Crowned In Blood

Chapter 23

23

Catalina

“ D o you want to postpone?”

I buttoned my pants. “No. This has to happen tonight.”

I knew that, and so did he.

Marco had been discharged, much to the utter bewilderment of the hospital staff. But even though he was fine, my nerves were a wreck.

I tried to tell myself nothing bad was going to happen. It was the most logical conclusion. We had more people, were better prepared. We’d sealed off the exits to Felipe's house by car, and while he had a helicopter, we’d taken his pilot hostage at one of the warehouses.

We would win, we should win, but based on what Marco had said, we might also have another enemy that we hadn’t accounted for.

I didn’t think it was my father. He may have wanted to kill me before, but from the last messages I’d seen, he hadn’t changed the terms of his deal with Felipe. So who wanted me dead?

Did it have something to do with the trafficking? Were we closer to finding the victims than we realized, or was it something else?

I never really thought about my death. I wasn’t afraid of dying, but I wanted to live out of spite for those who wished I was gone.

My freedom and finding my sense of power were more important to me than anything else had been. They were my reason for survival.

But that was no longer the case.

My gaze drifted over to Marco as he pulled on a clean black shirt.

He was my purpose now. I wasn’t sure exactly when it had happened, if it was the first time we’d kissed, the day I’d called him after a panic attack. When he barged into my house after my father’s men had tried to kidnap me, the gun range, or even before then. Maybe it was that night at my birthday party. But somewhere along the line, he'd become such a big part of me that nothing else mattered.

And I’d just gotten a tremendous, horrific example of what life would be like without him.

The last few hours had been horrendous. I didn’t want to go through that again, and knowing Marco would throw himself in front of anything to save me, even die for me without hesitation, put me on edge.

If I missed something, if I wasn’t alert. If I made a mistake…

Marco closed the distance between us, tilted my head, and kissed me.

“Stop thinking so loudly,” he whispered against my lips.

“Stop being in my head then,” I whispered back.

He chuckled, then caressed my cheek. “We knew the risks going into this. This lifestyle isn’t a safe one.”

I rubbed his chest. “I know. But my worst fear was seeing you in a pool of blood.” I trembled at the image. It would never leave me for as long as I lived.

“I’m sorry, mi peque?a reina viciosa.” He brushed my hair back, tucking it behind my ear. “While I was unconscious, it felt like I was floating in a black pool. I couldn’t see the bottom and I wasn’t tied down, but I also couldn’t move. All I could do was lay there in the void." He rubbed my chin. "But I heard you. I heard every single thing you said, and then at some point a little crack opened and a sliver of light came in, then another, and another. And do you know what I thought?”

“What?” I murmured.

“That there was so much in my life I hadn’t seen. So many things I wanted to do with you, plans I had for us, for our future. And I knew I'd be fine.” He kissed my forehead. “That’s the same feeling I have now.”

“I’m not like that, though. I don’t know how to be.” I tucked my head under his and held him, gripping the back of his shirt.

His fingers trailed up and down my spine in a gentle caress. “But you do, my vicious little queen. When we left the penthouse, you had no doubts about our strategy. Yes, you knew something could go wrong or could blindside us and force us to change our plans, but you were confident, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then lean into that.”

“But—”

“I know, believe me, I know." He shuddered. "Remember, I saw someone point a gun at you. It terrifies me you could get hurt one day, or that I might never see you again.” He sighed and held me tighter. “But the same feeling I had when I first saw you, that told me you were my person, the woman who would be my queen, my equal, perfectly capable of handling my familia and walking alongside me in life, is the same feeling I have that we have to do this and will be fine. Can you trust me in that?”

I didn’t want to. But I did. Everything Marco had said was right. All I was feeling was the fear and anxiety of almost losing him. If it wasn't for that, Felipe would be dead by now.

I was confident I could and would take his life, and I needed to grab a hold of that feeling with both hands, not just for me, but for Marco and our families.

“Yes,” I whispered.

He kissed me again, and I fisted his shirt in my hands. When he broke the kiss, he gently bumped his forehead against mine. “Good girl, now let’s go raise hell.”

Pop. Pop. Pop.

The war had already started by the time we arrived.

Marco and I pulled in behind the barricade of bulletproof SUVs our men used to block the exits, while Felipe’s men fought to open a path.

We’d never let that happen.

Dashing to the back of our own SUV, I grabbed the bazooka while Marco adjusted it on my shoulder. Together, we set the targeting system, and he covered me while I fired.

Boom!

I shot through two SUVs, killing six men. One exploded, sending another group running for their lives.

Felipe shouted at his men, and their SUVs reversed, fleeing back to his mansion.

