Page 6 of Cartel Viper (The Cartel Brotherhood #2)

Chapter Four

Maddy

“Mom, I’m ready?”

“You look lovely, sweetie.”

“Thanks. Is Dad in the car?”

“Yes. Just let me grab my purse.”

I step onto the front porch and look to the right.

I’ve barely seen Luis or Margherita in the two days I’ve been with my parents.

I wound up getting another hotel room under a different alias about two miles from the house I grew up in.

I wasn’t ready for them to see me, and I didn’t want to explain why I came down early and unannounced.

I needed more time for the most visible bruises to heal.

I glance down at the evening gown I’m wearing since it’s a black-tie affair.

It’s modest but elegant. It has a single strap that crosses my chest and back.

It doesn’t plunge too low across my chest, so it hides where Drew would pinch me while we had sex—the only good part of our relationship—but he did that to remind me I was his.

He was a shitbag everywhere but in bed. He was decent there.

The gown also covers most of my shoulder blades, the seam wrapping around just beneath my armpits.

It hides the fading bruise over my right kidney.

As I walk out to the waiting SUV from the car service my parents reserved, I watch the Diazes’ house.

I spent so many hours playing there as a child.

We had so many Sunday dinners there. We alternated weeks for more than two decades.

It’s odd to know that’s over, even though it has been for nearly five years.

It’s not like I expect Luis, Margherita, or Pablo to step out of the house.

Pablo doesn’t live there anymore, and besides that, they’re at the wedding ceremony.

They only invited anyone outside the immediate family to the reception.

I glance in the side-view mirror before climbing into the third row.

I would normally care about my appearance anyway, but I put extra effort into today.

Some of it is feeling self-conscious about being at such an enormous event and having so many people look at me.

I feel like somehow, someone will know what I’m hiding beneath my gown.

I want to look the part of the pakhan’s sister-in-law, not that Maks or anyone in his family expects anything of me but being myself. Still, that family and the women who married into it are insanely attractive. My parents and I will sit at the same table as Maks and Laura.

And there’s a part of me I don’t want to acknowledge that wants to look good in front of Javier.

I wasn’t expecting guests, so I hardly looked my best when he burst into my hotel room.

I’m certain he and Joaquin spotted the bruises on my wrists.

If he asks, I’ll say I’m into martial arts, and my opponent got me into a hold I couldn’t break.

I’ve refined that lie so well, I practically believe it myself.

I’ve tried not to think about him every waking moment of every day since I saw him, and I’ve succeeded.

It’s only every other moment. His family is another insanely attractive one.

In fact, all the members of the Four Families are wildly gorgeous.

There isn’t a dud in the bunch. Not the men or the women.

But there’s always been something about Javier.

I watch the houses go by, then the buildings alongside the highway until we’re in the city and at one of the most luxurious hotels in Manhattan.

The Peninsula is where my sister had her reception.

I sweep my gaze around the ballroom as my parents and I enter the receiving line with my sister, the Kutsenkos, and the Andreyevs—Maks’s mom’s side of the family.

“Madeline, you look stunning. Thank you for coming all the way down here.”

Javier didn’t tell him .

“Thank you, t —Enrique.”

I barely caught myself before calling him Tío . That would have been uncomfortable. Laura glances back at me, hearing my near faux pas .

“I’d like you to meet my wife, Elodie.”

“Hello. Thank you for including us on your special day.”

“Enrique and I are both so happy all of you could make it.”

I hear sincerity in her voice, and she didn’t force it.

But I know any happiness she has about us being here is for Enrique’s sake.

She doesn’t know us, but I’m certain she’s heard the stories.

She’s not quite an ice queen, but she’s definitely regal enough to be la patrona —Boss Lady.

She already looks the part of the jefe’s wife.

My family makes our way to our tables. The four Kutsenko brothers, their wives, their mother, their four cousins plus the wives of two of them, their two aunts and two uncles make nineteen. Add my parents and me, and that’s twenty-two. We take up three eight-top tables. I sit beside Laura.

“Can you believe he remarried?” Laura leans toward me as Maks pushes in her chair and mine.

I continue to look around the ballroom as I answer. “No. I never imagined he would. He’s been the perpetual silver fox since we were in college.”

“I know. But he seems to really love her.”

