said.” She stood up. “You think this shit is fuckin’ cute? I told you, I’m not doing county time. Call me at the house.” She slammed the phone down and walked out. Spoiled bitch.
KAYLIN
Almost two weeks since the graveyard incident, but here I was. I was alive. Edgy, but I was alive.
It took me a few days to get in touch with Don Carlos, but obviously, I had perfect timing. He was vacationing out in Santa Barbara at the Bacara Resort and invited me to come out. I saw this as the perfect opportunity to snatch up my ten-year-old son, Malik, Jahara and Red. I had to admit, that near-death incident was a wakeup call. Life can be cut short at any time. So enjoy it while you can. Make it count. Relish every moment with those you care about the most.
Angel and the kids were somewhere on the beach. Don Carlos and I were strolling past the flower-filled gardens on our way to the 12,000-bottle wine cellar. Don Carlos was one Latino boss who loved his wines and knew them well.
The Santa Ynez Mountains were breathtaking. Seventy-two degrees in October got no complaints from me. This was perfect weather. The crystal-clean air had me feeling like a brand-new man.
I looked over at Don Carlos. Mama Santos said he reminded her of the actor, Danny Trejo, just taller.
“Kaylin, you gentlemen are like sons to me. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes, I do.”
“You were always the most level-headed out of everybody, and for you to come bringing me this news lets me know that no one is no longer in control.”
“That’s not true, Don Carlos, that’s why I’m here. I wanted to let you know what moves I wanted to make before I made them. If you give me your blessings and your guidance, you will see that everything will remain under control. I just need you to hear me out.” The warm breeze was blowing the scent of a salty Pacific Ocean, tickling my nostrils. I made a mental note to bring Mama Santos out here for a little rest and relaxation, even if I had to drag her.
“I’m listening,” Don Carlos said, interrupting my thoughts.
“Let me start with my brother Kyron. He was recently charged with rape.”
“Rape?” Don Carlos retorted. “You know that is against the rules.”
“Of course, I do. But he told me that because of you, he was untouchable. He slipped something into a drink that belonged to Trae’s wife and did whatever he wanted to do to her. When I confronted him about it, he felt I was betraying him by taking sides with Trae. He then sent his men after me, took my wife and me to a graveyard to have us buried alive.”
“He touched another man’s wife?” Don Carlos raised his voice slightly. I could tell that he didn’t like the sound of that, even though I thought Trae had told him when it first happened. He paused for a moment, then asked. “And bury you and your wife alive? Why are you still here?”
“One of my artists saw us being taken away, followed us, and called the police. They found us right as the dirt was being tossed on top of us.”
“Ay-yi-yi, Kaylin, if I didn’t know that you were an honest and loyal man, I would think that you were making this up.”
“I wish I was making this up, Don Carlos. Now back to Trae.”
“Trae! Trae! My hardest-working hot-headed one. He really disappointed me, going over to the Li organization after he kept telling me he wanted out.”
“Let me explain.”
“He should be here explaining on his own behalf.”
“He’s incarcerated right now.”
“Kaylin Santos, you bring me more problems in one day than I have had to deal with all year.”
“Yes, but when I find a solution to a problem, it always is to your benefit, Don Carlos.”
“Thank heavens for that, Kaylin. My old heart can only take but so much.”
“I must admit, Trae went over to the Li organization because of greed, yes. But Mr. Li’s daughter, who has a thing for Trae, made it all possible. Without her, he wouldn’t have been able to penetrate their walls. Trae was working on something to benefit us all. But he has a situation where his fingerprints showed up at the wrong place, and he was charged with murder. Mr. Li offered to have those charges removed in exchange for him working for the organization. Trae agreed, but when Mr. Li’s daughter got hurt, he