Bound to the Crime Lord (Dark Mafia Tales #2)

Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Juliette POV

L eo held onto my arm with an iron grip. He had his gun jammed into my side, preventing me from making rash or quick movements. Thankfully, while I was knocked out, they had removed my restraints.

Rosa was beside me with her own handler at her side. I had no idea what had happened between the time Diego hit my head and now. But from what I could gather, we were at some kind of standoff.

“Keep still and you will live,” Leo hissed in my ear.

“You’re going to die today, Leo,” I shot back under my breath. “You know Manuel hates liars.”

"I doubt that."

I still could not believe that we had been so easily duped.

I blinked my eyes, locking with Manuel’s who had his gaze trained on his mother. A mixture of shock, relief, and rage all flashed across his eyes.

The woman who had been ripped from his life when he was only a child and believed to be dead. She stood in front of him like a ghost back from the dead.

“Mama.” His voice came out soft and gentle, a tone that was unusual coming from him.

I looked to Rosa, who stared at her son with wonder and awe. The last time she had likely seen her boy was when he was a child. Now he was a full-fledged man. So many years had passed, and so much had been missed.

Manuel then moved his gaze from his mother to meet mine. As soon as I set sights on those caramel liquor eyes, my heart eased a little. The world melted away for a split second, and all that remained was him and I.

I had been terrified that something would happen to him. I was scared of what Diego might have done or would still try to do.

“Manuel,” I spoke his name. “Thought I’d stop by.”

He let out a low huff. “Always one for trouble, aren’t you?”

“Keeps life interesting.” I shrugged. trying to hold back the tears that had been threatening to surface for hours. now. “I found your mom for you. She likes me.”

Trying to make light of a hostage situation was not exactly appropriate, but this was my first time, and I didn’t know the proper etiquette.

A tired smile found its way to his lips. “I knew she would.”

Diego’s eyes darted from me to Manuel and then back again. He pretended to make hurling noises like a child before he raised his hand in the air as if to give a command.

“This is cute and all, but this is my hostage situation. I think we should focus on the most important thing. Me.” Diego snapped his fingers.

Manuel turned his full, undivided attention to his brother. “What is it that you want, Diego?”

“Oh yes, I thought you would never ask.” He beamed at Manuel like a complete lunatic. “You see, brother dearest, as per mafia tradition, the company should be passed down from oldest son to oldest son. And seeing as you are in fact not our father's oldest son you, are occupying my seat.”

Manuel looked at him in disbelief for a second, then he let out a low huff of laughter.

“You want to head the Brotherhood?”

“I don’t see why not.” Diego placed his hands in his pocket. “I’m of Gomez blood, and I have been doing a fine job with The Triad. I took it from strength to strength after tío Yamal gave it to me. These are the laws and traditions that govern our society. And you seem to be one for laws and traditions, no?”

Manuel balled his fists at his side. “ Traditions ? What do you know of code and traditions? You were never raised by papa. From what I heard, he never wanted you, so why do you think that he would have ever wanted your grubby little hands on his legacy?”

There was the slightest twitch in Diego’s face. But then he schooled his features. “True, but that was because your whore of a mother came into the picture and convinced my papa to not want me.”

“That’s not true!” Rosa spoke up from beside me. “I would have never been that cruel.”

Diego rolled his eyes, not even giving his attention to Rosa. “I’ve heard it all before, woman, give it a rest. My mother told me of your treachery. How cunning you were in deceiving my father to fall for a wench like you.”

“That’s my mother you’re speaking of, asshole.” Manuel seethed with a lethal venom. “Show some respect.”

“ Respect ?” Diego scoffed. “You want me to show respect when all your mother did was scheme and steal. Papa was nothing but a weak man who allowed some good pussy to get in the way of what he could have built with my mother.”

“Diego, I am so sorry about your parents. But no one schemed over anyone. I loved your father, and he loved me. Jasmine was just caught in a very tragic situation that I am deeply sorry for.” Even as Rosa spoke, her words cracked and squeaked from the emotion that welled in her throat. The sincerity in this woman’s voice moved even me.

I could see it in her eyes. The regret and the pain. She has had to carry so much for decades. it could not have been easy on her heart.

He’s been through much pain, some of which I caused.

I looked between the two brothers and Rosa. It was all somehow coming together. I was still missing a few puzzle pieces, but I could make sense of what was going on, now.

“Diego, mijo , if you want to punish someone, then you should punish me.” Rosa’s confession threw everyone off. All eyes turned to her in shock and bewilderment. “Your father should have taken you in as his son. He shouldn’t have shunned you because of Jasmine, and I should have fought harder for you against him. You never deserved to feel unloved or unwanted. You were loved, mijo . I would have loved you, and I can still love you today, if you will allow me.”

Diego’s lips trembled. “Shut the fuck up. Keep your fucking love and apologies. It’s too late.”

Rosa shook her head, trying to reason with the grown man. “It’s not too late. Your pain, I know it’s there. But the hatred isn’t yours. You were fed it by your mother, and she watered it in you until it became a part of you. Don’t let the past dictate how you move from here. Manuel is your brother, and you two can begin again where your father left you. There does not need to be any more pain or strife. We can begin again.”

Manuel looked like he had just been sucker-punched in the gut. I was sure that everyone outside that cabin had felt the gravity of her words. The sincerity in her tone had pulled at everyone’s heartstrings.

Diego looked conflicted. He had found himself at a crossroad, not knowing which road to take. He had plotted and planned his attack on his brother and father for years. But now, the very reason for his hatred had come to him with an open and kind heart. She had apologized for the pain she had caused, and pleaded that if he was to take revenge, then he should take it on her.

The air thickened on the high mountain top. No one dared to speak. The only things that could be heard were the rustling of the trees and the distant chirping of the birds.

For a split second, I thought that he was going to choose peace. I saw it flash in his eyes, but only for a millisecond.

Instead, he reached behind him, pulled out his gun and fired it in my direction.

“Juliette!” Manuel screamed my name and two more rounds fired off.

I shut my eyes and waited for the piercing pain to spread through my body.