I sit at the breakfast bar clutching a cup of coffee. My head is pounding and my stomach churning from last night's tequila. Gabe strolls into the kitchen wearing only a pair of jeans and a scowl. He's still harbouring a slight limp from where I shot him.

"Tor," he says curtly.

"Gabe." I push a cup of coffee towards him and he inspects it as he takes a seat across from me.

"Is it poisoned?"

I roll my eyes and shove his arm. "Don't be a dick."

"I'm sorry if I have problems trusting a woman who shot me."

"I shot myself if it makes you feel any better," I say, sipping my caffeine supply.

He lifts a brow. "It doesn't."

I roll my eyes. "Don't be such a pussy. It's just another scar to add to your array." I nod towards his chest littered with old knife wounds and bullet holes. There's a tattoo of a naked lady on his arm with her head blown off by a nasty bullet scar.

Jude stumbles into the room and plops down at the table next to me. He scratches his hand through his hair before grabbing my mug. I glare at him and he grunts, placing his hand on my thigh as he takes a sip.

"So, we need to win a war..." I say, looking between the two of them. Jude glares at me and Gabe snorts over his cup. "Well, any suggestions on how we do that?"

"It's too early for this shit," Jude grumbles as he pushes up from the table and takes my mug to the coffee pot. I watch him grab a second cup and fill both before bringing them back and sitting down at the table.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather Cayla," I look at Gabe, "and Camilla, weren't in Russia any longer than they need to be. So, we start now. Today."

"It's not fucking rocket science, Tor," Jude says. "Fuck."

Gabe snickers and I shoot a nasty glare at him. "If it's so bloody easy, then tell me why the Sinaloa run Juarez, Gabriel, and not you."

He stares at me before shooting me the bird. "I'm too lazy to run Juarez..." he mumbles.

"Bullshit."

"We have to be smart," Jude interrupts. "Take out their supply. Weaken the chain...inbetweeners, suppliers..." Jude takes a sip of coffee before lighting a cigarette. Small wisps of smoke seep between his lips. "We bring them to their knees. And it's best if we get them while whoever the fuck is in charge now is scrambling to maintain their reign."

"Who's in charge? Michael?" Gabe asks, looking at me.

I shake my head. "Jésus shot Michael when I came home with a bullet in my leg. I don't know who will step up now. I never saw the inner circle beyond Jésus and Michael."

Gabe drags a hand down his face.

"I had a list, before I knew you were alive," Jude says, taking another slow drag from his smoke, "of all the little fucks that worked with them. There was one guy...fuck, what was his name. De Costa—"

"Daniel De Costa?" I narrow my eyes.

Jude grins. "Yes. Dirty ass cop. I think he's the ringleader to all those little shit cops that turn their heads when their coke shipments cross the border. Taking his ass out would make it a hellava lot harder to get that stuff over the border."

I tap my nails over the marble work top. "I know how to get to him," I say, looking at Jude with a smirk. "But he's always with his police buddies. Take one and you'll have to take them all."

"Fuck the cops," Gabe says.

"They go to a bar in Juarez every Tuesday to pick up their money from the Sinaloa,” I say.

"So we just go in and shoot everyone." Gabe claps his hands together. "Perfect."

"Yeah,” I say, “if we want to die.” Gabe huffs before I continue, "It's where all the Sinaloa cartel members hang out. Dirty cops, gang bangers, sicario's...walk in there and we aren't walking out."

"Fine,” Gabe says. “We'll blow it up."

I shake my head. "You couldn't get close enough." I tap my finger over my bottom lip. "We need to draw them out."

"No," Jude says, already shaking his head. "I know what you're thinking, Tor, and abso-fucking-lutely not."

I fold my arms over my chest. "I haven't even said shit yet."

He shoots a condescending look in my direction. "You don't have to. You're predictable as fuck."

I roll my eyes and sigh. "I am not." He glares at me. "But I killed their boss, they want me. I'm distinctive. If they see me, they'll follow and—"

"They'll shoot you," Gabe says. "They want you dead.”

"Well, I'll just have to be quick then won't I?"

"Nope." Jude pushes up from the table.

"I'll bring them to you,” I say with a smile. “You guys kill them all. Done. I even have Jesus' bullet proof car! I'm like a flashing beacon for them, Jude."

"Don't give a shit." He points at me when I open my mouth to protest. "Don't start with me, woman. I'm not in the mood."

"We made a deal," I say, locking eyes with him.

"Yeah, but we have to fucking finish the job first." He stares angrily at me.

"What deal is this, ese?" Gabe asks, lifting a brow.

"Stay out of it Gabe," Jude snaps.

"Gabe, tell him he's being sentimental and fucking emotional," I say.

Gabe stands and makes his way to the door. "Why don't we go to my office, Jude?" And with that, Jude and Gabe head out into the foyer.

"Oh, it's like that, is it?" I huff a laugh. "I swear, I have bigger balls than the pair of you." I push away from the table and storm after them.

By the time I get to the top of the stairs, the door slams in my face and I hear the lock click. Fuck them. I press my ear to the door but all I can hear is muted murmurs. My temper is bubbling just below the surface and I swear, I'm going to kill them. I walk back to our room and take my gun from the bedside table along with a couple of spare clips before I head back downstairs and outside.

Gabriel's house is surrounded by gardens outlined with olive and avocado trees. I march right over to the tree line. I lift my gun, release the safety, and shoot at the narrow trunk of an avocado tree over and over until the clip is empty. I reload and keep firing until the small tree is splintered and leaning at a strange angle, its branches touching the neatly trimmed lawn.

"Now, what are you out here doing?" Marney startles me when he walks up behind me.

"Jesus, Marney. Don't creep up on a girl with a gun."

"Out here killin' nature like a hoodlum." He chuckles. "What's got your panties in a bunch?" He wraps his arm around me and squeezes.

I fire off another shot. "Who do you think?"

"Yeah, well. You're both under a lot of stress..." He squeezes me a little harder. "Why don't you just come on back inside."

I pop the clip out and reload. "Marney, it's this tree or him right now."

He mumbles something and scrapes the toe of his boot along the ground, waiting while I unload another round of bullets. The tree creaks, the wood splits loudly, and then it topples over, snapping in two.

"Well, hell," he huffs. "God rest its soul."

I turn and glare at him, and he tosses his hands in the air. “Fine, fine. I’ll just let you be.” With a chuckle he turns and shuffles back towards the house.

I load the gun again and fire, my anger growing with each pull of the trigger. If Jude Pearson thinks I’m going to let him treat me like some delicate wall flower, he’s got another thing coming.