Concern for Penny clawed at Rafe’s gut like a wild animal. Though she’d tried to hide her fear back at the pool, he’d seen her cheeks pale as she’d laid eyes on the thug from the alley—except he wasn’t a thug.
A fucking nephew. There’d never been a shred of information on any living relatives—no sisters, brothers, or even childhood-fucking-pets. But he couldn’t ignore the possibility. Everything from the forty-year age gap to the twin glares they now fed one another across the desk made the resemblance between them uncanny.
But unlike the alleyway thug, Marco exuded a self-appointed superiority his broken nose hadn’t managed to stifle. He’d even had the audacity to eye-fuck Penny while Rafe stood at her side. It was a sheer miracle he hadn’t put his fist through the bastard’s face. The only reason he hadn’t—besides Penny’s fist bunched into the fabric of his shirt—was that there wasn’t a hint of familiarity coming from Marco’s eyes. Nothing. Either he was a damn good actor, or he didn’t recognize her as the woman who’d broken his nose and knocked him unconscious.
Despite their good fortune, Rafe still didn’t like her being out of his sight, but he’d had little choice when Diego suggested the three men retire to his office to talk business. He and Penny needed more info if they were to find Rachel and take down the operation. If that meant spending more time with Sick Fuck Numbers One and Two, so be it.
“What we have in place is enough. We don’t need the likes of him.” Marco’s glare flipped toward Rafe the second the office door closed.
“He has a name,” Rafe commented evenly.
“You are what we call an efficiency sucker, Rafael,” Marco snarled. “An efficiency sucker and a waste of time. Everything has already been set into motion. Another player will only further complicate matters.”
The younger Fuentes waited for Rafe to jump to the defensive. He did the opposite as he took a seat and leaned back, propping his leg on his knee. The lackadaisical response had Junior tightening his jaw.
Diego spun toward his nephew. “What do you mean everything has already been set into motion? The final declaration was to go through me!”
“And you put me in charge of production. It’s ready. There’s no reason to wait longer than necessary. We’ve waited too long as it is, and we lose money each day we delay the first shipment.”
“Which is why Se?or Manuel is here to discuss the use of his company.”
“Fuck his company.”
Diego’s eyes went wild. He moved damn fast for a man in his sixties. Coming out from behind his desk and into Marco’s face in seconds, the older Fuentes drilled the muzzle of a Beretta into the kid’s left nostril.
“You have already made personal messes that I have been forced to clean up, and I refuse to let my business become yet another of your blunders. As long as there is life left in this body, you will make no choices without my permission. Is that clear?” Diego snarled. When Marco didn’t answer right away, Diego cocked the gun. “I asked you if that was clear.”
“Claro.” Marco didn’t even blink.
Diego continued glaring at his nephew before pulling the gun away and turning to Rafe with an apology. “This will be cleared up. Immediately. I promise you.”
Rafe casually draped an arm along the back of his chair. “Unless Junior’s actions start impeding on my business, personal or otherwise, it’s of no concern to me. The first time it’s attempted will be the last.”
“A man who doesn’t accept challenge is weak,” Marco growled.
“I didn’t say I wouldn’t accept challenge.” Rafe hardened his gaze on the other man. “But it would be the last time that person would be capable of voluntary physical movement.”
Diego focused his demand on his nephew and pointed toward the door. “Undo what you have already set in motion. And for your sake, nephew, I hope no damage has been done. Or I will not hesitate to feed you to the circling sharks at the DEA. You risk what is not yours.”
Marco stood, throwing a severe scowl in Fuentes’s direction before muttering a soft, “We’ll see,” and slamming the door closed.
*
Penny fought against the return of last night’s dinner as shock curled her stomach into knots. She clutched the counter and willed the shake out of her hands. Even an ounce of Rafe’s cool stoicism would be good right about now. He hadn’t so much as batted an eye at Marco’s appearance. He’d been calm and level-headed, not a sign of unease anywhere on his face.
Damn it. She really needed to learn how to summon his nerves of steel, especially when the chill in the air told her Marco had entered the kitchen.
“Aren’t you missing the meeting?” she asked. Unwilling to let him linger at her back, she turned.
“I think I’d be missing more by staying.” Marco’s gaze flashed down to her breasts. “How do you like my uncle’s home?”