“Follow them!” Marco shouted.

Marco and I scrambled back into our car and drove after them. I tried to shoot out their tires, but they were returning fire too quickly for me to get a clean shot.

Six groups of our men trailed behind us, shooting at anyone they could.

Spotting an opening, I rolled down the window, keeping myself close to the car, cocked my shotgun, and fired.

The bullet hit perfectly, breaking the axle of the car directly in front of us. It wiggled, the driver over-corrected, and it flipped.

Marco immediately swerved around it, then gave my thigh a squeeze—a silent nod of praise—and I loaded the shotgun again. But it was too late.

Felipe and his men made it to the mansion and closed the electric gate in our faces.

Ramming it would be a death sentence. We’d make it through the barrier, but the barrage of bullets would be too much, even for the bulletproof SUV.

Marco immediately threw the car in reverse. Two of our men used their SUVs to cut in front of ours, forming a triangle of protection, and that’s where we made our stance.

Bullets rained around us as we dashed behind our vehicles.

I set the bazooka on my shoulder again, but Felipe’s men had one too, and they were faster .

“Move!” Marco grabbed me and we raced behind another set of cars.

The rocket hit where we'd been standing, exploding three of our SUVs. I fired the bazooka, aiming for the fuel tank of one of Felipe’s vehicles.

His men weren’t able to escape the blast. They flew. Some hit the electric fence, and it fried them alive. Others hit the wall, another car, and some were only thrown to the ground.

Now was our chance.

“Advance!” Marco shouted, taking the first group of men with him.

I followed behind him with the second. “Check your vantage points!”

Marco was likely right that the sniper who shot him wasn’t part of Felipe’s team, but I still wanted all our bases covered.

We shot anyone that moved, but some of Felipe’s men had avoided the blast and fired back. It didn’t matter; they were on the losing side.

But that didn’t bring me any sense of relief. Instead, it made me more alert.

The moment Felipe realized his death was imminent was the moment he’d get desperate—and that’s exactly when he’d become dangerous.

We needed to limit whatever he could use against us and fast, or else things could shift into his favor.

I took out another two men, while Marco barreled through another five and we continued forward at a steady pace.

Then I saw Felipe.

His eyes were wild, panicked, and the moment our eyes met, he ran.

Shit!

I cocked my gun, following him with the muzzle, but the son of a bitch ran in a straight line behind his men! Using them as a shield to save his own skin, and no matter how many times I fired, I wouldn’t be able to get him.

I needed to change tactics, fast .

Diving to the ground, I set my gun up for the shot, waited until his scrambling legs nearly came into view, then pulled the trigger.

He went down, hard .

I fired again, but Felipe sat up, stabbing the man closest to him in the leg, forcing him to take my bullet in his place.

Fuck!

Felipe dragged himself to the front door, and I shot once more, but he swung it closed.

Then his house turned into a steel fortress. Large metal storm panels rolled down in front of every door and window. I shot at the gate, but it did nothing.

We finished off the last of Felipe’s men, then Marco pulled me to my feet.

“Do you think the bazooka can blow a hole through it?” I asked.

“It should, but I don’t like that he’s in there while we’re out in the open.”

I nodded, quickly checking for any spaces I thought Felipe could defend from. There had to be a reason he’d barricaded himself in his house, and it wasn’t just to protect his family. He either had reinforcements to call, or another way to deal with us.

Marco whistled, capturing our men’s attention, and I made a circle in the air, then pointed to the few remaining cars, commanding them to fall back and regroup.

“Keep your eyes open,” Marco warned. “He’s planning something.”

Our men nodded. But just as we went to reload the bazooka, the metal creaked, slowly rolling back up.

What the fuck?

I exchanged glances with Marco, who was just as confused and concerned as I was. Slowly, we approached the gates, guns drawn. The hairs on every inch of my body stood at attention as my eyes darted to each window and door.

I couldn’t see any movement or anyone as we made our way to the front steps. Slowly, the door opened, and there stood Felipe’s daughter, Julianna.

Her eyes widened as she took in our army, then shifted to me, and then Marco. “Are you Catalina Salazar and Marco Torrino?”

“Yes.” I lowered my gun slightly. Not that I wouldn’t shoot her if I had to, but I truly hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

She met my eyes and squared her shoulders, then held out her hand, revealing a small gray USB. “This has everything I have on my father. Every deal, bank account, transaction that he’s made, every business venture, associate he’s met with, and alliance he’s formed.”

I drew back. My gaze shifted to Marco’s, and he nodded, confirming he’d cover me if anything happened.

I tucked my gun into the holster at my waist and took the USB cautiously from her. “Why are you giving us this?”

