Stolen Love (A Cartel Romance)

32

Xander's POV

I could hear my father's deep voice grumbling from the outside of the door. Muffled voices spoke to each other. I couldn't make out the words, but it didn't matter. I'd have to go in eventually and eventually was now. I pushed the wooden doors open to enter. Everyone's eyes landed on me, including my father's. He stood in front of his desk, cane in hand, while Ralph, Felipe, and Henry sat on the leather couches across from each other.

"Nice of you to finally join us, son." My father chirped.

"Sorry for the wait. I had to get through your large crowd of guests." I replied. "Very fatherly of you to do this for the twins, by the ways." The sarcasm dripping from my voice. I strutted over to the window of his office and peered out at the crowd of people.

"They are exceptional children." He said. "They deserve everything coming to them." He finished. That earned a humorless laugh from me.  They were brilliant kids, no doubt, but somehow my father managed to turn something positive into a negative aimed right at me. "Plus, this party was a way to occupy the wives for a while." He added after a second. I internally cringed at his vile comment. My father is still stuck in the 50s, and it's very apparent. For some reason, my mind when to Harley and what she'd say if I were to put her in a kitchen and make her cook hors d'oeuvres for a bunch of guests she barely knew. With her foolish, kind, and nurturing soul, she'd most likely do it, no questions asked. Somehow that made me smile to myself.

"You're a real gentleman, father." I took a seat next to Henry, who was giving me that —stop fucking around before he kills you—look.

"Not as much as you, apparently." He said. And it begins. "Why is she still alive, son?" He asked. He didn't even have to mention who he was talking about. I already knew.

"Why would I kill her?" I shrugged, trying to act as calmly as possible.

"Ever since this girl came into the picture, it's been causing issues." He said calmly, not raising his voice much. Still, I could feel Henry's body go stiff next to me. "You should've got rid of her when I told you to." He said. "The first day you took her." He spat.

"Our problems started when Daniel fucked us, not Harley." I correct him.

"He's given you an out." He said suddenly. Gosh, I was hoping he didn't hear so quickly.

"He's also in debt and desperate for money," I said. "He called Benny Rios begging for product."

"So?" My father said. "Huncho was understandable, but Daniel's death comes with repercussions." He started. "He's a family man. He's a father. A son. A husband. He sells furniture, for fucks sake. He donates to charity. Goes to galas and school fundraisers. He's generous with school donations. No one is going to believe Daniel Miller had been working with Cartels for the past 5 months. No one." My father ranted. Maybe he was right, but things were different now. He's more desperate now. He's scared. I can see the fear in his eyes when I speak to him.

"The proof is undeniable, father," I said.

"Burn it. Bury it. I don't care; get rid of it." He said. I never understood my father's reasoning for things, but I understood today what his intentions were. He wanted Harley gone as much as Daniel wanted her back.

"No," I said. "I saw him. I heard him. I smelt the anguish flowing out of him. The shit he has against us is nothing, father. It's not enough to touch any of us. He's just desperate to get back in his daughter's good graces." I started. "Let's bury him. Once and for all."

"That's not guaranteed. Just because you see it that way doesn't mean it's going to happen that way." My father's voice boomed off the walls. "Stop thinking with your dick and think with your fucking head. I thought you were done with that phase of your life." He clapped.

"You sound ridiculous." I couldn't hold back anymore. "This isn't about Harley. This is about Daniel finally getting what's coming to him. After stealing half a million dollars from me, from us, from my men." I barked, standing up and walking towards him. "Then threatening to crush everything you worked hard for, and I work hard for." The fire ignited in my eyes, too; I stared back at my father. Silence fell upon the room. My father didn't try to speak, nor did anyone else. Instead, he walked behind his desk and collapsed against the seat. His hands went up to his forehead as he tried to massage away the wrinkles that were now permeant in his tan skin.

"Let her go, Xander." He said softly. Those were his finish words, and I knew. He wasn't changing his mind now. "Make sure Daniel is the first one to see her when she is released." He said. It wasn't happening. I couldn't let this end like this. I couldn't. It wasn't even an option.

"No," I said, standing up. It was my final word, just like his. "I'll handle this, however, the fuck I see fit." I straightened out my suit and turned my heels to leave. Abruptly I heard his chair scrape against the floor.

"You will do as I say, Xander!" His voice had the capacity to shatter the glass. "Let her go, or I'll tell her everything. I'll make her leave on her own." He barked. "Juro por Dios, don't test me." The calm I once felt was over and done. He didn't have to say it, but I knew he was threatening to tell her I made up everything about her kidnapping. The fire I had in my eyes was gone. All I could see was black—pure rage. Like I've never felt before. With the threats from Daniel and now my father, I truly felt like I had nothing to lose. I will tell her the truth. Before Daniel can do anything before my father can either. Si Dios lo quiero, I'm going to do everything I can to get Harley to forgive me. She was mine. She's been mine. And will always be mine. I won't let her go this easy.

"I'll take my chances," I said. Like a demon had possessed my body, I sniffled, threw one last look at my father, and escorted myself out the doors. Ralph, Henry, and Felipe, hot on my heels, we left. Ignoring my mother's yells and my stepmother's angry screeches for telling her son she's a hoe. None of it mattered. If Harley was leaving, she was doing it on her own accord, if she wants, when she wants. Even then, I'd be who decides who gets to see her. Not my father, not Daniel, not even her goddamn friend.

"Call, Helen. Tell her I need a house. Comfortable but quaint. Far away from Daniel but close to the estate. Alarm systems and cameras on every side of the house. It doesn't matter the price. Build the damn house if she has to. Just get it done." I barked orders at Ralph.

"Got it." He nodded and immediately pulled out his phone.

"What about the evidence against Daniel? Are we still using it?" Henry asked.

"Send the video to his wife. Keep everything else for later." I instructed him. This was just the beginning. His marriage is considered done but fucking an escort isn't a crime. The real exhibit is yet to be shown. One so great, I didn't even trust myself to hold on to it.  "As soon as it's all done, take us back to the estate," I said. "—Fast and furious, this bitch, we're on a time limit now." I spat as we all threw ourselves in the car and sped out of the driveway, not caring that we hit my father's stupid stone jockey boy statues in the process. My time was up; I was racing against the clock right now. I had to tell Harley the truth about everything before my father or Daniel could do it first.

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Hi, hi, so this chapter is entirely too short to make a whole chapter, so it's a part 2!! which means chapter 32 is coming out tomorrow!! And I'm so so so excited for u guys to read it cuz it's BRAZY.

Anyways, I hoped yall enjoyed it. Comment if u want and vote if u like. Thanks for the support, yall. Thanks for following my updates!! kisses xoxoxo