The Vargas Cartel Trilogy (Vargas Cartel #1-3)(90)

He craned he head to look at me, but I crammed his face into the wall.

“Don’t turn around,” I growled. “Keep your eyes glued to the wall and you’ll be just fine.”

“Okay, okay,” he whispered. “What am I supposed to do? Either way I vote, I’m f*cked. You’ll kill me, and I don’t want them as an enemy either.”

“Oh, I won’t kill you.” I lived in the shadows, but I wasn’t a murderer. I only killed in self-defense.

“You won’t?” he said, his body drooping with relief. What a pansy.

“No. I have something far worse planned.”

Tremors wracked his body, but I didn’t have any compassion for him. He tried to play both sides. One bribe wasn’t sufficient. Greedy bastard. “Return their money. Unwind the deal.”

“I can’t. I spent the money.”

“I know you did. I know all about your gambling habit.”

“You do?” he mumbled.

“Yes. I know you have a nice pay to play scheme going. I know you finance a half a million dollar a year gambling addiction by accepting bribes from anyone and everyone. You’ve been bought and sold so many times, you’re worse than a dollar hooker.”

“Only if their interests align with my beliefs.”

“Your capacity for self-denial is almost as pathetic as your inability to control your addiction. What would your constituents think if they found out that while you preached about the need for more laws to stop the erosion of social norms and morals, you couldn’t stop yourself from placing bet after bet all funded in some roundabout way by the American taxpayer?”

“I tried to stop,” he mumbled, snot dripping down his face. It turned my stomach.

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what you tried to do. Save it for the media when I expose you for the piece of shit you are.”

“No. No. I’ll find a way to unwind the bribe. I’ll come up with the money, and I’ll vote against that bill.”

I stood behind him as the seconds ticked by, letting him wonder if I believed him. If I’d allow him to go.

“Fine,” I finally said. “But if you double-cross my client again, or if I even hear a single whisper you plan to vote for that bill, all of your dirty secrets will be on the front page of every major newspaper and website in excruciating detail, and not just your habit of taking bribes to fund your gambling addiction.”

“I don’t have any other secrets.”

“You do…lots of them, and I have the pictures to prove it.” I dropped my arm from his neck and slipped my gun into the holster around my waist. I pulled a rope out of my pocket, looped it around one of his wrists and tied the other end to the dumpster. “Wait here ten minutes and then you can leave.”

When I was back in my car, I dialed the number of my contact at the cyber security firm.

“It’s done.”

“Good. The second half of your money will be wired to your account when the bill dies on the House floor tomorrow.”

“Perfect.”

“We have another job for you. It’s in your inbox.”

“No thanks. As of tonight, I’m out of business.”

The man chuckled. “You’re retiring? We both know that won’t happen.”

Hattie’s golden eyes flashed through my mind. I couldn’t live this type of life and have Hattie too. Even though we had an unconventional start, I wanted to make this work. “No. This time I’m out.”

“Okay, you know how to find me if you change your mind.”

I disconnected the phone call without responding. I had no intention of changing my mind.

Twenty minutes later, I opened the door to my apartment. Rever sat on the couch, his eyes glued to the television while he stuffed his face with pizza.

“I guess Hattie’s not here.”

“Nope,” he answered without turning his head.

“When’d she leave?”

“Less than five minutes after you.”

“Did she leave a note?”

Rever picked up a bottle of beer and took a long pull. What happened to his vow to stop drinking? I guess it lasted as long as his bullshit about us being a family. Typical Rever. He’d never change. He only said and did things if they benefited him. He had the emotional depth of a puddle. At least I had my mom to give me a semblance of a real family. From what I knew of Rever’s mom, she lived a separate life, pretending the ugliness of Ignacio’s world and her son didn’t exist. I almost felt sorry for Anna Alvarez. Then again, between Rever and whoever Juan Alvarez had lined up to marry her, Rever was probably the better choice.

“I didn’t see one, but then, I don’t really give a shit about her.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

Rever set his empty beer bottle on the coffee table. “Lots of things.”

“Care to elaborate?”

Rever stood up and folded his arms across his chest. “I’d love to.”

“Then get on with it,” I said unenthusiastically, preparing myself for another one of Rever’s tantrums.

With his hand on his hips, he paced back and forth. “Anna’s still stuck in Mexico. We haven’t made any plans to rescue her. I’ve been holed up in this apartment for weeks.”