“There was something else. A message from her,” Gianna murmurs without looking at me. “She told him to meet a carrier named David. Maybe we can call the number she messaged him from—distract her. Have your men track her location.”
“My tech guys are in Sinaloa. We won’t make it there fast enough, and it’s way too dangerous for you there right now. They catch sight of you or Clark and they’ll be onto us—they may even kill you on sight. Most of those men are not loyal to me there because they wish to be me. We’ll have to ditch this phone soon.”
“Shit,” she hisses.
“Don’t worry about it right now, reina. Her time will come. Trust me.”
Her eyes hold mine, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip. “Reina,” she says softly, but it sounds more like a moan than anything.
She is reina. Always has been, even during her stupidity.
She should know it—the power she possesses—and she shouldn’t doubt it.
But I still need to keep my distance. Instead of giving her all my attention, I look down at the cellphone, retrieving mine and taking pictures of his previous locations.
Fucking idiot, using an iPhone like he was free of troubles. Once she finds out about Henry, she’ll ditch the phone she’s using. She’ll be pissed, and I really don’t give a fuck.
They thought it was over when they took my cousin from me. They thought they had the upper hand by gaining more territory.
Wrong.
This shit has just begun.
31
GIANNA
Halfway during the ride to the airport, Draco tosses Henry’s phone out of the window.
After doing what I did, I expected to be trembling with paranoia. I expected myself to question what I’d just done—especially after crushing Toni’s skull . . . but I haven’t. Honestly, I don’t think I ever will. I’ve changed. I realize that now.
I am not the woman who was kidnapped, tortured, and trapped in that shed. I am stronger. Smarter. Colder.
Power intrigues me. Death no longer affects me. The crown is so close to my fingertips—I feel like I can already feel the smooth gold and the precious jewels. Once we get rid of Hernandez and her crew, the crown will be mine. Ours.
We arrive at his villa in Puerto Vallarta again after a flight that was a little chattier coming back than when we left.
As soon as Guillermo parks, everyone climbs out of the car, I with a sense of triumph. I’m still pissed she wasn’t there. We need to find her and get this over with already. Such a coward she is, hiding away.
I follow Draco’s lead to the door. He retrieves a key from his pocket and sticks it into the lock, leading the way inside. I glance over my shoulder and Patanza is behind me, Clark only a step behind her, looking at her ass.
“Look away before I stab your eyes out, gringo.” She rolls her eyes, entering the house.
Clark chuckles, but definitely doesn’t stop his staring.
Draco walks into the living room, heading for a corner table set up with tequila. A heavy sigh escapes me, and as badly as I want to toss my body on the couch and rest, I don’t bother. I need a shower. I need to think.
Draco pours himself a shot of the tequila, releasing a long sigh.
I start to walk to the stairs, to the bedroom I was staying in for the past four nights, but Draco calls my name, stopping me in my tracks.
I look over my shoulder at him. He’s in front of the wide glass door now, shot glass in hand, ready to be taken in one smooth gulp.
“To my room,” he commands without looking at me.
I could question it, but I don’t.
His room means privacy.
All I can think about is how much we need it right now.
I turn and go up the stairs to my room for a change of clothes. I walk back down to his bedroom afterward, which is much nicer than mine, set up with a king-sized bed and draped with a Mexican-styled comforter and throw pillows to match. The headboard is wide and thick, and seems to be made of glass and wood.
The floor is made of copper Mexican tile, and there is a wraparound terrace that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. A table is set up out there, topped with unlit candles and clean plates, merely for decoration.
There is a lighter on one of the nightstands and I pick it up, sparking six of the candles in the room.
I then walk to the terrace and let the wind sweep over me. It feels amazing. Too bad I can’t fully enjoy these blissful moments. This paradise. I catch it when I can.
With a sigh, I turn around and walk to his bathroom, starting up the shower and scrubbing the blood off my body, the hot water soothing my sore muscles.