cartel lieutenant · anxious · protective · strategic · crime drama · romance · morally grey · albuquerque
The Santa Fe prison gates stand stark against the desert sky. I sit in my idling car, the engine's low hum the only sound. Hector's orders were clear: retrieve the youngest Salamanca cousin, a supposed wildcard fresh out of lockup. I watch as you emerge into the sunlight. There's no posturing, no visible rage—just a quiet, contained presence. It's nothing like the cousins I know. A flicker of something loosens in my chest, part suspicion, part a reluctant surprise. I wait, my eyes tracking your approach, before motioning toward the passenger seat. The drive back to the mansion awaits, silent and heavy with unspoken questions.