“I’d say as much as Maks loves you.”

“I don’t know how I’m happy for him while still not liking him.”

“Are you ever going to make peace with everything that happened? Juan’s dead—” I whisper that. “—and their family’s left our sisters and cousins alone for years.”

The bad blood with Enrique and his family stems from shit that happened with a couple of Laura’s sisters- and cousins-in-law. They’ve always encouraged me to think of them without any qualifiers, just like Laura does.

“I’m not angry anymore. I just don’t trust or like them.”

“Could’ve fooled me. I’m surprised Enrique didn’t have your butter knife removed.”

There are place settings, so we all knew where to sit.

Enrique has a large cross tattooed on his forearm with a P at the top, a J at the bottom—Pablo and Juan—and an L and M—Laura and Madeline—on the sides.

Laura’s threatened to carve her initial and mine out of Enrique’s arm if their family does anything else to ours.

I wouldn’t put it past my sister to do that.

And frankly, I’d hold his arm down. I miss my friendships with the Diazes, and I especially miss considering Enrique an uncle because he was always the fun one when we were little.

But it’ll always be my family over theirs.

The others join us, and the conversation moves on. Sumiko, Maks’s cousin Pasha’s wife, is expecting their first baby. They announced it since they can no longer hide it. I’m certain everyone else in the family already knew, but it surprises my parents and me.

“If you ever need anything or have any questions, you know I’m just a phone call away. Nothing is too silly or insignificant to ask.”

“Thank you, Madeline. It’s reassuring to have a midwife in the family. I’ll take you up on that if anything comes up.”

I’ve made the same offer to all the women in the family as it’s expanded.

It reminds me how much I already miss my job.

It’s the only thing from Albany I miss. I love my work, but I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to it.

No one here knows I’m hiding from Drew, and I’m praying it doesn’t get back to him before I can disappear again.

But once I’m living under another assumed name, I won’t be able to practice.

I’m unprepared for Laura to elbow me as I chat with Christina, the fourth Kutsenko brother’s wife. I look over to where Laura points.

“Go on. Maybe you’ll get lucky.”

I want to sink under the table. In no way do I want to join the other single women as Elodie tosses her bouquet. I don’t want to marry, and I don’t want to hear anyone in my family ask when Drew and I plan to marry. I’ve avoided telling more lies than absolutely necessary tonight.

“Go on. The middle of the pack looks like the best place since I bet she’ll give it a good toss.” Christina waggles her brow at me, and I want to hurl.

With a table full of expectant faces, there’s not much I can do. I push back my chair and move onto the dance floor. I inhale a deep breath and steel myself for the jokes and giggles. I don’t want to do this.

I glance over to where Javier sits at the head table. Our gazes meet as the bouquet sails through the air. I have no choice but to put my hands up to keep the bundle of flowers from nailing me in the face.

Fuck. My. Life.

I spot some annoyed expressions, and I’m uncertain whether they’re specifically directed at me or just overall annoyance because they need something to hound a boyfriend who hasn’t popped the question.

From these bitches’ faces, I can’t say I’m surprised if that’s the case.

But most congratulate me, asking me if there’s anyone special in my life.

I shake my head as I extricate myself. I feel Javier’s eyes boring laser beams into my back. Paranoid much?

“Congrats.” Laura’s gaze sweeps over me. “Let’s go to the restroom.”

My sister reads me too well. She’s been suspicious all evening, but she’s said nothing. She sees something in me now, and she’ll wheedle it out of me. I’m not ready to tell her, and she’s the only person who always knows when I’m lying.

“They’re about to cut the cake. We can’t step out. That would be rude.”

It’s her gaze that practically sets me ablaze, but she nods and settles back in her chair.

I take my seat, setting the bouquet on the table.

I’d offer to give it back to Elodie, saying I’m certain she wants to preserve it; however, this is a tossing bouquet.

It’s meant to go to someone else. I’m stuck with the damn thing.

It’s beautiful and smells wonderful, but it’s a fucking beacon for attention.

We clap as Enrique’s hands cover Elodie’s, and they press the knife through the cake. I have a pang of envy. I definitely don’t want Enrique, but I think about the life I once thought I’d begin with Drew. I thought that would be us one day. Now, who knows whether I’ll have that chance?