Chapter 9 - BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER
Rafael descended slowly.
He wore a dark jacket.
His silver lighter clicked in one hand.
Mateo immediately covered his ears.
Valeria pulled him close.
Alejandro stepped forward.
“You.”
Rafael smiled.
“Me.”
“You killed Lucía.”
“I didn’t pull the trigger.”
“You ordered it.”
Rafael shrugged.
“She made herself a problem.”
Alejandro lunged.
Valeria had never seen hatred move that fast.
The brothers slammed into the wall.
The lighter flew across the floor.
Rafael struck Alejandro in the face.
Alejandro hit him back.
Hard.
“Papa!”
Mateo’s scream stopped them both.
Alejandro backed away.
Blood ran from his lip.
Rafael laughed.
“Look at you.”
Alejandro wiped his mouth.
“Your son finally speaks and the first thing he sees is his father acting like an animal.”
“You tortured a child.”
“I protected the family.”
“You threatened my son.”
“I protected what you built.”
“I never asked you to.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Rafael pointed upward.
“Your empire exists because men like me do what men like you pretend not to see.”
Valeria watched Alejandro.
That sentence hit somewhere deep.
Rafael continued.
“Lucía wanted you to walk away.”
Alejandro said nothing.
“She found the accounts. She found the hidden businesses. She was going to take Mateo and go to the authorities.”
Alejandro looked stunned.
“You’re lying.”
“Ask your dead wife.”
Alejandro grabbed him again.
Rafael laughed.
“You spent years making people fear your name. Lucía finally realized what that name would do to her son.”
“Shut up.”
“And you were too busy being powerful to notice your own wife planning an escape.”
Alejandro’s fist stopped.
For the first time Rafael looked satisfied.
He had found the wound.
Then Valeria saw movement behind him.
Calderón.
Gun raised.
“Alejandro!”
She pushed Mateo down.
A shot exploded.
Alejandro collapsed.
Mateo screamed.
Valeria dragged the boy behind the cabinet.
Calderón pointed the gun toward them.
Rafael turned.
“You idiot! I said the boy stays alive!”
Alejandro moved.
He wasn’t hit.
The bullet had struck the wall beside him.
He kicked Calderón’s knee.
The weapon fell.
A violent struggle followed.
Valeria covered Mateo’s eyes.
Within seconds Alejandro had Calderón pinned.
Rafael ran toward the stairs.
“Stop him!”
But the hidden door slammed.
Rafael escaped.
Alejandro picked up Calderón’s gun.
“Where is Vega?”
Calderón smiled despite the blood on his mouth.
“Already gone.”
“Where?”
“Far enough.”
Alejandro grabbed his collar.
“Where is Rafael going?”
Calderón laughed.
“To finish what Lucía started.”
Alejandro’s face changed.
“What does that mean?”
Calderón looked at Mateo.
“He’s going after the evidence she left outside this house.”
“And where is that?”
Calderón smiled.
“Ask the maid.”
Valeria went cold.
May you like
Because she suddenly remembered something her mother had received two days earlier.
A package addressed in Lucía Ríos’s handwriting.
