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"Are you always this difficult?"

- José
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Chapter 54 - Freedom By Any Means

▪️J A D E▪️

During dinner, José had gotten a call. Before excusing himself, he had requested that I joined him in the study later on.

Once I had finished eating, Roberto had roughly pulled me up and pushed me towards the door. Looking back at Cristiano, I signalled with my eyes for him to remain strong before the Fuentes twin shoved me forward once more.

Roberto blamed us for the death of his twin brother Miguel and would not doubt try to take his anger out on us at the first chance he got.

"You better watch your back, bitch. The moment the boss gets bored with you, I'm going to make you wish that you died in that diner next to your friend!" Roberto menacingly said as he gripped my upper right arm and shoved me to walk faster.

Stumbling slightly, I then quickly found my footing. The mention of Blaire's death caused a dull ache in my chest, a glaring reminder of how reckless we had been.

My anger made me bold as I suddenly stopped and turned to face him, "And you better watch how you manhandle me! Don't want to have to explain to your boss why my precious skin is bruised, now do you?"

Muttering under his breath, he made no motion to touch me again as he walked past me and lead the way. Upon approaching the large wooden door to the study, Roberto knocked three times and waited for permission before opening the door.

Stepping aside, he allowed me to enter and I saw José leaning at the end of a large mahogany desk. He was just finishing his call as he motioned with his free hand for us to come in, his eyes lighting up as soon as he saw me.

Placing the mobile phone on his desk, the Cartel boss' gaze narrowed as he looked at the bruise that was forming on my upper right arm.

"Who did that to you?" José asked as he pushed off from the desk to walk towards us.

Tilting my head briefly to look at Roberto, I smiled sweetly and said, "Ask your right-hand man, he knows."

Clearing his throat, the man fumbled with his words, "W-well you see Patrón I..."

"You what?" José almost shouted, his patience thin.

Interjecting, I spoke up, "You see, good old Robby here saved me. I was walking and tripped on the carpet and he quickly grabbed me before I could fall face first on the floor. Isn't that right, Robert?" my green eyes looked up playfully at him as I purposefully altered his name.

"Err yea..." he replied hesitantly.

Content with the response, José nodded, "No one is to lay a hand on her without clearing it with me, understood?"

"Sí Patrón!" Roberto answered promptly.

"See yourself out..." the Cartel boss dismissed the man before turning his attention back to me, "Would you care for a drink?"

Moving to sit on his desk, I made myself comfortable while resting my open palms on the smooth surface as I slowly looked around the room, taking in every single detail.

"It depends on what you have," I answered him after a few seconds.

"Are you always this difficult? What do you want?" José asked, growing slightly impatient as he walked to the small bar area in the corner.

Laughing softly, I replied, "You think I'm being difficult? Ha, should've seen me a few years ago, drove Dominic and the others absolutely crazy."

There was a low rumbling sound in his throat at the mention of the Calvetti boss' name.

Noticing the shift in his mood, I hurriedly added with a hearty smile, "Why don't you surprise me and pour me whatever."

"Do you like coffee?" he enquired, his mood lightening once more.

"I do, very much! Although I must confess, I prefer my coffee drinks cold. Nothing like a delicious Iced Caramel Macchiato to hit the spot at any time of the day!" I said, genuinely excited.

In that moment, I realised that I was feeling a bit more comfortable around José than I should be. Clearing my throat, I pressed my lips into a thin line to try and pull myself together. Unfortunately, my short burst of enthusiasm was not missed by the Cartel boss who smirked before turning his back to me to pour us some drinks.

Quickly glancing down at the mobile phone that was a few inches away from me, I silently wondered if it was password protected. Biting the inside of my cheek, I immediately began thinking of a way in which I could get my hands on the device so that I could call Dominic from it.

As José slowly turned back around, I swiftly shifted my gaze back towards him, a small smile on my face as I acted as though I had been watching him the whole time.

Walking towards me, he handed me a glass and said, "I think you'll like this; it's called a Sombrero."

"Wow, that's not cliché at all," I snickered softly, unable to keep the comment to myself.

