I fell for a cartel leader

Chapter 2 Lino Esparza

Lino took my bag and went through my phone, he read the messages between me and Suzu and realised that she was missing from the shootout.
"so we meet again" exclaimed Lino
"who are you? what am i doing here?" i said in a panicking voice
"im Lino, as you should already know, we met yesterday" replyed Lino
I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying because i was panicking and trying to figure out a way to get out. The room was silent for a while, the door opened and one of the men entred the room and said somthing in spanish which i didn't understand because i only lived in Tijuana for 1 year. Lino told me to follow him, so i did. He led me into a car and asked about Suzu as he took my phone, i explained that i came to visit her to help her win the pageant and that she went missing during the shootout. He made a deal with me that if i helped him he would find my friend, he put my phone in his pocket and told the driver something in spanish.

A few minutes later we arrived at where me and Suzu were yesterday, the pageant, he explained that i would compete even though i didn't. He gave me an old phone that could track where i was and so i could contact him. He told Pollo one of his men to take me inside. I went in and got my photots taken. i ran to the bathroom and locked the door behind me, luckily i ran fast enough that i locked the door in time before Pollo got to me. There was an open window so i climbed onto the sink and went through the window and jumped down, i ran across the street and thats when a man called up...
"hey, are you ok?"  shouted the man
"no,please help i was abducted" i said in a breathless voice because of how fast i ran.
He put a bag over my head and the next thing i know is that i'm in a cold, concrete room handcuffed to a chair, he explained who he was. He was with the DEA. His name was Brian Reich, he exlplained he wanted to take down Lino, he gave me a tracking chip that i needed to put into Linos phone.
"please don't make me go back!" i said as i cried
"you need to if you want to get your friend back" he replied
"how did you know my friend was missing?" i asked
"She was reported missing by you" he replied
I couldn't remember that i reported it, he gave me money for a cab so i could get to Suzus house. I arrived at Suzus house to see that she was not there and neither was Chava. I went up to Suzus room and put the phone that Lino gave me on the unit while i showered. I got out the shower to realise the phone was gone, Chava called up
"hey Gloria" shouted Chava
"chava your home!?" i exclaimed
"what with your old ass phone" he said
I snatched the phone out of his hand and thats when the phone rang i answered it and it was Lino on the other end
"don't ever turn off the phone again" he sounded angry when he spoke.
I told Chava to get to his room because instantly when the call ended he knew where i was.

It was 10 minutes later when i came downstairs to see Lino stood on the balcony, he walked out and he asked why i ran away
"I-i was scared" i stuttered in fear
"are you lying to me?" he knew i was lying
"no" i lied

He shouted towards the front door and his men all started to come through the door, Lino told me to go upstairs and wait for him.
I went upstairs and 5 minutes later Lino came in the room and lay on the bed, he told me to lie down next to him so i did, while laying there i thoughy about how much i did like him even though we have known eachother for a day, there was something about him that made me feel safe, secure, protected. He asked me to untie his boots and while untying his boots i asked him to keep Chava safe and to not hurt him, he agreed but wanted me to do something for him, i agreed to it.
"you would do anything?" he sounded confused that i agreed to it
"yes" i responded
"come here" he said as he smirked
I went over and sat on the bed. He started kissing my neck and unbottoning my shirt each time, i pushed him off becuase i wasn't ready. He seemed to be ok with it, well i think he was.

"Lino" i said in a panicked voice
"what" he replied back he sounded concerned
"i lied to you earlier, when i ran off the DEA took me somewhere and handcuffed me to a chair, he forced me to put a chip in your phone" i took out the chip and showed him, he took the chip from my hand and put it on the table by the bed.
"who was it?" he asked
"i think it was Brian Reich" i replied panicked
"don't panic chula i will sort him out" he said in a calm voice
"im sorry" i said, i was less panicked now
"don't worry chula i will protect you, why would't you tell me before?" he said as he was getting up
"i don't know." i replied
Lino walked out of the room and i sat there, happy but confused because i never felt this protected before, why would he protect me if we only known eachother for a day? Eventually i stopped wondering and i fell asleep.

The next morning Lino said that i was going to do a job for him in San Diago while he sorted out Brian Reich. Lino's men were putting money underneath the car, i asked Lino to let me send Chava away so he doesn't get hurt. A cab came for Chava and it took Chava to his aunts house. I got into the car and Lino gave me my passport and the old phone he gave me before.
"on your way back, call me and i will say where to meet, okay?" he said before kissing me on the forehead. I drove off and i got to the border and that's when i started panicking, i tried to calm down before i got to the people who checked our passports. I calmed down in the end and i went to give the guy my passport trying to shake, i agreed and let me go, i felt relief. I got to the adress Lino told me to go to and thats where a guy jumped in the car and asked
"where is the money" he said in a firm voice
"underneath the car" i replied
He called his men to start getting the money from underneath the car and he called in a van too which had boxes in.
He told me to tell Lino that
"Jimmy said, the DEA has a mole" he said while holding my face harshly and leaving a red handprint on my face. I went and got into the van and drove back to Tijuana and i rang Lino and he told me where to meet him.