And now I would.
And now he knew the truth.
Betrayal had a price, and even family had to pay.
“Confess your sins and pray for mercy,” I said. “But you’ll get none from me.”
Diego had plans to take over Costa’s cartel and drag down Natalia as he followed in my father’s footsteps, but I wouldn’t allow it. The world would be a better place devoid of any de la Rosa men, but especially without the two of them.
Diego shut his eyes, his chest expanding with each deep breath. When he looked at me again, his gaze burned with hatred. “You can’t do this,” he said.
“It is done.” I looked to Maksim, Eduardo, and Alejo—my friends and my compadres—as I spoke to Diego. “You can run. I did for years. But I expect you won’t make it months.” I returned my eyes to my brother. “Then again, perhaps you’ll surprise me.”
“Or perhaps I’ll spend my final days in California. Natalia is headed back soon. She’d like to have me with her.”
I flattened a hand on my desk. I could order the Maldonados not to kill Natalia, but there was no guarantee they wouldn’t if she purposely got in the way. I hadn’t been able to stop my mother from supporting and defending my father’s decision to get into the sex trade industry.
“You’d be putting Natalia at risk. You know what they’d do to her. It would be selfish. Are you a selfish man, Diego?”
He glanced away.
I didn’t need an answer. I’d convince Costa to keep Natalia close in the coming days. With his help, no harm would befall her. I took a final pull from my cigar and stood, cracking my knuckles. “Do as you please with your final days. We’re finished here.” From my pocket, I took a silver coin and flipped it at him.
He caught it and turned it over in his palm. “What’s this?”
“The ferryman demands a toll to take passengers to the underworld,” I said. “This one’s on me. Safe travels to hell, hermano.”
Diego stood his ground, raising cold, bitter eyes to mine. “I’ll beg if that’s what it takes. Whatever you want, it’s yours.”
“You have nothing to offer me. What’ve you got that I can’t buy for myself?”
“Besides my loyalty—information,” he said. “I know everything there is to know about Costa’s business. I can give you inside access. Together, we can take over his cartel and you can rule them both with me as an advisor.”
“I have no need for Costa’s business, but if I did, I’d manage to secure it fine without you.” I signaled for my men to remove Diego.
“Help me leave town,” Diego said, growing louder as he rushed out his final pleas. “This will be the last you ever see or hear of me. You can tell everyone, including the Maldonados, I attacked you and died as a traitor. Tell them anything.”
I rose from my chair, buttoning my jacket as I strolled around the side of my desk to face him. “You’ve plotted against Costa; why should I believe you wouldn’t do the same to me? I can already see the wheels turning in your mind as a plan forms. I won’t spend my life looking over my shoulder anymore.”
“I will, you have my word,” he rushed out. “I’ll disappear completely.”
“Your word means nothing. A parasite doesn’t change its ways.” I nodded to Maksim. “Remove him.”
Eduardo and Alejo rushed forward like a stampede and took Diego’s arms, forcing him toward the door.
“Suéltame,” Diego said, struggling against them. “Get off!”
As they dragged him backward, I turned back for my cigar.
“You’re wrong, Cristiano,” Diego said. “About one thing, you’re wrong.”
Despite the desperation that remained in his voice, something about it had turned chilling, almost satisfied. He wasn’t entirely defeated as he should be. Nor was he filtering himself anymore or hiding behind a persona he’d crafted.
It was enough to get me to look back and raise a hand to stop my men. I smiled. “Dígame,” I invited. “Tell me what I’m wrong about.”
His breathing evened out as smug certainty tainted his words. “You say you have everything you want—but that isn’t true. Some things can’t be taken. Some things must be given.”
I narrowed my eyes on him as red light flickered and faded downstairs. “There’s nothing in this world you have that I can’t take for myself.”
“Then you’re no different from our father.”
I drew back. He was right—because my father had taken people. If Diego was saying what I thought he was, then even I had underestimated the lengths he would go to to save himself. Something stirred deep inside me, a desire I tried not to acknowledge for fear of where it could lead.
“Don’t think I don’t know your weak spot, brother,” Diego said. “Because it is mine too.”
I raised my chin. I couldn’t protest. I should’ve stopped him by now, but I hadn’t—because in this area, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be strong. “That’s not yours to give.”