Surprisingly, he laughed along with me, his gold canines gleaming, "Hey, don't look at me, I didn't come up with the name."

Taking the short glass from him, I inspected it. There was a dark-coloured fluid at the bottom and white liquid at the top. I appreciated the fact that he added a small short straw for me to drink from.

Clinking my glass with his, I could not help but joke, "Wow, do I really seem like such a child that you decide to give me milk while you drink some expensive brandy? What's this dark stuff at the bottom?"

"Your sense of humour is so refreshing!" José exclaimed with another laugh as he went on to say, "I made you a Sombrero cocktail, which is usually Kahlúa topped with milk and ice. Taste it, you'll like it, I promise..."

Bringing the clear straw to my lips, I took a sip and immediately closed my eyes.

Holy shit! It was amazing!

A small moan unintentionally escaped past my lips and as I reopened my eyes, I noticed the slight stiffness in the Cartel boss' stance. No doubt the sound of my groan had affected him and he cleared his throat as he took a big gulp from his brandy to keep himself focused.

Not so unaffected now, are we? I thought to myself in silent triumph.

Hiding my smirk, I quickly tried to continue our conversation, "I like it, what's the Kahlúa made of? I've never had it before."

Moving to sit on the black leather couch situated a few feet away from his desk, he said "It's a coffee-flavoured liqueur from Mexico that basically contains rum, sugar, vanilla bean, and arabica coffee. Now that I know you like it; I'll be sure to order a few more bottles."

His last few words were a reminder that he had no intention of letting me leave.

The fact that he left his mobile phone on his desk out in the open had clearly been a test. However, it was one I had no plan on falling for, as there was no way I could dial anyone's number before he got to me and snatched it away.

Sure, I could kill him with the pen that was on his desk, but I had no idea where I was and how many men he had on the property. No, I would play the long game and I would do whatever it took to ensure that Cristiano and myself got out of here alive.

José really had no idea who he was messing with!

I was more ruthless and cunning than he realised and I would use his ignorance and arrogance against him.

The less I resisted, the more José would assume that he had me under his control. At least that was what I was hoping for as I knew that it would only take one false move from me to result in the man ending my life.

I was no fool. I knew the Cartel boss was very perceptive. My actions would need to be very convincing if I had any hopes of having the man lower his guard around me.

As I raised my eyes to his, I saw him intently watching my every move, no doubt trying to assess what was going on in my mind. With a small smile, I kept his gaze for a few moments before deciding to break the silence.

"Why are you sitting so far?" I asked him before taking another sip from the straw.

My question was innocent enough, and was asked out of genuine curiousity. I mean, I could have gone the cliché route and used my tongue against the straw and try to seduce the Cartel boss, but I knew that he would see right through the ruse.

So, I simply planned on being my usual bratty self and see how far I could push him.

After all, if the cold-hearted beast otherwise known as Dominic Calvetti could love me, perhaps I could try and build on the soft spot that José clearly already had for me. I was up for the challenge and looked forward to seeing how things would play out.

It was no secret that the Cartel boss desired me in his bed, that was the easy part.

The hard part would be getting him to trust me and I had no idea how long such a task would take. Before I could give the notion anymore thought, the Mexican's deep voice pulled my attention back to him.

"Given the situation, I figured that you wouldn't want me crowding your space too much," José replied.

Scoffing, I hopped off the desk without spilling any of my drink.

Arching an eyebrow, I sat next to him on the couch, "Don't want to crowd my space? Soooo the chains on the bed are what, decoration?"

Raising his glass at me in response to my jab, he said, "Fair enough. But you must understand, given your skill set, I couldn't afford to leave your hands and feet free."

"But my limbs are free now," I commented while briefly raising my left leg parallel to the ground while finishing the rest of my drink.

His dark brown eyes watched the curve of my calf before moving back to look at my face, the tone in his voice deepened as he responded, "I figured it was safe to let you stretch for a bit."

I remained quiet as he continued.

With a soft chuckle, José stated, "I think you're a smart girl. Smarter than you're pretending to be. I know that you won't attack me, at least not right now."

