got right in her face. “It’s ‘cat got your tongue.’” Her hair blew past my face and touched the stubble on my cheek. It smelled of coconut. My teeth gritted together. “If you’re gonna try to speak English, get it right.”
“I got it wrong?” Her smile dropped, only for her eyes to spark with something I couldn’t read. She stepped closer. So close that her big tits brushed against my chest. “I’m just a lowly Mexican woman. I no speak English that well.” Her lip twitched, then she resumed walking. Looking over her shoulder, she said, “Come, Tanner Ayers, White Prince of the Ku Klux Klan. We shall continue with the tour.”
I tensed. Her thick accent had dropped; perfect English fell from her lips. My fists balled at my sides when I heard the prick behind us snicker. I started walking, wiping sweat from my head. “Too hot, se?or?” Adelita asked.
“I’m Texan. I fucking know heat,” I hissed. Adelita fell into step beside me. My fists clenched tighter at her closeness. The bitch was doing it on purpose to rile me.
Amusement flashed on her face, but she quickly schooled her features. Her daddy had taught her well. She was a good little cartel princess. Not letting her emotions rule her. Not letting her “enemies” best her. “This way, Tanner Ayers. I have more of my country to show you. In fact, I have planned many days for us just like this. I’m sure you’re going to very much enjoy it . . . you will adore Mexico before you leave.”
My hands shook with anger. But I had to play the game for the sake of the cause. Then she’d be sorry. They would all be sorry when we prevailed . . .
I woke, still feeling the heat of that day on my skin, and rubbed my hands over my eyes. I could still feel Adelita standing close to me. Still feel the annoyance in my bones when she stood so close . . . still smell her perfume that I’d never been able to forget, the coconut scent of her hair . . . still see the red of her lips, her long lashes, her brown eyes . . .
The banging on my door ripped me from being lost inside my head. The door opened and Tank stepped through. “Church. The Diablos are here.”
“Why?” I got up from my bed. I slept like shit. I threw on my jeans, a black shirt, and my cut.
“Chavez and Shadow are here. Got some intel on Quintana.” Tank’s face frosted over. “Shadow heard whispers that the fuckers are planning to come at us strong.” I nodded my head. Grabbing the bottle of whiskey off my table, I took a mouthful. “You good?” Tank asked.
I nodded again. Truth was, Tank didn’t know it was Quintana’s daughter I was fucked over, just some cartel princess. I was waiting for him to put together the pieces. Her name being Adelita. The Klan in business with Quintana. It wouldn’t be hard to figure out. Only one person knew the truth—Hush. I fucked up and told him one night. Had too much fucking whiskey and told him. I knew he hated me. I’d wanted to show him I didn’t hate him. That I wasn’t the White Prince no more. I didn’t know if he’d told anyone. Didn’t know if Styx knew.
“You sure?”
I nodded again, then followed Tank to church. As always the place was crammed. I stood at the back, ignoring the few stares that came my way after yesterday’s shitshow. I felt someone come up next to me. Rudge crossed his arms over his chest and smiled. “Alright, mate,” he said, his British accent instantly annoying me. I narrowed my eyes at him. “Slept off the Nazi shit from yesterday?”
“Fuck off, Rudge.”
The room fell quiet as Styx and Ky walked in with Chavez, the president of the Diablos, and Shadow, the ex-Quintana cartel member that got Sia and Cowboy out of Mexico a while back.
Styx sat down; Ky sat beside him. The prez immediately started signing. Ky spoke aloud. “Shadow got word that Quintana is planning on taking us out in a month.” I tensed. The temperature in the room instantly dropped. “A planned attack that’s aimed on sending most of us to Hades.”
“Why a month? Why so far away?” AK asked.
“There’s a wedding,” Ky said, this time speaking for himself. My blood, which had been running hot in my veins, turned to ice. Styx looked to