Malo - Page 52

“I don’t know,” I admit. “But we’ll get to the bottom of it, Maria. I promise.”

She rises to her feet.

“I need to talk to Beast,” she shoots back.

I raise my eyebrows. Even in my current addled state, I can tell that’s a bad idea.

“It’s not a good time to bother him?—”

“I’m not bothering him,” she replies, through gritted teeth. “He needs to know that Los Desperados are working with Las Rosas Negras. And God only knows who else.”

She heads for the door. I try to straighten up and stop her, but my body is too weak for that, and all I can do is lie there in bed, helpless, as she storms off to confront Beast.

As though she has any idea what she’s getting herself into.

If I had just thrown away that shit instead of being stupid enough to take something that I’ve never so much as laid eyes on before, none of this would have happened. But no, my weakness has landed me, and the people around me, in another heap of shit.

As though we haven’t got enough to worry about right now.

CHAPTER 37

MARIA

Istorm toward Beast’s office, my mind a mess. I know I should stop myself before I even think about taking another step, but I’m so mad, I can’t think straight.

Los Desperados are just another one of the cartel’s allies. Who isn’t, in this world? Are they all the same? All these criminals, all wrapped up in the same shit, playing at war when they’re out here supporting each other? I need to know just how deep this goes. I need Beast to look me in the eye, and tell me that they’re not allied with the cartel too. They might have put up a good front, pretending to go all-in on this war, but with Malo laid out from dirty drugs supplied by a Desperado member, I know I’m going to need more than that.

I kick open the door to Beast’s office, and step inside. He looks up, shocked, and I wonder if anyone has ever done that before.

“What the fuck is going on?” he growls, getting to his feet.

I slam the door shut behind me, crossing my arms over my chest.

“I want you to be straight with me, Beast,” I tell him. My anger driving me, my fear of him gone, for the moment. “I’m sick of being a pawn in this fucking game and not knowing where anyone’s loyalties lie. What is going on with the cartel? Are you working with Las Rosas Negras?”

A fury passes over his face that almost has me stopping dead in my tracks. He locks eyes with me.

“You really think I would spend a second allying with those bastards?” he demands, like he’s daring me to say it out loud.

“Well, Los Desperados did, and you’re working with them,” I point out. Shock—which seems genuine—passes over his face.

“What?” he demands.

“Don’t play dumb with me,” I fire back. “You must have known that?—”

“What makes you think that the Desperados are working with Las Rosas?” he asks me, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Because it was one of their members that gave Malo the crap that just nearly killed him,” I fire back. “And I’m also a hundred percent sure my father made it. Las Rosas Negras have him, nobody else has him under their control, so Los Desperados must have contact with them, too.”

“Fuck,” Beast shoots back, and he barely makes eye contact with me as he slips back down into his seat. “You’re sure?”

“Yeah, I am,” I reply. “So what the hell is going on? Did you know they were working with Las Rosas Negras?”

“No, I didn’t,” Beast replies, and I can’t tell if he’s being honest or not. I’m tired of this. I’m tired of being pushed and pulled this way and that, made to play my part in these little games without having a damn clue what is going on under the surface.

“You have to tell me everything you know, now,” I warn him. “Or I’m going to take everything I’ve seen straight to the sheriff.”

This, to my surprise, draws a laugh from Beast. He raises his eyebrows at me.