Chapter 235
Angel
I had taken Knight’s advise to let Thea go, it was the right thing to do. I had thought accepting to do it was hard enough but the hardest part of it all was actually going to Thea and breaking the news to her. This was the third day and I was still indecisive. I made up my mind to finally do it after I returned from my meeting with Don Ricardo who had invited me to his place few days ago.
Actually, he had offered to come but I didn’t want the possibilities of Lola tagging along. I knew she felt guilty for what happened and I didn’t give her a chance to express her regret. Also, I didn’t want Thea to see her and get the wrong ideas again.
I got to Don Ricardo’s mansion and was led into a room where it was just the three of us present, with Lola being the third person. She was his heiress and needed to be present during important meetings.
I was curious as to why he called but I had my guess.
“Thank you for honoring my invitation Angel.” He said filling my empty glass. I nodded letting an uneasy smile roughen.
I trailed my gaze from him to Lola and I found her watching me but she averted her gaze focusing elsewhere. I could tell she had a lot of things to say to me even though she had said all there was to say through her numerous text messages.
“Why am I here exactly?” I asked cutting into the matter, there was no need to waste any precious time here. I didn’t think whatever was to be discussed would benefit me as Ricardo may have thought. I just came here out of respect for him.
“You must be in a haste.” He said chuckling. I didn’t deny it, I wanted this to end quickly. Also, having Lola in the same room with us didn’t make it any better.
“I have a cartel to run… Pending issues on my desk.” I said with a tilt, more like reminding him that I was still on his son’s trail. He sighed deeply and sat up.
“I’ll be short with this meeting there’s no need to beat around. I called you here because of the ongoing issues you’re talking about.” He said and I arced my brow.
“What about it?” I asked and he leaned forward slightly while watching me suggestively.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
“I won’t pretend not to know that Sparrow was involved in the attack that night.” He said and I squinted at his bluntness. Did he just realize he had made himself a testifier to his son’s crime against me and did he even think of what position that would put him in?
“I see ….” I said. I was interested in knowing where this meeting would end. “So what do you want from me?”
Ricardo sat back again, even though he was trying to remain calm I could sense the slight tension from him. Lola kept a straight face, Sparrow might be her half brother but I was certain no love existed between them at least not like the kind Cassie and I had. Sparrow was Ricardo’s son so if he messed up he inevitably dragged his father along with him.
“I want to offer you a deal.” Ricardo continued spiking my interest the more.
“What deal?” I asked glancing at Lola again. She wouldn’t let her father offer a ridiculous deal to me not when she knew the kind of person I was.
Ricardo glanced at her and I understood he was asking her to go ahead from where he stopped.
I looked at Lola again with more intensity to my gaze. She looked back at me and her gaze wavered. She was nervous ….
“We would like to offer you a deal and it has everything to do with Sparrow, my brother.”
She said and gave me a look of guilt. She had sounded firm initially putting on her heiress countenance but I knew this was difficult for her to do.
My face squeezed into a frown at the mention of Sparrow. What sort of deal could they offer me that would benefit me? for all I knew Don Ricardo would only be doing things in the interest of his son.
To think he had pretended not to know about Sparrow’s involvement from the start annoyed me.
“Go ahead.” I said focusing my gaze on Lola.
“We… we.” She stuttered and I could see Ricardo glare at her through his side eyes. She took a deep breath and continued. “We would like to offer you a deal in exchange of Sparrow’s freedom.” She said and I felt something erupt from within me. It was anger but I did my best to control it. Lola looked up at me, her eyes moist with fluid and clouded with regret. I could tell she had no choice in the matter.
“Don’t just stop there continue.” Ricardo scolded between his teeth.
“We will get your stolen goods and compensate for the damages.”
“How?” I asked immediately making Lola pause. “How exactly do you intend to compensate for the men I lost?” ‘or for the the love I lost that day’ I said within me feeling pain envelope my heart at the thought of Thea and everything I put her through because of that night.
“You can do whatever you please with Sparrow’s men and we will transfer command of our cartel in the west over to you.” Lola said and glanced at her father as if asking if he was sure of his decision but he looked convinced. He was willing to go that far to save Sparrow.
He was willing to give up his command in the west just to save his bastard of a son who I was certain gave no fucks about him.
I chuckle sadly and stood up slowly from my chair. The cartel in the west which was under his command would in a normal circumstance be like he were selling an entire nation to me but simply put, he was asking me not to avenge my men by replacing them with an entire cartel.
“Is that your deal?” I asked calmly trying not to burst out in anger. Don Ricardo stood as well and so did Lola.
“Angel… You can ask for anything you want. I just didn’t know what would be enough to satiate your anger and taste for revenge.
“His life.” I said and they both froze for a moment. They finally broke their pause and gave me a look of shock.
“What are you saying?” Ricardo asked with face ashen.
“Your son’s life in exchange for the damages and let’s not pretend that he hadn’t been involved one way or the other in every other misfortune I may have had all these years. We both know Sparrow hates me enough to kill me if he could. He just didn’t succeed that night. I can only feel assured of my safety the moment he’s dead.” I said looking Ricardo straight in the eyes. He looked visibly pissed and I didn’t care. His son or not, it didn’t stop the fact that he was my enemy and I’d do everything I could to protect my loved ones and my cartel from him.
“Are you refusing this deal and any other future deal in this matter?” Ricardo asked leaning forward with hands placed on the table. I leaned forward as well.
“I’m saying that if your son wants my life then I won’t hesitate to take his instead and I won’t hesitate to take actions against anyone that backs him up.” I said passing a direct message to him. He was Sparrow’s greatest fall-back-to. He didn’t belong to the council so the only sane person to support him against me would be his father.
“You’d go against me?”
“I’m a boss of my own and I do whatever I please.” I said and excused myself from the meeting taking my respect along with me. I didn’t need to listen to him any further. I felt Lola trying to come after me but she paused in her chase and it was for the best because I wouldn’t listen to her either. I’d hate to hurt her in the process of dealing with her brother so I wished she stayed away from this fight.
I got back to the mansion and the moment I stepped into the building three men were waiting for me just at the entrance. I squinted my eyes at them curiously. Why were they looking all serious?
“What’s the matter?” I asked getting worried as I stared at Knight, Caspian and Mike.
I checked my phone to make sure they haden’t called me while I was away and I was right, they didn’t ring my phone so what was all these seriousness for?
“Why are you all staring at me that way?” I asked again seeing they remained silent. They looked at each other and Caspian had the go ahead to speak.
“There’s someone we would like you to meet.” He said and I got really curious. Who the fuck could that be? I eyed them suspiciously but Knight gave me a tilt directing me to follow them. I looked at Mike who gave me an assuring look so I followed.
We walked towards our meeting room and I couldn’t stop pondering on who I was to meet. The door opened and I was ushered in. I first took a pause as I stepped in seeing a man with his back turned against me. I squinted unable to recognize the figure but in a matter of seconds the stranger turned around slowly to look at me and my eyes widened in shock like never before.
Standing before me was a man I thought I had killed with my very own bullets.
“How is this possible?” I muttered in shock staggering from my position.
“It’s me Carl and I’m still alive.”