“Because I fucked your daughter.”
I felt his words like a punch in the gut, and I did the only thing a father could do upon hearing those words: I hauled off and swung as hard as I could, hitting him square in the jaw. His head snapped back, and as he righted himself, blood began pouring from his nose.
I pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped the blood from my hand as I turned to Orlando. “What the hell did he just say to me?” I asked.
“We caught them right in the act, Pop.”
“Son of a bitch. Where is she?” I looked back at Miguel. His bloody face and swollen lip had gotten rid of any bravado he might have had left. I had a momentary urge to wrap my hands around his fucking neck and choke the life out of him, but I could already hear the lecture I would get from Harris, so I restrained myself.
“I sent her to the office,” Orlando told me. “Figured you’d want to speak to her away from this situation.”
“Damn right I wanna talk to her. Rio, call Paris and tell her I said to keep her ass at the office until I get there!” I turned my attention back to Miguel. “What did I tell you I would do if you touched my daughter?”
He wobbled in the chair but remained silent, until Lou popped him in the head with his open hand. “Answer the man.”
“You said you would kill me,” he slurred.
“But you did it anyway ... because you don’t fear me, do you? You think Alejandro will save your ass from my wrath. Maybe make you marry her or something like that?”
“Se?or, I swear, she came to me. I did not mean for this to happen,” he pleaded. “But if you want me to marry her ... she is a very beautiful woman and would make a good wife.”
“You arrogant little bastard!” I landed another punch, which started a fresh wave of blood streaming down his face. I was ready to keep swinging until this son of a bitch was nothing but a bloody pulp, but Harris knew me well enough to step in before my temper reached the point of no return.
“LC!” he yelled to get my attention. “Remember the reason we’re here. Deal with Paris later.”
I turned to Harris and took a few deep breaths to bring my blood back down from the boiling point. “You’re right.”
“You are one lucky man,” Lou said to Miguel, who just nodded.
“You know, Miguel,” I said, “I’m not quite sure you understand how serious this situation is. Maybe you’re even more stupid than I thought. Now, why don’t we talk about the real reason you’re here.”
“I don’t know, se?or.” His voice cracked, and even covered in blood, his face clearly reflected the fear he was feeling.
“Oh, you don’t know, huh? Well, let me explain it to you.” I started circling around the chair as I spoke. “Right after your people handed over the truck carrying the Roadster, someone hijacked my people, and now my Roadster is gone. Funny thing is, you were the only one other than my people to know the route.”
His eyes got huge. He actually looked like he might shit on himself.
“You know anything about this, Miguel?”
“Sir ... Se?or Duncan,” Miguel started breathlessly. “I know you’re upset about your car. I know how much it means to you. I just want you to know—”
“I don’t give a fuck about that Corvette!” I tipped over the chair, and Miguel fell to the ground. “I want what was in it! Fuck the damn Corvette!”
With both hands around his throat, I lifted Miguel to a sitting position on the ground.
“Where ... is ... my ... shit?” With each word I squeezed his neck a little tighter. “Where the fuck is my heroin?”
Even if he wanted to answer me, Miguel couldn’t talk with the way I was cutting off his air. His face was starting to turn blue at this point.