Page 73 of Cartel Prince

“Mamá, it wasAbuelowho brought me to Humberto’s attention. He’s the one who suggested I work for Humberto. He claimed he’d use shares of the profit from the drugs my formula makes to pay down my student loans. You and I both know he’d never do that. He could’ve prevented my having that burden, but he didn’t. And that’s fine because I never wanted to accept money from him, and I sure as hell don’t want it now. But he wasn’t really going to spend that money on me. He wanted to put a hit out on Pablo’sprimos. Killing their father didn’t satisfy him. Now he wants to go after morelos Diaz.”

“That’s yourAbuelo’sdecision. It has nothing to do with us.”

She’s pushing me to the edge with her obstinance. I guess I know where I get it from. I want to shake her.

“It has everything to do with us because we’re caught in the middle. I think you knewAbuelowas the one who suggested me to Humberto. I think you knew it wasn’t the other way around.”

“So what if it was? There was nothing either of us could’ve done to stop yourabueloor Humberto. It was better for you not to know.”

“How can you think that?”

“Because I knew you would’ve held it against yourabuelo, and you would’ve been uncooperative. It would’ve angered Humberto and risked your life.”

“Even if I pissed Humberto off, it wasAbuelo’sresponsibility to protect me.”

I stretch my fingers out, realizing my nails had dug into my palms. When I slide my hand into Pablo’s, I think my mother’s head might explode. Right now, I need to feel his solid presence. I know the only way to get that is for us to be touching.

His arm around me would be more thanMamácould stand. She’s having a hard enough time accepting our clasped hands. I’m tired of standing in the foyer, so I lead Pablo into the living room.Mamácan come if she wants. I know she will because there’s still more she wants to say. I’m certain of that. There’s nothing I want to hear, but walking away now won’t make peace between us.

“Mamá,I know how you feel aboutlos Diaz. I felt the same way too when I first met Pablo. I didn’t trust him. I didn’t want to be anywhere near him.” I glance over at him. “I told him to fuck off twice, but despite my rudeness, when he found out I was in danger, he came to help me. He could’ve turned his back. He could’ve ignored discovering there was a hit put on me. Instead, he risked his life to intervene.”

“He just wants you to work for his family instead.”

I ignore that comment. I won’t share that it crossed my mind, but only for a hot second.

“It cost his family a fortune to get the hit called off. It wasn’tAbuelowho took care of it. He didn’t want to, and he didn’t have the means to.”

“You exaggerate. Men followed you home. You didn’t give yourabueloa chance to help.”

“Mamá, it wasn’t just some men. There was a quarter million-dollar bounty on my head. It costlos Diaztwo and a half million dollars to end that.”

Mamáscoffs, but her expression changes when her gaze meets Pablo’s. I look up at him. He’s steadfast in his attention to me. His expression is relaxed, yet it’s intense. It’s loving.

“Two and a half million?”

“Yes,Mamá.”

“Why were they willing to spend all that money?”

That question hurts. I know she isn’t asking in general why anyone would spend that much. I know she’s asking specifically about Pablo’s family. But that’s how it feels.

“Because your daughter is my future.”

I didn’t expect Pablo to admit that. At least not so early in the conversation. Actually, it feels likeMamáand I have been going around in circles for hours, but it’s the first time he’s spoken up. I sit back from where I perched on the edge of the sofa. I lean against him, and his arm comes around my shoulders.

“And how do I know you’re not manipulating Florencia any more than Humberto or Ernesto?”

“Because what do I have to gain? There’s nothing Ernesto has that I want, and Humberto’s no longer a problem. Neither is Néstor.”

I suck in a breath when Pablo mentionsMamá’sex-boyfriend. I know she attacked him the last time she saw him, but they were together for nearly fifteen years.

“Thank heaven for small mercies.”

Sarcasm drips from her words while she glowers at Pablo. I want to snap at her for being ungrateful. But she’s hated Pablo’s family far longer than she hasn’t. Three and a half decades of hate won’t disappear in half an hour.

“How much do I owe you for that favor?”

“Nothing. I did it for Florencia’s sake.”