Page 38 of Empire of Carnage

“Okay,” she whispered.

“Morena,” I started. “When we come home. I want to do things differently. I want to give you the love you deserve.” I forced the words out before I turned into a chickenshit and took them back.

“No,” she said, piercing through my heart. “I don’t believe in starting over. We’re fine building from what we already have. I just wish you could see that too.”

“I wish I had your perspective on things,” I told her, and she shrugged.

“Doin’ anything dangerous tonight?” she asked with a teasing tone.

“On the Diablos compound? Babe you must be out of your mind,” I joked, keeping our plans from Dezmond off of a recorded line.

We’d tell her when we got home.

Prison was worse than death for a relationship.

People could say whatever they wanted but at the end of the day, nobody waited. I’d seen plenty of my tío’s lose their families in a cell for Los Muertos.

Time was a fickle bitch.

“Be good. Come home in one piece, okay Santito?” She sounded sweet but I knew it was a command.

“Yes, reina.” I smirked, hanging up the video chat and sighing out loud.

17

Mateo

“Close your fucking eyes pendejo,” she chastised, pushing my back and forcing me to stumble forward.

“I don’t like surprises, sunshine,” I warned her.

“It’s a good one, I promise.”

I sighed and closed my eyes, letting her guide me through the villa.

“It better not be a fucking dog. I’m not letting the three of you rope me into taking care of some puppy.”

She laughed so abruptly it came out as a snort and I couldn’t help but turn towards her to admire how cute she could fucking be.

“A dog? I’m not much of a dog person,” she confessed, still finding amusement in it all.

I raised my eyebrow suspiciously at her, unsure if I was buying whatever she was trying to sell me here. And then I took in the room we were standing in. A beautiful white grand piano stood in the center, all its glory on display. Different types of guitars hung on the wall and an assortment of string instruments were propped on their stands.

The cello grabbed my attention. It wasn’t my ancient relic but it looked like she did a damn good job of finding something that was as close to it as possible. I could still smell the wood polish on its face, letting me know it was likely something custom made.

“Was I out of line?” she asked, the concern in her voice brought me back to reality, letting me know I had yet to even give her a reaction.

“This is all for me?” I asked, my mouth still agape and my shock clearly evident.

“No, I’m hiring a mariachi band and giving them all the wrong instruments to see how it goes, and I wanted your feedback.” She gave me a sarcastic smirk and nudged me on the side with her elbow.

“It’s too much,” I told her, knowing damn well we’d be using whatever funds were left of the Black Crow Brotherhood to pay for funerals and medical costs. She was in every way, providing for us here.

Her smile deflated.

“I just mean, you didn’t have to.” I rushed to defend my words, realizing I was hurting her more by not just being grateful like I should have been. “No one’s ever given me a gift like this, sunshine.”

“I want to give you everything,” she said with a hurt look on her face.