Previously…Struck In Love 4
727 Words
PREVIOUSLY…STRUCK IN LOVE 4
As the son of Joaquin Fuertes, the longest-running Mayor in Portugal, and founding father of the Fuertes Cartel, he had groomed me to run the family business with an iron fist. They knew me as Ghost because I’m good at making problems disappear. The young lady sitting across from me in a chair gave me a forced nod of agreement, which told me I had failed to persuade her to do as I requested. A deep frown crossed my face. This b***h was looking to destroy not only the De Luca Cartel but ours as well, here in Italy. Queen was known as a hardass, and Antonio had made it clear not to cross his family again, or her entire bloodline would be extinct. I stepped out of my chair as she sat with tape wrapped around her mouth, keeping the screams at bay, blood dripping down her body from numerous injuries.
She had a chance to leave when Antonio confronted her back at the meeting. Afterward, she continued with her plan, and Antonio agreed for me to put an end to her plans. Both the De Luca and Fuertes’ Cartels had an agreement that as long as we made money together, we wouldn’t interfere with each other’s territory. I’m not an abuser, unlike other men in the Cartel. I had my ways of getting what I needed out of my enemies. Raising the sleeves of my crisp white shirt, I stepped forward as my enforcer, Gabriella, continued the ritual of cutting off one finger at a time when she didn’t comply and answered my questions. I didn’t need to have a g*n on me like my counterparts. I’ve lived in Italy for the past two years, and recently an opportunity came up for me to visit America, more specifically the Big Apple, for a business exchange that would extend the Fuertes Cartel territory in the illegal underground dealings.
“Take the tape off, Gabriella.”
“Joaquin, you don’t want to do this. We can forge a new deal, and I can get you all the territory you need plus guns. Your father isn’t the only one with ties in America,” Queen said weakly, trying to convince me to betray my father. Not wanting to hear any more of her lies, I winked, and Gabriella smiled, knowing this was the signal to end her life. As she prepared to have fun, I gathered my jacket off the chair and walked out of the back of Antonio’s; the restaurant was a front for the De Luca Cartel, even though it was the top celebrity spot for politicians. Everyone knew what happened here. As Queen’s screams finally died down, I walked up the stairs and opened the door. I bumped into a soft body, and before we both fell, I gripped her by the waist.
“Ohh…Excuse me.”
A light, sweet smell invaded my nostrils. Our eyes connected, and my grasp grew tighter.
“Hello, you can let me go now,” she said with a chuckle as we both leaned against the wall away from the restaurant.
“Joaquin, the car is here and Gabriella texted you. What’s going on here?” Monica pointed between the mystery goddess and me. I somehow could not make myself let go of my thoughts of her. I was only trying to prevent her from falling, but my eyes never left hers. Something about them kept me hypnotized.
“Mira a donde vas hermosa?”
“Huh?” she asked as I grinned at the perplexed look across her face, dropping my hands from around her waist. Monica followed behind me and passed my phone over as Gabriella texted the package was cleaned up.
Gabriella: The package is secure.
Me: Inform De Luca, and let him know we should make dinner plans while he’s here.
Gabriella: Any other guests?
I looked back over my shoulder as the woman I just knocked into headed toward a seat that a man pulled out for her. A strange suspicion came over me, and I couldn’t explain it as she peered up and caught my eye. Turning away, I opened the car door and got inside, ignoring whatever odd feeling came over me from being in her presence.
“Joaquin, are you listening to me?” Monica asked, sitting beside me in the limousine, rubbing a hand over my thigh.
“Not right now, Monica,” I said, moving her hand off my thigh and focusing on texting Gabriella back.
Me: My father.
PART I
- Writer
