Chapter 28 - The Cartel Arrives
The front door of the coastal house didn't just open; it was entirely blown off its hinges by a customized breaching shotgun.
Ricardo’s mercenaries barely had time to raise their weapons before the living room was flooded with cartel sicarios. They moved with terrifying, military-grade precision. Before Ricardo's men could fire a single shot, they were neutralized by a hail of suppressed gunfire, dropping lifelessly to the floor.
Valeria immediately dropped to the ground, covering her head as the brief, violent firefight erupted over her. Daniel used the chaos to tackle Ricardo, knocking the suppressed pistol from his uncle’s hand.
Alejandro Vargas stepped calmly through the ruined doorway, wearing a bespoke suit and holding a heavy silver revolver. He surveyed the carnage with a look of mild boredom.
"Ricardo Valdés," Vargas said, his voice a low, lethal rumble. "You are a very difficult man to find in Europe. But you made a mistake coming back to Mexico."
Ricardo, pinned beneath Daniel, stared up at the cartel boss in absolute, paralyzing terror. The arrogant smirk was completely gone, replaced by the pathetic realization that his past had finally caught up with him.
"Vargas," Ricardo choked out, struggling to breathe. "Listen to me! I can pay you! I have access to a fifty-million-dollar trust! I can give it all to you!"
"You stole from my family, Ricardo," Vargas replied coldly, stepping closer and aiming the revolver directly at Ricardo's face. "You let my cousin take a bullet for your greed. Money cannot buy back blood."
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Daniel stepped off his uncle, grabbing Valeria’s hand and pulling her safely behind him. They watched as Vargas’s men hauled a weeping, begging Ricardo to his feet.
"Take him to the warehouse," Vargas ordered his men. "He is going to have a very long, very painful night."
