Brutal Heir (Billionaire Heirs #2)

Chapter 32

Ezequiel

I stare down at my phone on the kitchen counter. She’s been sitting at the gate for way too long. I pull down on the screen on my phone, trying to refresh the search, but her location stays the same.

I start to go through the possibilities one by one, but my gut tells me something’s wrong.

I hit the button to call. She’ll have to start dealing with the fact I take care of my own. That means looking after her, making sure she’s safe when she takes too long at the gate.

Ring.

The sound fills the kitchen. I tap my foot impatiently, the sharp sound echoing off the tile floor. The lock on the gate is a four-digit tumbler. Did she forget the combination?

Ring.

Maybe she’s on another call. Something could’ve happened at the ranch. But I’m assuming I would’ve heard about it by now.

Ring.

The tension inside me coils as tight as a spring.

Okay. That’s it . Somethings wrong . The tension releases, as if my body thinks it’s finally gotten the message through.

I head over and grab my gun belt with one hand, the other still holding my phone to my ear. Then she picks up the line, and I stop in my tracks.

“ Que paso, pendejo .”

The sound of my own blood rushing in my ears drowns out everything. I haven’t heard that voice since I left Mexico, but I recognize it immediately.

“Alvaro. What the fuck are you doing on this phone?”

My half-brother has no business being on the side of the border. That river is our line in the sand, the fence that divides us. He stays on that side; I stay on this side. And everyone lives their lives.

“I came to see the lady guard,” he says, as if it’s an everyday conversation. “Now I come to find out she’s your puta .”

Anger tears through my chest. I grip the phone so hard I’m going to crack the screen.

My mind races. Where’s Sage? “What the fuck do you want with her?” I demand.

“I came to collect. Your puta cost me a lot of money.”

What did she get herself tangled up in? My mind races as I try to think of a way to get her out of this mess.

“How’s that?”

“She called in la migra .”

Oh fuck.

“And they rounded up the whole group, along with the coyote and the mules.”

But Sage was just doing her job. “When was this?”

“Yesterday”

Not last night. Not this morning. I think back to where she was. Laredo. So she would have been coming or going, and she couldn’t have seen them at the ranch.

“Well, if they were stupid enough to get seen, then that’s on you. They shouldn’t have been coming in in broad daylight. And they shouldn’t have had anything with them,” I remind him.

“Fuck you, asshole.” The cold edge on his voice says my goading hit the mark. “She cost me a lot of money. I have people looking for me.”

That shouldn’t surprise me. His mother’s side has always been more interested in money than actual business. But that leaves me in a bad spot. I need to get Sage away from him as quickly as possible.

“Let her go, and I’ll get you your money.”

He laughs into the phone, and the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. He knows as well as I do that this isn’t gonna end well.

“It’s a million, five, little brother.” He laughs, knowing I overplayed my hand. “You bring me my money, and I might just let her live.” Then he hits the button to end the line.

I go to the closet, pressing on the false panel to get to the safe. I grab a suitcase, not bothering to count out what he needs. This more than covers the cost. Though nothing close to what she’s worth to me.

Then I think better of it. If he knows what she’s worth to me, she’ll always be in danger.

I dial a number I haven’t used in years and put the phone on speaker as I strap on my gun belt. Tino answers on the second ring.

“What’s wrong?” he says, sharply.

“Alvaro’s at the gate.”

“Hrmph.” He grunts as I pull out a duffel bag and start transferring cash.

“He’s holding someone who’s important to me.” I pause to consider my next words. I’m looking at generations of business transactions. The blood, sweat, and tears of my blood relations. But, most of them are gone. People have moved on, trying to get legitimate businesses started, including the de Marcos. So, without another thought, I tell him, “If I don’t make it, burn it all down.”

“After he pulled this shit. I might do that even if you do make it,” Tino says with deadly calm. “I’ll send maintenance to clean up.”

The line goes dead.

I have no doubt Tino wouldn’t leave a soul in his path. Men who make money like we do, who’ve had to weigh trucks to get a close enough count on how much we’re being paid, have skeletons in our closets.

Sometimes, they come back to haunt you.

I zip the duffel bag, sling it over my shoulder, grab another with some fire power, and head out of the room. My heart is pounding as I make my way to the truck. I need to get Sage away from Alvaro, and fast.

