Chapter 66

Alejandro wanted to tear La Paz apart stone by stone until he had the man responsible for his woman's abduction. Though he knew if Reyes was correct in his assumption that the person behind this mess was as much a heavy as themselves, then the likelihood of his being in Bolivia was slim. This was the reason he kept sending amateurs in. Which was why Alejandro kept getting lucky. If his enemy, whoever he was, got smarter, Alejandro might not continue this lucky streak. He needed to be more careful now that he had more than himself to think of.

"I can practically read your thoughts, amigo," Reyes said from beside him. They were travelling in the back of one of the armoured SUV's to the meeting point to pick up the women. "Your anger will make you reckless."

Alejandro grunted and cracked his neck to the side to relieve some of the pressure. He'd had to make short work of killing the priest. It hadn't been nearly as satisfying as it would've been if he'd had the time to do a proper job. "I've been angry before. Never interfered with my job."

Reyes grunted and nodded. "Fair."

They didn't speak again until they pulled up to the restaurant where they'd agreed to meet Gina and Alejandro's madre. He spotted the car she'd described and pointed his driver toward it. Relief blasted through him, releasing tense muscles when he saw the two heads he was hoping for leaning against the rear bumper. One bright blond and the other wearing a pert, colourful hat.

"Fuck, there's blood all over her again," he growled. "Look at her!"

"But she's safe, amigo," Reyes said calmly. "This is the main goal."

He was out of the vehicle before it had fully stopped and wrapped his arms around Gina, who let out a startled yelp and dropped the plastic cup she'd been calmly sipping from. It landed on the pavement at their feet splashing pop and ice cubes everywhere. She reached around his waist and hugged him back, pressing her face into his neck and breathing deep. Alejandro reached blindly for his mother, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing in an attempt to convey his gratitude. He felt her soft hand cover his.

"Though it is unlikely that we were followed here, it's best that we leave for the airfield directly," Reyes said gruffly from behind them. "I would also suggest Se?ora Morales spend some time enjoying our hospitality in the mountains. Now that our enemy is aware of her existence, they will likely try to use her against you."

"They can certainly try," Selena said pertly straightening up and placing her cup on the trunk of the car. "Nonetheless, I'd like to avoid another afternoon like this. I retired for a reason."

"Retired?" Gina asked, popping her head out from under Alejandro's embrace.

"Oh, you didn't think I was referring to my poor dead husband as The Scorpion when I was threatening that young man, did you?" Selena said slyly, reaching for the door handle of the SUV. "Come on, let's get moving. This heat is deadly."

Catching the look on Gina's face, Alejandro let out a booming laugh and urged her to slide in after his mother. "Mi amor, I can assure you, you have been rescued by one of the deadliest assassin's to ever grace the ranks of Venezuela's elite commando unit. She was my mentor first, then mi madre."

Awe warred with disbelief as Gina looked at Selena Morales through new eyes. "What did your dad do?" she asked faintly.

Alejandro shrugged. "He was a chef."

"And a damn good one," Selena said smartly, patting her belly. "Made the best cordon bleu I've ever had the pleasure of tasting."

Alejandro leaned down to speak in Gina's ear conspiratorially. "We called it apology chicken. He made it whenever he screwed up and had to apologize to mama. The chicken worked better than words ever did. It came in handy living with one of the world's most effective killers."

Gina continued to eye Selena during their short ride to the airport. They hustled onto the helicopters without pause and were in the sky within minutes. Gina gasped in fear and cringed in her seat when two jets roared past them and circled back. Alejandro took her hand and kissed the tips of her fingers, then assured her, "They're ours, cari?a. Simply an escort to see us safely home. The military owes El Rey many favours."

She nodded and sat back in her seat, but her eyes remained glued to the window during the entire flight, her body stiff with anxiety. He wished that he could help her relax. Assure her that the likelihood of attack in these mountains, with a military escort at their sides, was virtually zero. But Alejandro knew that Gina wouldn't feel safe until her feet were back on the ground at the compound.

If he was a better man, perhaps he would not have made Gina his wife. Perhaps he would have let her go. Resettled her elsewhere in the world, where she could have a chance at happiness in a normal life. She deserved that. She wasn't mafia material. She was soft, lovely and moral. She loved flowers, kittens and baked goods. In the past year she'd done her best to muddle her way through their world with a happy smile and positive words. But over and over he'd watched her stumble. A frown here when she overheard the family speak of product crossing borders and a flinch there when she watched the men in combat training. She tried to become invisible when the mafia world flowed around her, pretend that everything was normal. So unlike her cousin who thrived in the world they were born to.

Yet, Alejandro was not a better man. He was decent enough when he put his mind to it and now he would spend the rest of his life being the best man he could for Gina. He'd stolen her chance at normal. So now he would bring normal to her every opportunity he could. He would build her a white picket fence at the compound. He would fill their house with flowers and kittens. He would make sure she was never covered in blood again.

"Cari?o, we're here."

Her soft voice, coming through the headset startled him. He looked around the cabin and realized they were the only two left. The others must have exited quietly to give them a moment. Alejandro never missed anything, yet Gina was capturing his attention to the point that he was losing focus. He looked at her, a frown creasing his forehead. Perhaps he should have sent her away. For both their sakes. But he knew it would be the same as yanking out his own heart and sending it with her. Life would have become a colourless empty shell until his death.

He pulled the headset off and helped her out of the aircraft. Predictably, the moment her feet hit the pavement, a shrieking blond launched herself into Gina's arms, tearing Alejandro's hand from hers. He allowed the separation, understanding that the cousins needed a moment. Besides, denying Casey anything she wanted was a good way to get himself killed by her husband. Alejandro's and Reyes' years-long friendship meant nothing when it came to indulging Reyes' wife.

"Look at you, Gina!" Casey cried, holding her cousin at arm's length. Alejandro smirked waiting for the verdict, blood or dress? "What a fabulous dress! It's absolutely gorgeous. Who picked it out? Is it Valentino? Dior? Let me see the shoes! I wanted to go to the ceremony so bad, but Reyes said I couldn't. I would've gone anyway but there weren't any helicopters left."

Dress. She hadn't even noticed the red streaks all down Gina's front and in her hair. He should have known the bloodthirsty little hellion wouldn't care about a little blood. Now she was a true mob wife. He'd seen her in action. Casey killed without remorse when it was warranted, stood at her husband's side and made carefully plotted power decisions.

She wrapped an arm around Gina and urged her toward the jeeps. "Come on, there's a wedding feast up at the main house. You can eat and tell me all about the ceremony."

Alejandro growled in frustration. It would seem he wouldn't have his bride to himself for awhile yet. He should have anticipated this. He glared at Reyes who had the audacity to laugh at him. "Would you have let your bride just walk off untouched on your wedding day?" he demanded.

"Fuck no," Reyes replied instantly, eyeing the jeep as it took off with their wives and Alejandro's mother. "But you try saying no to Casey when she's determined. Don't tell me you've forgotten Mexico?"

Alejandro grunted and swung into the second jeep, determined not to let Gina get too far out of sight. "She took a pot-shot at you and damn near found a way out of these mountains by herself."

"Si, and her aim has only improved since then." It was true. Alejandro himself worked with Casey on her shooting. The woman was a natural. "Just come up to the house, eat some food, take your woman home. I will deal with Casey if she gets out of hand."

"Just try not to use the fingers she has herself wrapped around when getting your woman in hand." Alejandro ducked the punch aimed at his head and laughed the first lighthearted laugh he'd managed since he'd discovered his bride was missing.