Licking my bottom lip quickly, I replied, "You never know, but anyway, you said that if I behaved Cristiano would be left alone. His face looks like shit! I'd like it if you called off your dog Roberto, I don't want him hurting my friend any more than he already has."

"You have my word, Jade. You're both safe as long as each of you behave," he said sincerely.

"How can I trust you to keep your word? You run one of the biggest drug cartels in the world!" I stated as I handed him my glass, "Pour me another?"

"Certainly," he replied as he went to refill both of their glasses.

I made sure to keep my eyes focused on his every move; the way he walked, the way his hands held the bottles and added ice. By watching him so keenly, I was observing to see which leg he favoured, my eyes cautiously looking for any weakness I could use in the future.

José sat back next to me and handed me a new glass, which I thanked him for.

"Here you go, and as for keeping my word, there's one thing that you should know about me..." José took a sip from his glass before continuing, "I'm a man of few words, but those words count, and so do my actions. So, I can assure you that when I say you two will be safe as long as you behave, you have my word. I promise that Roberto won't lay another finger on Cristiano."

After taking a long pull from my delicious drink, I glanced at my bruised upper arm, then back at him before saying, "How can you assure me that Roberto won't hurt us when you're not around."

His dark eyes followed mine to my right upper arm, his hand reaching out to gently trace the bruise that had formed on my skin. As his fingers touched me, he noticed the goose bumps that immediately formed and from the way his eyes narrowed, I knew that he was silently wondering if it was due to his cold hand or my revulsion of him.

With his fingers on my arm, I did not suppress the slight shiver that suddenly erupted. My body had always been sensitive, and while I was not turned on by the Cartel boss, I was not exactly disgusted either.

As much as I wanted to deny it, José had a certain charm to him. I suppose I was slightly fascinated by the danger and power that surrounded him.

The Cartel boss had strong hands and his deep voice and thick accent did not go unnoticed by me. I could imagine just how much more appealing he would have been thirty years ago. There was a charismatic air about him that just drew people in.

If I had to force myself to sleep with him, I would focus on what I found attractive about him and block out the rest. It would not be the first time I would be in such a situation and I shook my head to refocus myself as I looked at José.

A muscle in his jaw ticked as he removed his hand from me, "If Roberto gets rough with you, let me know. I will personally deal with it. Especially after I just told him no one is to lay a hand on you."

"From what I've noticed being around mafia men, sometimes not all subordinates follow the rules," I said, pressing the issue.

Shaking his head in understanding, he commented, "That's true, but Roberto is as loyal as they come. Now his twin Miguel, I can confess had the occasional slip up, which eventually lead to his death. But Roberto was always the smarter one, less rash, more calculated."

"Which means that he's more dangerous, and given that he blames Cristiano and myself for his brother's death, I'm afraid I'm not as confident as you are where our safety around him is concerned," I countered, hoping to plant some seeds of doubt.

"Look, I promise, you're safe," José tried to reassure me.

Finishing off my drink, I rested my glass on the coffee table in front of us as I said, "If you say so. But I can promise you this, if he does try to hurt me, I won't hold back. I will kill him."

The Mexican studied my facial expression, noting that I was very much serious about what I had just said. From the way he smirked, I could tell that my feistiness turned him on. Since interacting with him, I realised that even though José may be old school in the way he viewed some gender roles, he admired women who could take care of themselves.

Even though I may look soft and delicate, I knew that he knew I was anything but. And from the way his eyes kept going back to the bruise on my arm, it was clear that he had made a mental note to have a word with Roberto.

"You talk as if you're the one in charge and I'm the captive," José commented, amusement laced in his tone.

Shrugging, I replied, "I'm just being honest with you. I won't stand there and take a beating without putting up a fight."

"Is that a promise?" he asked, his eyes twinkled as he obviously thought about what I would be like in bed.

Noting the aroused look on his face, I boldly asked, "So you like beating up women, huh?"

He took another sip from his glass before responding, "I told you, I don't get off on that sort of thing. Can I get a bit rough while having sex? Most definitely, and from the marks on your thighs, we have already established that you're into that sort of thing as well."

"So, is that what you want? Bragging rights to say that you're fucking me?" I frowned slightly, knowing that such news would enrage Dominic.

