Chapter 18 - The Little Boss|
Three months passed.
The Arizona estate had transformed. The heavy, oppressive silence that once dominated the sprawling mansion had been entirely shattered by the sound of a three-year-old’s laughter.
Ruby was practically running the cartel.
Damon sat in his private office, reviewing a multi-million dollar real estate acquisition. The heavy steel door, which used to remain locked at all times, was propped open.
Suddenly, a small head poked around the doorframe.
“Mr. Damon?”
Damon immediately put his pen down, pushing the billion-dollar contract aside.
“Come in, Ruby.”
Ruby marched into the room, dragging her stuffed rabbit, Bunny, by the ear. She was wearing a bright yellow sundress and a pair of tiny cowboy boots Damon had bought for her last week.
She climbed onto the leather chair opposite his massive oak desk, struggling for a moment before finally sitting triumphantly.
“Mommy says you have to come eat lunch,” Ruby announced, crossing her arms just like she had seen Marcus do. “She made sandwiches.”
“Did she now?” Damon smiled, resting his chin on his hands. “And what kind of sandwiches?”
“Peanut butter and jelly,” Ruby said seriously. “With the crusts cut off. Because crusts are yucky.”
“I agree completely,” Damon nodded solemnly. “Crusts are entirely unacceptable.”
Ruby leaned forward, placing Bunny on the desk. “Bunny wants a cookie.”
“I’ll have Marcus check the perimeter for cookies,” Damon promised.
He stood up, walking around the desk to lift Ruby into his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder, completely at ease in the arms of a man who commanded an army of killers.
As they walked out into the hallway, they bumped into Marcus. The hulking security chief was holding a secure satellite phone, looking grim.
“Boss,” Marcus said, stopping in his tracks.
“Not right now, Marcus,” Damon said smoothly. “It’s peanut butter and jelly time.”
Marcus cracked a small smile. “Understood, sir. But when you’re done... we have chatter from the south. The Sinaloas are regrouping. They’ve elected a new head of the family.”
Damon’s expression hardened for a fraction of a second, but he quickly masked it for Ruby’s sake.
May you like
“Let them regroup,” Damon said coldly. “If they step over the border, we’ll bury them next to Victor. I’ll be in my office in an hour.”
He carried Ruby toward the kitchen, the looming threat of war entirely eclipsed by the sound of Selena humming as she prepared lunch.
