20. Matias

20

MATIAS

T he stale air in the dimly lit basement hangs heavy, reeking of sweat and smoke. I shift in my chair, my restless gaze flickering between the scowling faces gathered around the table. Thiago sits stoically beside me, his presence a calming anchor amidst the palpable tension.

Suarez, the grizzled ex-capo leading the stateside operations, slams his fist on the table. "Estrada's men have been muscling in on our territory. Last week, they hit one of our drops and made off with half a million in product."

A chorus of curses and grumbled threats fills the room. I lean back, feigning disinterest, but my mind is already calculating the most brutal way to retaliate.

"We need to send a message," Jorge, a bulky enforcer, growls. "An eye for an eye. Hit them where it hurts."

Thiago's low voice cuts through the heated discussion. " Patience. We can't afford an all-out war, not with our strained supply lines."

The words hang in the air, a sobering reminder of the delicate balance we're navigating. The Estrada cartel may be smaller, but their ruthlessness is unmatched, and their recent aggression has put us on the defensive.

I can't help but smirk at the thought of them underestimating us. They've no idea the level of savagery I'm capable of unleashing.

"My brother is right," I drawl, leaning forward. "We strike strategically, precisely. Cut off the head, and the body will wither."

Suarez nods slowly, his beady eyes fixed on me. "You have someone in mind, Matias?"

A sinister grin tugs at my lips as I envision the fear I'll instill in our enemies. "Leave that to me. I know how to make them suffer."

The meeting devolves into logistical discussions, but my focus has already shifted. Visions of Kali's defiant glare and the scent of her skin flood my senses, momentarily drowning out the surrounding voices.

A sharp elbow from Thiago jolts me back to reality. I shoot him a sidelong glance, daring him to challenge me, but he remains impassive, his silent warning clear.

I slump in the rigid chair, feigning interest as the previous bosses of this operation drone on about supply routes and territory disputes. A muscle in my jaw twitches with barely contained impatience. My fingers itch to reach for my phone, to indulge in the twisted compulsion that's become my sole fixation .

Discreetly, I grab the device from my pocket. The screen lights up with a dozen screens—all monitoring her every move. A flurry of anticipation courses through me as I navigate to the live camera feed from her apartment.

Empty.

My jaw clenches as I take in the neatly made bed in her room and the vacant living room. Where is she? A familiar rage simmers beneath my skin, threatening to boil over. I open the tracking app, allowing the green dot to orient me to her location.

There she is. The cafe on 3rd is just a few blocks from campus. I can picture her now, sipping her insufferable herbal tea, burying her pretty face in one of those bland books she adores. The thought of her out there without me watching over her is almost too much to bear.

A firm hand grips my shoulder, snapping me back to the present. Thiago's hardened expression offers a silent warning.

I force myself to tune back into the conversation, nodding as if I'd been present the entire time. But my focus is fractured. I zero in on the prospect of her sitting in that dimly lit cafe, unaware I know where she is twenty-four-seven.

As the meeting concludes, I linger behind, allowing the others to file out. Thiago lingers as well, his expression unreadable. And then he begins to speak, but I don't hear a word because my focus is still on the image of Kali burned into my mind's eye. The way her hair cascades over her delicate shoulders, the slight furrow in her brow as she pores over another one of her bland novels. A familiar heat coils in my gut, my fingers twitching with the urge to reach out and?—

"Matias." Thiago's gruff voice cuts through my reverie, his calloused hand gripping my shoulder with surprising force. "Did you hear a word I just said?"

I shrug off his hold, shooting him a withering glare. "Of course, I heard you, brother. Something about the old regime not being happy?"

He lets out a frustrated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That's putting it mildly. These fuckers are on the verge of open revolt if we don't get our shit together and handle this transition properly. Show them what we're capable of."

A harsh bark of laughter escapes my lips as I rise from my chair, unable to contain my amusement at his concerns. "Is that why you're so worked up? A few disgruntled foot soldiers throwing a temper tantrum?"

Thiago's expression darkens, his jaw clenching in that telltale way that warns he's losing his patience. "You think this is a joke, Matias? Need I remind you what it took to get to this point?"

I wave him off, already turning to leave the dank basement behind. "Save your lectures, Thiago. I know what's at stake here."

His fingers clamp around my biceps, spinning me back to face him with surprising strength. "Then start acting like it. Your head has been in the clouds ever since?— "

He cuts himself off abruptly, but the unspoken words hang between us—since Kali.

"Don't start something you can't finish," I growl, leaning into his space.

To his credit, Thiago doesn't flinch, meeting my gaze with an intensity that would have most men cowering. After a tense moment, he releases me with a weary sigh. "Just get your head straight, little brother. We can't afford any more mistakes, not with the Estradas breathing down our necks."

I offer him a mock salute as I stride toward the exit, his words fading into white noise. My focus has already shifted, zeroing in on the prospect of Kali's delicate frame tucked away in that dimly lit cafe, completely oblivious to the depravity about to descend upon her.

I climb into my car and peel out onto the empty street. As I weave through traffic, the streets blur past in a haze, my knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel.

With each passing block, the green dot signifying Kali's location grows nearer, fueling the primal hunger that courses through my veins.

I pull up to the curb, the tires screeching in protest as I throw the car into the park. My gaze zeroes in on the quaint cafe through the tinted windows, scanning the patrons until I zero in on her familiar silhouette.

There she is. Tucked away in the corner, her delicate features illuminated by the soft glow of the lamp overhead. She's engrossed in one of her romance books, that cute little crease forming between her brows as she pores over the pages.