“My father has been trafficking women and children. He’s a disgusting bastard, and he needs to be stopped.”

Felipe was involved in trafficking?

Could this be what we’d been searching for?

We hadn’t been able to make a link between Felipe, Fernando, and Simon, but maybe this was why. If what Julianna was saying was true, it’s possible Fernando and Felipe were secretly in business together, or Felipe followed in Fernando’s footsteps once he passed, and that's why he was now working with Simon.

Either way, this should help us find my missing people.

“What do you want in return?” Marco stepped closer to me. But the moment he did, Julianna flinched.

It was quick, but we both saw it. Felipe had been hurting her, abusing her.

Marco immediately shifted back, not wanting to make her more uncomfortable.

She gulped, her gaze focusing back on me, and when she spoke, her voice was unsteady. “I… I can’t stop him. I can’t fix what he’s done, not by myself.” She licked her lips, then a hardness set into her. One that shouldn’t have had to be there. One I recognized all too well. “Kill him. I don’t care how, but kill him. And my mother.”

I tilted my head. “Both of them?”

“Yes.” Julianna clenched her hands. “She knew, and she supported him. She’s a selfish person who only cares about herself. I know we’re not saints. But that… that’s not something I can accept.”

“Do you realize what this will mean for you? You would be the new head of a family where we’ve killed off many of your men. Your assets and protection would be limited, and you would need to use everything you have to rebuild.”

She rolled her shoulders back and spoke in a tone that signified her finality. “Yes. I’m aware. I know it’ll be difficult, but it’s the right thing to do.”

I gave the USB to Marco, who passed it along to one of his men and gave them orders to get it to the right people.

I turned back to Julianna. “Where is Felipe now?”

“In the panic room. I can open it for you.”

“Did he call for any reinforcements?” I asked.

“He has people who work outside of the city. They’re likely on their way here. Around sixty or so.”

“Relay that to our men at the entrance. Take whoever you need,” Marco ordered behind me.

I grabbed my gun once more. “We have no problem doing what you’ve asked, Julianna. But if you’re leading us into a trap?—”

“I know, and I’m not. I can’t… I won’t live like this any longer. We’re both getting something out of this.” Her gaze was firm, filled with determination.

I exchanged gazes with Marco, and he nodded in agreement. Julianna was telling the truth. I knew it just as well as I knew my name. I was all too familiar with that look in her eyes. She reminded me far too much of myself, and I had to push away the sudden flash of empathy filling me.

I never wanted anyone to go through what I went through. I knew it happened, that the world was filled with monsters, but it was completely different seeing the same trauma and tragedy reflected in a stranger’s eyes.

If I would have been in a similar position when I was younger, gotten my hands on information of my father’s dealings, and someone would have knocked on my door who could kill him, I would have done anything, given them anything to escape.

Her need for freedom and power and control over her own life made me feel connected to her, and I hated that even with all of that, I still had to be wary.

I didn’t know Julianna, and while her pain spoke to me on incredibly deep levels, it didn’t change the fact that she was the daughter of my enemy and currently guiding us through Felipe’s pompous house. Even if she wasn't leading us into a trap, it didn't mean Felipe hadn't already planned one for us.

We stopped in front of an unassuming section of wooden walls, with an expensive piece of artwork in a golden frame. Julianna pushed a part of the wall, and a small piece of the paneling slid up, revealing a hand and eye scanner. She leaned forward, allowing the machine to scan her, then typed something on a keyboard, and another part of the wall opened, revealing a screen recording from inside the room.

Felipe was on the phone, a gun next to him while his hands moved furiously in the air. Paloma, Julianna’s mother and Felipe’s lover, tried to press a piece of cloth to his leg to stop the bleeding, but he shoved her away.

When Julianna turned to us, her face was cold, devoid of all emotion. “As you can see, they’re the only two people in this room. I’ve disabled the defense mechanisms. I’ll walk in first, so you know I’m telling the truth.”

She went to press a key, but I put my hand out in front of her. “Why did your parents go to the panic room without you?”

There was a small flicker in her eyes. Her shoulders drooped, and her voice wavered. “Because I wasn’t important enough to save.”

My heart broke for her, for all the pain and misery she must have gone through. I wanted to pull her into my arms, and tell her it was okay. I wanted to protect her, in the same way I wished someone would have protected me.

But I couldn’t. Not until this was over.

Marco’s fingers stroked the back of my spine. A small, simple movement, but one to remind me he was there, that I wasn’t alone, that I had his support.

I looked at the screen once more. Panic rooms, especially of this caliber, often had a button to lock and unlock the door inside. Between that, and Julianna’s parents' lack of care about her, I had to ask, “If your father thinks we took you hostage and are forcing you to open the door, would he shoot through you to save himself?”

