The Vargas Cartel Trilogy (Vargas Cartel #1-3)(77)

“You’ll tell me anything?”

“Sure, I’ll tell you everything I can without endangering you.”

I rolled my eyes. “So how’d things go with Rever?”

His eyes narrowed briefly. “Rever? Why do you want to know about him?”

I shrugged. It seemed like a safe topic. “I don’t know. I guess I’m curious what happened when he got home.”

“Rever’s living with me.”

“Seriously? How’d that happen?”

“It’s a long story, but basically Ignacio cut him off, and I was his last and only option.”

Surprised, I raised my eyebrows. “How’s that going? I didn’t think you two were on the best terms.”

“We still aren’t. He wants my help with something.”

I shifted to the edge of my seat. “Do you mind if I ask what he wants?”

He sighed wearily. “He wants me to smuggle his girlfriend out of Mexico.”

“What?” I blurted out a little too loudly.

“She’s Juan Alvarez’s daughter.”

My mind scrambled to place the name. “Who’s that?”

“The head of the Alvarez Cartel.” He tugged on the cuffs of his shirt. “Things haven’t improved between the two cartels since you left.”

I nodded. I hadn’t kept up with current events since I came home. In fact, I refused to read a single article about Mexican drug cartels. After my stay at the Vargas compound in Mexico, the violence, death, and conflicts in the newspapers were all too real for my taste. “Are you going to do it?”

“Maybe,” he answered evasively. “How do you like living with Vera?” he asked, changing the direction of the conversation.

“It’s much better than living with Evan.”

He frowned. “What’d you tell her about us?”

“Nothing.”

Ryker shot me a hard look. I didn’t know if he disapproved, or he didn’t believe me, but I didn’t have time to question him. The waitress appeared. I hadn’t looked at the menu, which didn’t matter because Ryker ordered the tasting menu with the wine pairing. After she had taken our order, our conversation shifted to small talk about my plans to finish my graduate degree and his work as a campaign bundler.

“So what do you want to do when you graduate?”

I took a sip of my wine. “In a perfect world?”

He smiled. “Sure.”

“I used to want to work for the United Nations.” Now, I wasn’t sure what I wanted. My old goals lost some of their appeal over the last two months.

He scoffed. “You can’t be serious.”

I leaned forward. “What’s wrong with the UN?”

“Call me crazy, but there’s something fundamentally wrong with an organization that allows countries with repeated human rights violations to sit on the Human Rights Council.” I frowned. “Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, China…just to name a few. There’s nothing like an honor killing or imprisoning your political opposition that says we respect human rights.”

“Well, it’s a starting point to open discussions with those countries on human rights. You never know. They might change. Evolve.”

“Unlikely.”

“Hey, you’re a campaign bundler. You shouldn’t be so cynical about the political system.”

“It’s because of my profession that I’m cynical. Money and greed rule politics, not ideals and lofty visions of utopia.”

“Maybe you’re right,” I conceded. “Lately, I’ve been rethinking my career choice.”

“Why’s that?” he asked with one eyebrow lifted.

“With my background and family, everyone assumed I’d pursue a career in politics, so that’s the course I chose.” I shrugged. “After everything I’ve gone through, I want to make sure I pursue my dream, not my mom or dad’s dream.”

“And you’re not sure?”

“It’s still up for debate.”

***

By the time our dessert arrived, I was stuffed.

“I can’t eat another bite. I’m done,” I declared, leaning back in my chair.

The waitress placed the check on the corner of the table. “So where to now?”

“I’m going to use the bathroom, then home, I guess. Can you ask our waitress to call me a cab?”

“I’ll take you home. It’s bad enough you wouldn’t let me pick you up.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Vera—”

“Not a problem. I won’t get out of the car,” he countered.

This was why dating Ryker would never work. I’d always be wondering when someone would puzzle everything together. I glanced over my shoulder, gathering the courage to do what needed to be done. Dissolve all my ties to him once and for all.

My stomach plummeted along with all the blood in my head when my eyes connected with Evan’s. “Oh shit,” I whispered, abruptly severing eye contact. “We have to go.”

Ryker followed my line of sight. Then, he grabbed my hand. “It’ll be fine. Just act naturally. You’re not doing anything wrong.”

“But…But,” I stammered.