Page 69 of Devil's Property

He swallowed several times, the unease from before turning into more than a slice of fear. Good. He should be worried. “I don’t know where she is. I swear to fucking God. I just know she was taken.”

“Who told you?”

He was clearly nervous and not only about what I’d end up doing, but about the person responsible for telling him. “Javier Bandoles.”

Notorious leader of the Alcarez Cartel. Considered by far the most brutal and savage head of the cartel in the entire country. He also had his claws in the Western part of the US, namely California. This was no coincidence. Fassi had taken Brooke. It was entirely possible he’d planned on taking Fallon as well, her gallery showing in Chicago saving her. Or…

I was right in that she’d been used as a lure. Brooke wouldn’t have been physically able to attempt to save her sister.

“You’re fucking working with Bandoles?” Jago asked quietly. His fury was only evidenced by the darkness in his eyes.

“We were talking an alliance. Just like the old days. Remember? I had no clue he could be working with Farid Fassi. I’m not a traitor, Jago. I’m not.”

Just like the old days. A rush of adrenaline had already given me a headache.

Huffing, I looked out the window at the bright sun. “You’re just an opportunist who’d sell your soul to the devil for money. You chose greed over loyalty to anyone.”

“At first, I didn’t think this would have anything to do with you. Then there were threats, the fucker acting like he wanted to take over. Why do you think I called you to watch my shit? The fucker shot me himself.” Eduardo was almost as angry as we were.

“Did you not understand the deal Javier made was nothing more than a fucking lure used by Farid Fassi?” Jago’s breathing had become labored, his chest heaving.

Eduardo threw out his arms toward his cousin. “I swear to God I had no idea.”

I almost believed the stupid fuck. That’s how much of an idiot he was.

I’d give Jago credit. He didn’t hold back, issuing a brutal punch to Eduardo’s jaw. I thought he wasn’t going to stop there, but he pulled back, cursing in Spanish, which was never a good thing.

My cue to take over. “Why was this girl taken?”

“I don’t know,” Eduardo moaned and dragged his tongue across his bottom lip.

“Bullshit! She was nothing but bait. Right?”

He was close to convulsing. “Maybe. I just heard she was important, a tool being used. Bandoles killed six of my men. Six.”

I laughed. “He played you.” The dumb fuck.

“She is an innocent girl,” Jago snarled. “You’re a fucking monster.”

“I’m sorry.”

For fuck’s sake, the man was blubbering.

“Who was the man you hired to play scientist?” I asked calmly.

“Just a guy! He was recommended to me.”

I jerked him out of bed and onto the floor without hesitation. He cowered from me, crawling on his hands and knees until the cords attached to his arms hindered his escape.

“Okay. Okay. Some important scientist called the Brain that everybody wanted to get their hands on. He creates some good shit, including formulas that can wipe out an entire army. The girl was being used as bait.”

Bait. To bring Charles Baldwin, aka Salvatore Aldero out in the open. With the formula he’d created, which would be worth millions.

“My fucking God,” Jago said. “El pasado nunca se olvida.”

The past never forgets.

There was no possible way the past had been used against us.