Page 37 of Cartel Viper (The Cartel Brotherhood #2)

“Yeah. He was a stray the Humane Society was trying to catch because he was rummaging through trash and stealing food. Jacob found him and was going to do Lord knows what—since it wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t abuse animals as a kid.

It was obvious the dog’s been in fights before because it snarled at one on the other side of the street while Jacob tried to corner him.

The other dog broke free from the woman walking him and charged.

Yeller jumped in front of Jacob when the dog ran toward Jacob.

He said it was like the dog in the book protecting the boy from the bear.

The dog isn’t much to look at, but he’s loyal to Jacob. ”

Javi looks over my shoulder and out the window. I can’t imagine what he’s thinking after that story.

“Is there anything else?”

“He’s been fucking his boss for the past six months, and she’s pregnant. He didn’t know I pick up extra hours at an OBGYNs’ office, and he went with her for her first ultrasound. Neither seemed thrilled to be there. It wasn’t a joyous occasion.”

Javi watches me, and his eyes narrow.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

I hesitate because I know he won’t outwardly lose his shit, and I’m certain he’ll still be rational when he does whatever he’s going to do to Drew, but he’ll be irate.

He spins me toward the billiard table and presses me to lean forward.

He reaches around me to unfasten my pants and pushes them down faster than I can react.

His hand lands across my ass, and it hurts more than I expected.

After the earlier punishment, it burns like the fire of a thousand suns.

I anticipate the next one and squeeze my eyes shut, but he does nothing.

“If I spank you again, I’ll harm you. That’s not the goal.

You want domestic discipline, Maddy, so I’ll punish you when you keep things from me that affect your safety.

Whatever you don’t want to say must be something you believe will push me around the bend.

Tell me now, or your punishment will continue.

I haven’t decided how, but it won’t be over yet. ”

He eases me to stand before him. I see fear in his gaze, and I know it’s because he wants me to know he’s more than just worried about me.

“I’m pretty sure he’s the reason a deal blew up.

I nearly got caught by the local police when a brawl broke out at a Buffalo nightclub.

I was supposed to collect payment for product another guy delivered that night.

The fight was massive, and I couldn’t get out of the corner where I was talking to the owner.

The guy sheltered me, then got me out the back.

One of his bouncers led me to my car and made sure the police thought I was just passing by.

I tried to tell Drew my suspicions, but he?—”

I don’t need to finish for Javi to guess.

He wraps his arms around me, and I lean against him.

That was one of the most terrifying nights of my life.

Men got stabbed and shot right in front of me.

I thought I would die when a guy charged the owner, who shot him through the forehead.

I feared he’d turn his gun on me and blame me.

Instead, he rescued me. He saw a bruise and guessed what Drew was like.

He watched a man beat his mom to death when he was six.

That was all the explanation he gave me.

“We have to go down there, Javi.”

“Let me hold you for a moment longer. I know which fight you’re talking about. I had no idea you were there collecting for Drew. I’m certain Dillan didn’t because he never would’ve sent men to collect from the owner. I saw photos of what the place looked like after. Just let me hold you.”

He repeats himself, and I hear his heart racing. I tried to downplay it, but if he saw the aftermath …

“I think Jacob is the one who told Dillan that Drew was creeping into the O’Rourkes’ territory, knowing I would be there that night.

Jacob distracted the DEA, supposedly to keep them away from Drew.

I believe he did it because he wanted the O’Rourkes to attack.

He prayed I’d either get caught in the crossfire or rot in jail until a trial with evidence he probably would’ve strategically placed at the scene. ”

I run my hands up and down Javi’s back, and I feel the tension ease from his body as he exhales.

“That’s it, Daddy. That’s all I can think of right now.”

“I’m going to bring you outside with me, but I want you in the circle my brothers and I will form. If you need to tell me something, tap my shoulder.”

“I understand. I won’t distract you.”

He gazes into my eyes, and there’s something there I can’t describe. No man has ever looked at me this way. There’s warmth that makes me feel precious.

“You are not a distraction, chiquita. No one could make me more focused than you. I will end this threat to you, and it starts now.”

He lets his arms drop, and I pull up my pants.

He slides his hand into mine. He’s cautious as he leads me downstairs, scouting our path to ensure no one lies in wait.

We head outside, and immediately, Jorge and Joaquin help Javi surround me.

If they get any closer, they’ll step on me.

But it keeps me virtually invisible except for my legs.

“Doesn’t Old Yeller get shot at the end?”

All right, then. Javi’s diving straight in. Fucking hell.

