81
The men made their way into the strip club. The mere size of Kevin alone made people clear the path as he walked through the club. He looked around as if he were expecting someone, knowing they were watching. He nodded to a room over the dance floor and Slade looked in the direction, seeing a man watching them through a glass window.
“That’s Diego González. He’s a Mexican drug lord. He owns several nightclubs around town. He is friends with Matteo, so I think he’ll give us a lead.”
Two men walked up behind them and Slade felt something poke into his rib. He looked down, finding a gun pointed at him.
“Walk.”
Kevin seemed calm as he said, “Don’t worry, Slade. It’s cool. Hey guys. Ricci sent me.”
The bodyguard who was standing next to Kevin looked down his nose at him. “You the guy?”
“Yep.”
“Diego’s been waiting for you. Follow me. Matteo and his people are on the way.”
They headed to Diego’s office, and the man was sitting smoking a Cuban cigar in one hand and spinning a gun on his desk with the other. Slade was trying to not show his fear, but he had seen nothing like this before.
As they entered, the man looked at Slade and smiled a goofy grin. Standing up, he headed straight for Slade, making him jump back. “Slade freakin’ Logan. I can’t believe I’m meeting you. I’m a big fan! It’s an honor.” Diego held out his hand.
Slade hesitantly shook it with a look, as if he were ready to vomit. “Um. Thank you.”
“Please sit. I hear you’re after that rat-bastard, James Marco. He cost me $50K and has yet to get me my money. Not to mention the girls I’ve lost that he had turning tricks.” The man went and sat behind his desk, throwing his feet up, crossing them. After grabbing a fresh cigar he continued, “Matteo tells me he’s after your daughter.”
Kevin agreed. “Yes. Candy went looking for him. Has she been here?”
“Si’. I have her.” The man chuckled at the thought of the feisty girl. “We call her the pink Diablo. She’s mean as hell. ”
Kevin looked angry but calm. Slade stood, ready to pounce, and Kevin reached out his hand to stop him, asking, “Where’s my daughter?”
“In the room down the hall throwing a temper tantrum. She almost gave us the slip. Matteo asked us to keep her here. He’s a big fan of Retribution too. We don’t want this all to get out to the media. This celebrity connection can expose our businesses, and we are going to make sure this stays between us.”
“I want to see Candy. I want to see if she’s okay,” Slade demanded, shaking with adrenaline.
“She’s fine. She put up quite a fight.” The man pointed to his bodyguard, laughing.
“The lil’ chica gave Ricco a black eye and punched him in the family jewels. He got his ass severed to him. She’s feisty. We locked her in the room with my daughter to calm her ass down.”
Kevin chuckled. “She’s just like her mother.”
Slade looked over at him, wide-eyed. “Why are you so fucking calm, you crazy old bastard?”
Kevin shook his head as if Slade were clueless. “They won’t hurt us. James is the one who should worry. He’s made a lot of bad blood with a lot of people. Stolen drugs from the cartels, ratting out people to the cops, you name it.”
The door opened, and Matteo walked in with a few of his men. The older Mexican man greeted him.
“So, you have the girl safe?”
“Yep. She’s pissed too. She was ready to take that fucker out with her bare hands. I might put her on my payroll. I could use chica like her.”
Kevin laughed. “I think she’s better off in the ring, gentlemen.”
Matteo nodded in agreement. “True. My kids love her. Maybe after this is over, you can do me a favor and let her meet my Carmen.”
Slade was getting antsy and stood, trying to get the men to focus. “Are we all going to sit here and chit-chat or are we going to take care of this asshole before he hurts my girlfriend?”
Candy walked in with the club bouncer. “Still not your girlfriend,” she teased with a smile, winking at him playfully.
Slade ran over, checking her over to make sure she was okay. Before Candy knew what was happening, he frantically started kissing her as if he were breathing in air. He grabbed her face, looking into her eyes. “Don’t you ever do that to me again! He could have killed you.”
“I’m sorry, but I saw him. He was heading to the docks. I lost him down a side street.”
Matteo picked up his phone and started texting his men on the lead. “Where is your mother?”
“At the nursing home. I just called when I got here.”
“Diego, can you put your men watching over Sophie? I’ll send a couple too.”
“On it.” He nodded to his men and they left the room. “What are you planning, Matteo? Who gets him? We all want a piece of this cabrón.”
Matteo looked over at Kevin and his daughter. “Do you have a safe place to go?”
Candy said, “Maybe my house in South Beach. I don’t think he knows where I live now. Why?”
“We need to set up a sting. I have connections to some local cops.”
Candy shook her head. “No! Absolutely not. I want him dead. He goes to jail and a day later he’s free. I won’t let that asshole get away with this again.”
Matteo smirked at her boldness, asking, “Oh, you think we are going to let him get off this time? No, we are going to handle this bastard once and for all. Don't worry. James Marco’s time has run out.”
The door burst open, and the bodyguard was sweating and out of breath. “The mom. She’s gone. The nursing facility said she is missing. The police are looking for her.”
All of them turned to the man who was at the office door, afraid he messed up.
Matteo turned to Candy. “What did you say when you talked to her?”
“I... I just said I had something to do, and I loved her. From now on, she’ll be safe. And when it was all over, we would be a family again. Did I do something wrong?”
Kevin rubbed his hand over his bald head, standing to pace the floor. “She’s going after him herself.”
“No. Daddy. He’ll kill her.” Candy broke down crying. “It’s all my fault.”
Kevin held his daughter, choking back tears. “We’ll find her, Pumpkin. It’s going to be okay. It’s not your fault.”
Matteo sent his men out. “All right. Everyone split up. Kevin. You, Candy, and Slade go with my guy. Look for Sophie, and if you can’t find her, head to Candy’s house until you hear from me. Diego and the rest of us will look for James. This ends tonight.”
Candy rushed and hugged the man.
Matteo, hesitant at first, hugged her back. “It’s okay, Candy. We’ll handle this once and for all, and you’ll have your family back.”
