“I know.”
“Did you know Estelle was the enabler? She took them notes and made arrangements for them to cheat on me. You know how much I loved your mother. What kind of woman cheats on you with your own brother and tries to pass off his child as another’s? Estelle knew and never said anything.”
Estelle starts crying and shaking when he shoves her toward the balcony rail.
“Leave her out of this. It was wrong, but this is the present, and this problem is between you and me.”
“I don’t see it that way. I see it as part of the same problem. Your death and hers on the same day.”
“Why? Why would you want to kill me? Why would you want Eduardo dead? Why would you fake your death? Where the fuck were you all these years? You are not the man I once knew.”
“My dear boy, the man you knew simply wore the face he wanted you to see. I wanted the cartel. I wanted the empire. And as the eldest son who worked his ass off to build the Ramirez name, it should have been me who got everything. Not you!” he roars, and his face morphs into rage. “When your grandfather gave you the lead, I was aware you weren’t my son. Giving it to you was a slap in my face.”
“How did you do everything without anyone noticing?”
“I planned everything out carefully with the son I knew would help me. The boy I kept secret as a weapon I could use. I knew Eduardo wouldn’t because he was too close to you, and I was right. That brother of yours dug too deep and found out my plans, but it wasn’t the first time he interfered. When I found out your mother and Sebastiano were meeting here and seeing each other behind my back again, I came here to kill them, and I did. I just never realized Eduardo was right behind me. He shot me, and one of his rogue bullets was what caused the gas explosion. He got out, and I used the incident to my advantage to fake my death.”
“You bastard.”
“Oh, I’m just getting started. It was Thiago who nursed me back to health, then he helped me kill your other uncles. He cut the break wires in their cars. It was Thiago who helped put me in touch with Micah Santa Maria and the Camorra. He was my eyes and ears, and he helped me get my revenge on my son who thought he could kill me.”
The blood drains from me. “My God, you evil bastard.”
“Everything led me here, son, to this moment where I am El Diablo, your worst nightmare. The last obstacle is you, and as you know, your time has run out. I will also have that baby.”
“No, you won’t. You won’t get anywhere near her. Let Estelle go!” I seethe, stepping forward.
His men near me raise their guns, and I stop. In the corner of my eye, though, I see movement above.
It’s Marcus. He’s on the same floor as my father and Estelle.
He taps his head and points to his eyes, meaning I’m to watch for a signal.
“You will die here, Alejandro,” my father promises, and as the words fall from his lips, Marcus shoots one of the ceiling lights.
The diversion gives me just enough time to fire one bullet into my father’s head when he turns to look around at the sound. He never even got the chance to move.
Blood splatters everywhere as he goes down, and Marcus runs to Estelle covering her as the bullets start flying.
I have no remorse for the man I called Father.
Even though he’s dead, it’s not over yet.
I have to find Lucia.