"I'd like to think of it as us fucking each other, as in time you may come to desire me," he replied as he suddenly stood up.

José placed his glass on the coffee table next to mine and extended his hand. Pulling me to my feet, I stood in front of him. Since he was only 5 foot 6 inches, I was slightly taller than him, but only by an inch. He did not release my hand as we stood there quietly staring at each other.

The intensity of my green eyes appeared to temporarily transfix the Mexican as he simply stood there, staring back at me before he seemed to catch himself. José visibly shook his head before he broke the silence.

"Come, I'll take you back to your room," he gently tugged me forward and lead me out of the study.

As we entered the corridor, he gave me a brief rundown of the layout of the house, letting me know the direction of the kitchen. I noticed that there were armed bodyguards walking about on each floor. From the large windows, I could also see men walking up and down the well-manicured lawn. Unfortunately, breaking out of here would not be easy.

If Cristiano and I planned on escaping, we would definitely need to shoot our way out.

I continued to walk beside José as we climbed the stairs to the second floor and stopped at the main landing. He pointed down a hallway, indicating that that was where Cristiano was staying, before leading me to my own room which was at the end of the opposite hall.

"My bedroom is next to yours, and there's no need to worry about the chains, they'll no longer be making an appearance. I will have Cristiano give you a better tour or the place tomorrow, as I have to meet the police to answer some questions concerning your disappearance," he said, his eyes watching to see my reaction.

Keeping my face impassive, I patiently waited for him to continue to speak. Of course, I did not show my excitement at being allowed to roam about.

With a smile, José continued, "I trust that you'll both behave as it's obvious that you can't escape. So, after the tour, you can go take a dip in the pool. You'll find that the walk-in closets in your room has been stocked with all types of clothing. If you need anything else, just ask."

"Anything?" I probed light-heatedly while blinking at him sweetly.

"Within reason of course..." he chuckled before adding in a more serious tone, "This will be our home for a while. Due to the increased police surveillance on me and with your face being posted all over the news, we won't be able to go back to Mexico for at least a few weeks."

"I'm on the news?" I asked playfully, using my wittiness to continue to defuse the severity of the situation.

José laughed once more, my entertaining responses forcing him to. When he finally responded, he did so with a bit of facetiousness of his own, "Yes you are, I've never seen a more beautiful missing person's poster."

This caused me to giggle, despite my best efforts to keep it in.

José then gently brought my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it, "Goodnight, my dear."

Nodding in reply, I then closed and locked the bedroom door behind me. Based on our conversation, I figured that we were most likely in Miami since that was the last known location of where the Cartel boss was residing.

The fact that Cristiano and myself were being allowed to roam about the compound freely meant that José was more than confident in our inability to flee.

Since he had plans to take me back to Mexico with him, I realised that if I wanted to escape, it would need to be within the next few weeks, as once in Mexico, I knew that José would have complete control over the region and any attempt to get out of his grasp would fail.

Letting out a long sigh as I leaned against the door frame, I listened to his footsteps as he walked away. I could still feel the touch of his lips against my skin. It had been a gentle kiss and his lips were softer than I had imagined they would be.

"The fuck..." I chastised myself, "He is the enemy, who cares how soft his lips are!"

At that thought, my mind immediately ran to Dominic and I could not help but wonder how he was doing. He must be thinking that I was currently being harmed, when in fact it was the complete opposite.

While José was a dangerous drug lord, I knew that my life was not in any immediate danger, at least not yet.

It was beginning to become more than obvious that the man intended to keep me for himself, as he seemed to have hopes that we could have some form of sexual relationship. I shivered slightly at the thought, not wanting to dwell on the things I may have to do in order to survive.

In reality, having to willingly submit to José was a fate much worse than if the Cartel boss had just tortured and killed me.

While I did not wish to betray Dominic and sleep with another man, we had had such conversations in the past about worst case scenarios and ways in which to get out of them. Dominic would understand that I would need to do whatever it took in order to survive.

The sadist in me would make José submit to me one way or the other, for I would get my freedom by any means necessary.

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A/N: Do you agree with Jade's plan?