“Maybe that makes me selfish… or smart. I don’t know. But it’s the price I chose to pay. I guess the protector in me decided it was better to be alone than to bring somebody I love into a storm I can’t always control.” He leaned back in his chair. “One day, you might be in this same seat, and when that time comes, you’ll have to decide: Love or loyalty? Peace or power? Family or legacy? And whatever choice you make, you better be ready to live with it… or die behind it.”
Damn.
I didn’t say much, but I felt every word.
Still… was that his way of offering me the throne?
I didn’t ask, but I logged it in the back of my mind and filed it underShit to unpack later.
I gave him a tight nod. “I got you.”
Alejandro nodded, then let out a breath like he was done reminiscing. “Anyway… on to more serious shit,” he said, shifting his posture and leaning forward with renewed intent. “I’m not stepping down—not yet—but I’m starting to shift the weight. That being said, I’ve decided to hand over allresponsibilities tied to mule recruitment, route assignments, and runner management toyou.”
I straightened up slightly. That wasn’t no light offer.
“That’s why I’m here, sir.”
“I know that. But being present and being prepared isn’t the same. Being an underboss is pressure, but being abossis war. You hear me? This ain’t just muscle and strategy; it’s chess, politics, blood, fear, betrayal, and respect.” He leaned in, voice lower. “You fuck up with soldiers, they might talk. You fuck up with runners, you might lose a load. But you fuck up with mules? You bring the feds to my front door. And if you bring the feds to me?” He looked me dead in the eye. “I kill everybody responsible. No exceptions… not even you.”
I nodded once, unflinching. I respected the seriousness of the stakes involved.
“Understood.”
He sank back into his chair, a mixture of relief and expectation flickering across his features. “Good… because we need a replacement for Iya ASAP. I hated she turned rat; she was one of our best. But now I need someone who is loyal, untraceable, and committed. That entire route she was handling brings in the most revenue we have. One slip-up, and we’ll be bleeding from the neck. So whoever you choose next, that’s on you.You can even have Marcos help you out, if need be. But let him know, if she folds…”He dragged his thumb across his neck in a swift, deadly gesture. “That’s on y’all heads.”
That weight didn’t scare me; it lit something in me.
“I won’t disappoint you. I’ll have a new girl in no time. She’ll be somebody smarter and hungrier than Iya. And if she ain’t?” I cracked my neck. “She won’t last long enough to become a problem.”
“I trust that you’ll find the perfect girl for the job.”
That trust? It wasn’t born from affection; it was rooted in the gritty reality of our lives. Expectation was thicker than blood in this unforgiving world we navigate. Out here, love could easily lead to betrayal or worse... death. But loyalty? Loyalty will make you a king.