Killing the Mafia king Softly

on

urned to face Adrian. He leaned at the entrance

needed was to be patient. "There is something." Waltzing in, he p

ment growing with each beat. Carmen must have set h

t. I have one from

conds in my mind before Carmen's entry. Like clockwork, she walked in with a pouting Adrian trailing beside her.

up in time, Adrian stayed a kid. Don't get me wrong - Adrian was ruthless when needed. I have seen him chop open a man wit

m. She walked around, her nostrils flaring and eyes blinking constantly. Taking her u

now. Leav

face over my knuckles. "I told Adrian,

her palms landed on my table. "¿Estás loco?" Walking around t

nd steps. My mouth soured by her unspoken wor

z household - where Juan went every weekend, when Adrian woul

d that line t

lay our strength, having a child and a woman by my side. According to Carmen,

my unborn child. Nobody knew that except for

ered over Carmen. "If Josefina is fine marrying a widow

p breath calmed the boil I felt inside, running its course under my skin and veins. Every time I remembered

rong. A woman like Jojo was best paired with anyone who loved a challenge. Since Adrian met her, he was smitten. He gushed and giggled about the

r mother was killed by a rival cartel. I only hoped that

ging my mother and brother to a screechi

. "I told her

There were better suitors, men who wanted her as their wife. She was a recurring topic

's financial records. Marco placed a thick file on my table, neatly labelled with bookmar

ere was no restriction on a woman running a cartel, but in the last few decades, most

om behind closed doors while her father kept up appearances. It seems her

t what sh

up, opening and shutting the cabinet doors. Placing stacks of papers on my table, h

was another side to her. One, which was evidenced on every document I laid eyes on.

s tone lowered and head dipped into his chest

mile and dewy, dusky tone called out to me. They held a siren's tune, luring lost men

. He cared for Carmen like his mother, so everything about her made hi

ncerned? Is the

He didn't hav

membered my father telling me about the famous Rodrigo Lopez - Raymond's brother, who made

signed his business over, agreeing to all our terms without any negotiations. He didn't have any c

nd. It seemed we'd gotten ourselves a pet cobra. I

place would welcome me with echoes of Carmen yelling o

y and pouring myself a generous amount. Dad wa

day?" h

day i

himself a drink, clinking the tip o

s? It's abou

er-colored liquid. "Get on

Although Carmen loved her like her daughter, she neve

's do-over. She wanted e

is marriage. She is not going to take away

patting my back. "But if she asks you for an

hould be happy." Sounding desperate, I leaned forward to where he stood. "I might even

other for my second ma

it that is the problem, son. It's the part that you still haven't le

that

ld I want to make peace with it? I lost my w

y, letting them drain. Warm drops travell

ecially one. Those that reminded me of my incapability in pr

and wiped my face with my sleeves.

e her company. Carmen had cunningly ensured I suffered every day, thinking about Maya. She was tyi

unconditionally, and I

e breathing. Involuntary and wo