A twisted smirk tugs at my lips as I shove open the car door and stride toward the entrance. The bell above the door jingles merrily as I push through, but the sound is drowned out by the pounding of blood in my ears.

Her head lifts, and those wide, innocent eyes find mine across the dimly lit room. Her expression is pure surprise for a fleeting moment, but I can already see the first flickers of dread in their depths.

I cross the small space in a few long strides, sliding into the chair opposite her with a smug grin.

"Matias," she breathes, her voice a hushed whisper laced with thinly veiled fear. "How did you?—?"

"Saw you through the window," I purr, leaning back with a casual air that belies the compulsion burning beneath my skin.

Her gaze darts toward the entrance. I can see the wheels turning in her pretty little head as she contemplates an escape route. But we both know there's no running from me.

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

My lips curl into a grin as I reach across the table, trailing my fingertips along the delicate column of her throat. She stiffens at my touch, and I can feel the rapid flutter of her pulse.

"Isn't it obvious?" I murmur, leaning closer until our faces are mere inches apart. "I'm here for you."

Her eyes flutter shut at my touch, lips parting on a barely stifled gasp.

"You didn't think I'd let you wander off unguarded?" I chuckle, my breath fanning her cheek as I murmur in her ear. "You're far too precious a possession to leave unattended."

She shudders, breath coming in short, shallow gasps. The scent of her arousal fills the air between us, her defenses crumbling like dried leaves in the path of an approaching wildfire. It's all I can do to restrain myself from dragging her from this place, from marking her in front of the entire cafe.

With a final caress, I withdraw my hand, taking pleasure in the way her eyes snap open, a glimmer of desperation lingering in their depths. "You're crazy," she whispers, her voice hoarse with unspoken desire. "Leave me alone."

I tilt my head. "No chance. I still need to claim you on US soil. My cock needs your tight little cunt. It demands it."

Her cheeks redden, and she shakes her head. "Don't talk like that here."

"Embarrassed, rabbit?" I demand. "Let's do it right here, on this table, for everyone to see."

She bites her lip. "You're insane."

I cock my head, considering her words with mock seriousness. "Perhaps. But you already knew that, didn't you?"

There's a challenge in her stare now, a glint of defiance that only fuels my obsession. I lean back, signaling the waiter with a subtle wave.

"Let's get out of here," she murmurs, shoulders hunched as she avoids the gaze of the other patrons.

I shake my head, a devious grin stretching my lips. "No. We finish what we started. Right here."

Her eyes widen, alarm bells ringing in her head as she grasps the true nature of my intent. But it's too late—the waiter arrives with a fresh pot of coffee, clearing away the remnants of our unfinished drinks.

"Can I get you anything else?" he asks, his tone cheerful, oblivious to the sinister undercurrents that now permeate the air.

Kali's eyes flick to me, panic flaring in their depths. "No, thank you," she stammers, reaching for her bag. "We should really?—"

"Actually," I interject, "I believe we'd like to stay longer. I'll have an expresso."

The waiter nods, offering a polite smile before getting my order.

"I don't think coffee is a good idea for someone with your mental condition," she quips.

Glaring at her, I lean forward.

Her breath quickens, her chest rising and falling. "Matias, please..." she whispers, knowing full well that her pleas will do little to sway me.

A low chuckle rumbles in my throat as I lean forward, letting my lips hover perilously close to her ear. "You know I can't deny me what's rightfully mine."

Without waiting for a response, I lace my fingers through hers, reveling in how she tries to tug free.

"That' s it, fight me," I urge, my lips twisting into a cruel grin. "But we both know how this ends, don't we?"

As I pull her closer, any remaining protests die on her lips. Her will crumbles in the face of the dark, relentless desire that binds us. "You're mine," I whisper, my lips brushing hers, "Completely and utterly. Never forget that."

I claim those trembling lips as my own. A soft, needy whimper escapes her as our mouths collide in a desperate, searing kiss.

The world fades away. All that matters is the feel of her body pressed against mine, the taste of her on my tongue. I swallow each breathless moan, reveling in the way she melts into my embrace.

But an irritated voice nearby shatters the moment. "Hey, get a room, will ya?"

I stiffen, my grip on Kali tightening as I slowly turn to face the source of the interruption. A scruffy-looking man glares at us.

The beast within me roars to life, clawing at the confines of my control. How dare this pathetic insect interrupt us? I can feel the anger coursing through my veins, the overwhelming urge to lash out and crush this insignificant obstacle.

But before I can act, Kali's trembling fingers brush against my arm, her touch soothing the savage beast that threatens to consume me. I focus my attention on the wide-eyed fear reflected in Kali's expression.

"Matias, please," she whispers. "Don't."

The raw vulnerability in her tone, the subtle plea for restraint, is enough to still the raging storm within me. I pull Kali closer, burying my face in the soft warmth of her hair.

"You're right," I murmur, my lips brushing the delicate shell of her ear. "I won't make a scene." The tension bleeds from her frame as she melts against me, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt. "Let's get out of here," I whisper, my grip tightening possessively around her waist. "I have plans for you."

Without waiting for a response, I rise from the table, pulling Kali up. She stumbles, her cheeks flushed.

As we make our way toward the exit, I can't resist the urge to glance back at the offending patron, my lips twisting into a menacing sneer that makes him pale.

It's almost as satisfying as releasing my wrath on him. He's no match for the savage beast lurking beneath the surface, but lucky for him, I'm starving for my most prized possession.

Kali is mine. Now and forever.