“Leave my dog alone.” Jacob tries to stand, but his leg is too weak to support him.

“Tell me what I want to know.”

“Fuck off.”

Javi laughs, but it’s got no mirth. I wonder if he’d say something crude in response if I weren’t here.

“Tell me what I want to know, and your dog lives. Give me only part of what I want, and I go after your sister. Give me nothing, and your dog is dead within the hour.”

“Fuck my sister. Leave Yeller alone.”

“That’s an offer I wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole.”

“Nah. You’re fucking the bony bitch hiding behind you.”

I cringe. Not because he insulted me. Javi puts a bullet through his other knee. It didn’t take a genius to see that coming.

“You think you can piss me off enough to lose my shit and kill you. The more you piss me off, the longer it’ll take me to kill you.”

If I were any other woman, he’d never confess something like that. Then again, another woman wouldn’t have shot a man through the eye.

“I can keep putting holes in you that’ll make you bleed but won’t kill you quickly. You’re still talking with two bullets in you. We can test your pain tolerance by putting a few more holes in you before you pass out.”

Javi points the gun at Jacob’s hand that rests on the ground beside him. The latter looks at where Javi aims, so he’s unprepared for the knife Javi flips open and flings at him. It imbeds in Jacob’s chest just beneath his collar bone near his left shoulder.

“I didn’t say how I’d make the holes.”

Javi jerks his chin toward Jacob, and one of his guys jogs forward. I peer between Javi’s and Jorge’s arms to watch the man twist the blade before yanking it out. He wipes it on Jacob’s shirt before bringing it to Javi.

“You going to have him play fetch?”

Jacob’s an idiot to keep taunting Javi. I can almost guarantee Javi has far more experience interrogating a guy than Jacob does. I don’t doubt Javi can draw this out.

“Did you cause the raid that nearly got Madeline killed?”

“Fucking inept local cops let her leave.”

Not quite an admittance, but practically.

“Did Drew send you or do you have your own plans for Madeline?”

“That piece of shit can barely think straight. He’s so pissed he doesn’t know what the fuck to do. You don’t want to be in the middle of this. Trade Madeline to me, and I’ll make sure the DEA’ll focus on the O’Rourkes instead.”

“The DEA isn’t going anywhere near them now that a former agent is part of that family. I should call Shane right now and let him know what’s going on.”

“You didn’t deny you don’t want to be in the middle of this. Give me Madeline, and I’ll give you something better in return.”

“Impossible.”

“Come on. Everyone knows Tres J’s don’t give a shit about women. You’ll do anything to keep your family ahead. She’s only worth something to Drew because she knows shit.”

I sort of know what he’s talking about from what Laura’s told me. She’s hinted at some stuff to warn me away from Tres J’s . I heard my big sister, but clearly, I didn’t listen. Javi doesn’t flinch at the taunt.

“That shit she knows seems worth something to you. Either you want her to tell you what she knows, or you want to manipulate Drew by holding onto her. What you want and what’s going to happen aren’t the same thing.

Madeline goes nowhere. We’re back to where we started.

Answer my questions, or I make sure your dog is dead within the hour. ”

Javi reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He unlocks it with a code, and I realize he probably doesn’t have biometrics set up in case someone captures him. A retinal scan and a fingerprint won’t do any good. He taps the screen a few times before he puts the call on speaker.

“Javier, what’s going on?”

“Pablo, you’re on speaker. I have a DEA agent in front of me with bullets in both kneecaps.

I need you to find his address and send men over to it.

It might be in Albany. Have them video call me before they shoot the dog.

The carechimba doesn’t want to talk. He’s the one who led the raid to get Madeline. ”

Pussy face. Juan taught Laura and me that when I was twelve.

His mother found out and threatened to take a chancla to his backside.

She made him clean all the bathrooms and peel any and every vegetable they ate for a month.

I’d seen Margherita angry at her sons before, but she was livid.

I really thought she would go after him with the wood-sole sandal.

She apologized profusely to my parents, who took it in stride.

However, they didn’t allow Juan to hang out with Laura that entire month his mom punished him.

“ ?Está bien! ” All right.

“Wait! No!”

There’s no way Javi or Pablo would follow through on Javi’s empty threat. Neither would hurt the animal, but Jacob’s so attached to the dog he’ll protect Yeller like a mother bear with its cubs.

“I’ll talk. Just leave my dog alone.” He glances down at his watch. “It’s already too late. Killing my dog won’t undo what’s already done by now. You’re going to kill me anyway, so I have nothing to hide now.”