“Yes,” she whispered. Tears filled her eyes, but she turned away before they fell. “See this red dot here, next to him? This is the button to lock the room again. He likely has a code word for his reinforcements. I don’t know it, so yes, he will shoot first, even if it’s me.”

I gave her a single nod, then turned to Marco. “I have an idea.”

He narrowed his eyes. “And I’m not going to like it.”

I gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand. “It’ll be fine. We’ll have Julianna call out to Felipe when she opens the door, let him get his gun ready, and aimed upward. Then, I will shoot him from the ground.”

“You’ll have a split second to get off that shot, Lina.”

“I know, and I can do it.” I squeezed his hand again.

He sighed, then leaned in close and whispered, “If you get hurt, I will punish you.”

“Don’t tease me with a good time.”

He glared at me and I gave him a soft smile, then turned to Julianna. “Can you do that?”

She nodded, then pressed a key and the door to the panic room popped open.

“Dad?” Julianna called out.

On the screen, Felipe shifted and grabbed his gun. Paloma clung to him, but he shook her off and pointed to the button on the door. She moved next to it, ready to lock the door.

“Dad? It’s me.”

Felipe slowly stood, and I crouched on the floor.

“I’m coming in now.”

Felipe aimed his gun at the door, ready to fire. Julianna made the sound of a step, but didn’t move forward. Then once more. Then again and I threw myself into the room, sliding across the floor, shooting Felipe in his other leg.

He went down, losing his grip on the gun, firing into the ceiling before it fell away from him.

He reached out for it, but I shot around it, making him jerk back.

Felipe scrambled back. Marco dashed in, kicking the gun behind us, while aiming his own weapon at Felipe’s head.

Beads of sweat slid down his face. He trembled in pain, but he still had the audacity to sneer. “You can’t kill me. You’ll never be able to get away with it. My people will hunt you?—”

Marco shot him in his shoulder. “Do not ever attempt to tell my woman what she can and cannot do.”

Felipe howled in pain, Paloma trembling beside him.

I stepped forward to Marco's side. “You see, I wanted to torture you, Felipe. I was going to hang you from your limbs, pull off every single one of your nails, slice at your skin for hours, while you begged me to spare your life. Get every piece of information I could from you and once I was finally satisfied, I planned to cut off your tongue, castrate you, and shove your own dick down your throat until you choked to death. But there’s someone who deserves their vengeance more than me.”

Julianna stepped behind me, and Felipe’s eyes went wide.

“How could you?” Paloma screeched.

Julianna laughed, but it was dark, menacing. “How could I? How could I?” she yelled. “How could you ? Neither of you have ever cared about me a day in my life. You’re only with Felipe because of his money, while he’s only with you for when he needs a woman draped across his arm and willing pussy.”

Julianna’s eyes bore into Felipe’s. “Did you think I didn’t know? That I don’t know about the women you rape? Or that I have a half-sister you’re trying to sell to the highest bidder all because you don’t want another mouth to feed?”

I stared at Julianna in shock. Felipe was trying to sell his own child?

“This world will be so much better without you, both of you,” Julianna spat.

Felipe glared at her, but his words lacked any strength. He’d lost too much blood. “They’ll kill you too.”

Julianna smiled brightly. “They might, but at least I took both of you down with me.”

I lifted my gun at Felipe and Paloma. “Put your heads on the ground.”

“Please,” Paloma pleaded.

“You’re going to die either way. It’s up to you if you’d like it to be fast or slow. But know I’m being generous right now, because if I kill you slowly, I will make it hurt.”

Paloma whimpered, but lowered her head to the ground in a bow.

“You next,” Marco ordered.

Felipe glared at him, but when he tried to move, he couldn’t. He fell over instead.

I waited, just for a second, taking pleasure in the way they trembled before me. Their terror brought a smile to my face.

Then I shot them both.

I turned to Julianna, her face firm, accepting of whatever I might do. “I’m not going to kill you… Marco?”

He placed his hand on my hip. “Yes, my queen?”

I whispered softly so that only he could hear. “Would you agree to us signing a contract of alliance with Julianna, to keep her safe until she gets on her own two feet?”

He squeezed my hip and nodded, then spoke loudly enough to make sure our men outside could hear. “Whatever you need, Julianna. We will do it for you. We will help you build, restructure?—”

“And help you save your sister,” I said.

Julianna’s face fell, tears pouring from her eyes, and for the first time, she looked like the seventeen-year-old girl she was. “Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Thank you so much !”

Footsteps thundered down the corridor, then into the room. “Boss!” Carlos yelled, “The women Felipe and Fernando were going to traffic? We found them!”