each time we slow or stop, sharing memories about teams we were on and regattas we went to. We attended the same ones, but not at the same time since he’s nearly ten years older than me. We move on to stories from college, which include some nights we should probably forget.

Two hours pass, and it feels like a couple minutes. I’m sweaty and parched by the time we get back to the dock. I accidentally flick water at him as I pull in one of my oars. He scoops up a handful that sprays across my lap. I fail to stifle my shriek since the water is freezing. I give as good as I get, ensuring he gets a healthy splash to his chest. His shirt’s already sticking to him, and that soaks it. Fuck, he’s fine.

He helps me put my shell back on my car, and we stand closer than usual as we say goodbye.

“I’d like to spend more time with you out here, Elodie.”

“My schedule’s flexible, and I like it out here in the morning and the evening. Let me know what works for you.”

I observe him for a moment before I take the plunge since he just told me he wants to spend more time with me.

“I’d like to walk with you more, too.”

“If I run in the morning, and you do your workout in your garage, maybe we could walk in the evenings.”

“I’d like that. Tomorrow?” Do I sound too eager?

“Tomorrow.”

We go our separate ways once we’re ready. We avoided talking about work, and we said little more about our families. It’s fine with me since I don’t want to be evasive or lie. I like him too much to do that, and that’s a real problem.