8
DIESEL
An hour later the lights from the Strip glowed in the skyline. Gabriela wrapped her arms around me tightly and I wrapped my arm around hers for reassurance. I really hated myself for dragging her into this. I quickly realized I didn’t want her here. I wanted her safe back at home. But she had this wild determined look in her eye that dared me to say no. She looked so goddamn beautiful in that instant and something in me wanted to forget it all. To grab her and run away and forget my dark, fucking past. But if I did that, if I gave up, it would be like turning my back on Isabel and I couldn’t let her down again. Not again.
I pulled us up to the Bellagio, it was always the fucking Bellagio with Charlie. He liked to play the tables. Motherfucker had luck too, always managed to win. He’d always walk away within the first hour stating his luck ran out at that point. Any longer and he’d lose it all. Grabbing Gabriela by the hand I led her into the busy hotel.
As soon as you walked in you stepped into a Venetian styled hall, complete with golden atrium and a beautiful blown glass art ceiling. Two Chinese dragons greeted you at the entrance while the famous Bellagio Fountain Show started up behind us. Out of the corner of my eye I watched Gabriela taking in the high-end stores and the high ceilings. She was completely immersed in the sights and I could only smile at her.
“What?” she asked innocently.
“Never been?”
“Uh-uh,” she looked up and stared at the glass blown ceiling. The array of glass glittering in the dim light creating a stunning array of colors. Her pretty mouth parted in awe and I couldn’t help but lean in and graze my lips against hers.
“I promise I’ll bring you again and we can spend as much time as you want gawking at the ceiling. But right now, we’ve got to go.”
She pouted as I tugged lightly on her hand. I loved the way she gripped my wrist with her other hand and leaned in on me as we walked. As if she was afraid to let go of me. If she only knew that I felt the same exact way. I wanted her close. So damn close.
We walked through the elaborate maze of colorful and loud coin machines which led right to the dollar, five-dollar and up to a hundred-dollar slot machines, right out to the blackjack table where I spotted Charlie wearing his ugly as sin, blue suede jacket. I shook my head and made my way through the groups of people lined around the Craps table. Gabriela’s hold tightened on my hand and I reached back, pulling her into the crook of my arm. We made our way to Charlie’s table and we quickly sat down to his right.
I placed my hand on his shoulder and he looked over at me and then at Gabriela. “She’s new.”
“She’s none of your business.”
He tilted his head and nodded in agreement. “I heard he’s staying over at the MGM and he’s using the fucking airport tunnels to get through the city. If my source is correct, he should be at the casino right about now.”
I nodded and patted him on the shoulder, but before I could leave he grabbed at my jacket. “Now hold on a second!”
I turned to him, my eyes glaring down at his hand. The kid didn’t budge and I was starting to get tired of people holding me back. “What the fuck is it now?”
I narrowed my eyes on his and watched as he looked over at Gabriela and then his eyes wandered towards the other end of the table. I closed my eyes, knowing one the fools that Wolf had on me were seated back there. I turned slowly and found Ryan Simon perched on a stool looking dapper as fuck in a dark charcoal suit. His eyes staring fixedly at me.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me?”
I grabbed Gabriela by the hand and went to leave when I felt a set of hands gripping me by the shoulders and sitting me back down.
“What the fuck?” I tried getting up again and was forced back down. I looked over at Gabriela and her eyes were wide, yet her hand was tucked in her waistband, right where I knew her gun would be.
I looked up at the two goons I knew were standing there. Sure enough Poe and Ash, Death Row Shooters Sargent at Arms and Road Captain were smirking down at me.
“Enjoying this, are you?” I rolled my eyes and looked over at Gabriela. I shook my head, signaling they were friendly, and she instantly relaxed.
“What are you doing here Ryan?”
“Wolf said I needed to keep my eye out on his boy.”
“So he’s got you following me around too?”
Ryan shrugged. “I’m not really following you, I’m more securing you don’t ruin shit for me. Charlie here was kind enough to let us know the deal. You’re after Calvaro and I want La Cruz, let’s just work together here.”
“Hey, wait a second, that wasn’t the deal here,” Charlie stated, jumping out of his seat.
Poe reached out placing a hand on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and shook his head letting him know it was best he remain seated.
“Relax Charlie. I’m not thinking of excluding the FBI. I have enough shit to worry about than pissing government officials off.” He looked over at Diesel and leaned in. In a hushed tone he gave us all the information he had on Calvaro and La Cruz. How he knew any details or how he go this information was always a fucking mystery to me. I had informants, but this guy was on a different level.
“So La Cruz and Calvaro want to ship in the drugs throughout the whole west coast?”
“Not only the West Coast. Down South, through Canada, any border they can find. They want to expand the business and Calvaro is the perfect son of a bitch for the job. He’s been laying low for ten years, using every twisted mean he can to travel through the U.S. without being caught. Motherfucker’s a fucking chameleon. Charlie here got lucky. Most people have no idea who he is.”
I looked at Gabriela and she leaned in and placed a hand on my forearm. “Maybe we should listen to him. You can’t bring him down alone.”
“Look Diesel, I’m only here to help.”
I narrowed my eyes on Ryan Simon, not sure why he was so intent on helping me. “What the fuck did Wolf do for you that you’re so willing to help a Hellbound Lover you barely know?”
“It’s not what he did, it’s who he saved. He helped someone very important to me. I’ll forever be grateful to him and his band of misfits. So before we get all weepy eyed and start to hug shit out I suggest you listen to your girl there. She’s saving your life, man.”
I looked at Gabriela who was leaning against my side. Her pretty green eyes assessing me, pleading with me. I felt this surge of emotions and I realized I didn’t want to let her down either.
I turned to her and cupped her cheek and my heart clenched as she closed her eyes and dipped her chin, rubbing against the palm of my hand.
I pressed my forehead to hers and tightened my hold along her neck. “I won’t let you down. I won’t leave you,” I whispered only for her.
She squeezed my hand in acknowledgement, and in that moment, I knew that after this was all over, I’d be free. Free to love this amazingly bright angel that suddenly appeared in my godforsaken life.