The miles stretch in front of me. I floor it but keep in mind that I have to make it there in one piece, or it could cost Sage her life. Sage… It’s getting dark. She’s bound to be terrified.

If that fucker hurts her…

As I approach the gate, the headlights illuminate the area. I take in the scene around me, needing to assess the situation. Her truck’s on the other side of the gate. But Sage is on the ground, leaning against the fence post, her legs pulled up to her chest. She looks so small and vulnerable, and she isn’t moving.

Alvaro’s standing by his driver, his arms crossed over his chest as he waits for me.

I get out of my truck and grab the duffel, carrying it in my left hand. I walk in his direction, the caliche crunching under my boots. I keep the headlights behind me.

As I get closer, I can see the smug satisfaction on his face. He knows he has the upper hand, and he’s relishing every moment of it. I grit my teeth and steel myself for the confrontation.

First things first. “Sage,” I call out, “how you doing over there?” I can’t take my eyes off him. While I can only see Moises leaning against the front of the other truck, I don’t know who else might be hidden somewhere.

“I’m okay,” she says, sounding hoarse. “Both of them left me alone after they talked to you.”

So, there’s two of them. Good girl. Just hang on for me .

Alvaro’s eyeing me, as if he’s sizing me up. I pull the gate open, swinging it back. Then I drop the duffel between us.

He looks down at the bag. “Well, what do you know. Looks like you have a million-dollar pussy,” he says to Sage. “Actually one-point-five million.” He chuckles. “Should have tried it out myself.”

“Fuck off, Alvaro. You’re high and not thinking straight.”

“What’s the matter, little brother?” he scoffs. “I thought you liked my leftovers.”

The muscles in my back cramp. I can’t let that happen. I might need to act fast. “You mean just one more time we had to clean up the shit you always leave behind?”

He loses the smug expression. Damn, he’s so damn easy to manipulate. Shoulders back, he starts in on me instead of Sage.

“Let’s go,” I say to Sage. She gets up, moving toward me.

“You think you’re some chingo n because you made your bones when you were a kid ?” He laughs, way too hard. “That’s nothing, puto . Nothing!”

The flapping material on her shirt catches my eye. As she gets closer, I can see she’s been battered, and it takes everything in me to keep from losing my cool.

“What the hell happened here?” I demand. “Who did this to you?”

“It was meeee,” Alvaro jeers, as if he’s rubbing it in my face. He snorts, clearly enjoying the chaos he’s caused. “I told you, I came to collect, and she was going to pay for what she did, until you stepped in.”

My blood boils. “You knew she was heading here, and you still did this?” I gesture to Sage’s battered form.

“Alvaro,” Moy says, warning. His gaze is fixed on me. “You’ve caused enough trouble.”

Alvaro glares at him. “You think you have enough balls to tell me what to do?”

“I’m the one who’s going to make sure you pay for what you’ve done,” I reply, cold and steady. “You don’t touch what’s mine.”

We stare at each other, a silent challenge passing between us. He turns away, looking at Moy. “Look at this guy,” he says with a mocking laugh. Then, just as I expected, Alvaro makes a move. He turns in a flash, reaching for his weapon.

By then, I have my gun out. I squeeze the trigger, in a three shot grouping before he can get off a shot. All the while, I’m keeping Moy in my peripheral vision.

It’s short and brutal, and, when it’s over, Alvaro hits his knees. His body slumps to the ground, lifeless. Then I find my new target.

“You think twice before messing with what’s mine,” I growl.

Moy holds up his hand. “I didn’t—”

“He didn’t touch me,” Sage jumps in to defend him, stopping me from finishing it.

I lower my gun. “Let’s get you home.”

“What about him?” Moy asks.

“Don’t worry about him.”

“And what about me?” he asks, his body tense.

I look down at the bag at my feet. Moy is my uncle, my father’s brother. While he’s part of the family, he’s on the right side. “Take the bag. It’s a million five. It could keep you for the rest of your life if you work it out right.”

He nods slowly. “Yeah.” He rubs his hand across his mouth. “Yeah, I can do that.”

Together, we lift Alvaro’s body and carry him to his truck. I can’t help but feel a sense of relief and anger. Relief that the threat is gone, but anger that it had to end this way…in front of her.

Sage is pale, her eyes downcast.

I take a deep breath, trying to push down the frustration.