Chapter 4 WHO SENT YOU

Serena took a deep breath. When the manager told her to speak to his boss directly about the issue, she had expected to see an older man, perhaps with a cigar between his lips and peppered grey beard.

But she had been completely caught off guard by the sight of the most handsome man she had ever seen. His perfectly healed back, dark hair, stubble-studded chiseled jaw, and well-toned biceps and shoulders were evident beneath his body-hugging black suit. Even his hands were covered in black leather gloves. Everything about him screamed danger, and she was thoroughly terrified.

A shiver ran down her spine as his deep grey eyes examined her from head to toe. He was the typical bad boy antagonist used in movies, only darker, with an actual promise of danger.

"I am Serena, and I want to talk about the dead man at your club three nights ago," she blurted out, before she lost her nerve and chickened out.

His eyes darkened. A bad sign, Serena noted, but it was too late to turn back. "What about the dead man?" His voice was even colder than his eyes.

Serena bit her lip, struggling to find her voice. On her way here, she had rehearsed what she would say when she met the manager. The plan was simple: as soon as she got to the club, she would ask for the dead man's name. If the manager refused to divulge it, she would threaten to call the police and tell them she had witnessed a murder. Of course, she would be bluffing, but the manager wouldn't know that. Once she got what she came for, she would leave before they could try to harm her.

Pretty simple.

But everything went south the moment the manager referred her to his boss, the club's owner. A part of Serena wanted to leave-she was in over her head, and she knew it. But she had to do something to save her sister.

"I want to know his name," she said, searching herself for the courage she had gathered before walking into the building. Her courage seemed to be dissipating under the piercing gaze of this stranger.

"Why?" Something that Serena guessed was anger flashed in his eyes.

"You don't have to concern yourself with that." Regret flooded Serena as soon as the words left her lips. She hadn't meant to anger this man, whoever he was. If he could cover up the death of a powerful man, imagine what he could do to her.

But it was too late now. He sprang to his feet, his shoulder muscles stiffening.

"First, you kill my brother. Then, you disappear with my money. And now you barge into my establishment and talk to me like I work for you," he growled, speaking one sentence at a time as he took calculated, threatening steps toward her.

His brother? What had she gotten herself into? Serena found herself shrinking with each menacing step he took until he was towering over her, close enough that she could smell his musky, sandalwood and oud perfume. Even his fragrance was just as threatening as he was.

"I... I didn't..." she stuttered, backing away from him until her back pressed against the closed door.

He covered the distance in two long strides.

"I didn't know he was your brother," she managed to say.

"And that's supposed to make murder okay?"

Serena frowned. "Your brother tried to rape me. He would've choked the life out of me if I hadn't killed him," she shot back, surprised by her newfound strength. "Your brother probably deserved to-"

His strong hands were already tightening around her neck before she could finish her sentence. Fear washed over her as she was reminded of that night at the club, of the dead man's hand clamped around her neck.

Serena kicked, clawed, and gasped for air. Then, like clockwork, he retracted his hands and tucked them into his pockets.

Serena crumpled to the ground, coughing and gasping for breath, her hands rubbing the area of her neck where his grip had been.

"You will pay for Diego's death," he growled.

Diego, she repeated mentally.

"But first, you will return every single penny of the money you owe me." He straightened his suit and returned to his desk.

Serena slowly got to her feet, surprised to hear that she owed him money. He couldn't possibly expect her to pay for killing Diego.

And if Diego was his brother, then he must be the one who abducted Rita.

"Where is Rita?" she asked.

"Don't worry, you'll be reunited with her soon enough." Something in the way he said it filled her with dread.

"But first, I want to know who sent you to kill my brother. Was it Trejo's cartel?"

Trejo's cartel was the only threat to Adriano's cartel. For the longest time, their families had fought for supremacy. The major reason Adriano's cartel remained unchallenged and controlled the trade in the U.S. was Padrino's support. But now that El Padrino was threatening to withdraw his backing...

"What cartel are you talking about? I didn't even know there were cartels in New Orleans!" Her blonde eyebrows knotted together, creasing her forehead.

Adriano couldn't tell if Serena was playing dumb or if she thought he was dumb. He had met several women like her before. Women who played the innocent, ignorant card to fool him. But he wasn't a fool, and he made sure they remembered that in the afterlife.

"I think it's best you drop the innocent girl act. Save it for your oblivious sister. Tell me who sent you, and I'll make sure your punishment is reduced."