* * *
Nicholas entered the office when Mitchell opened the door. He had never met the man before, but he recognized the aura of lethal power Emiliano Medina possessed. Nicholas wondered how Dragon had been able to hold onto his power as long as he had against Emiliano.
“You wanted to see me?”
Emiliano’s fierce gaze didn’t frighten Nicholas. He had driven straight here after leaving Ria. He might be able to make two relatively unknown women disappear, but not someone of Nicholas’s wealth and popularity without drawing attention. They strove to protect their secrecy at all cost. Brazenly showing up at his front door would undoubtedly anger him; however, it was the safest approach to dealing with the cartel. If he was wrong, Zane would be dealing with his grieving sister.
Nick decided to be upfront. “I want you to let Ria and her mother go.”
Deadly eyes stared back at him. “You have taken one too many hits to the head to come into my home and demand anything of me.”
The bastard was right; he was handling this all wrong.
“How much do you want to buy her freedom, then?”
“Freedom is an expensive commodity. Ria is proving to be a valuable employee. Even with your wealth, you do not have enough.”
“I’m a rich man. I can afford her.” Nicholas knew it was the wrong thing to say as soon as he opened his mouth.
“You’re just another gringo who thinks he can buy a Spanish puta to amuse himself.”
“No.” Nicholas started over. “I’m making an ass of myself. I just want to help Ria.”
“Why?”
How could he answer without telling Emiliano that he was the one responsible for her brothers’ deaths?
“I like her. She’s had a hard time lately because I got her fired from her job. I owe her.” Nick hoped he believed the partial truth.
“Very well. I will take three hundred thousand for Ria, five hundred thousand if you want Ria and her mother.”
Nicholas was unable to contain his expression.
“Too much for you?”
“No.” Nicholas had the money. The problem was his father had control over it, and he was not going to release that money without questioning him. There wasn’t a chance in Hell of him releasing it if Nicholas told him he wanted to save the sister of the man who had killed his wife.
Nicholas’s laziness at taking control of his finances was now kicking him in the ass.
“I can’t get that kind of money without explaining why to my father.”
Emiliano stared at him in disgust. “You are how old?” He waved his hand in dismissal. “Leave. You are not man enough for Ariel.”
“Wait. It will take me a few weeks to do it, but I can.”
“Fine. Come back then.”
“Will you stop making her go out with men until then?”
“Of course not. I’m not in the business of losing money based on something that may or may not happen. I see why your father manages your money.”
Nicholas wanted five minutes in the ring with the man sitting behind the desk. He would show him who was a man.
Nicholas ran an experienced eye over Emiliano. Unlike Dragon, who had been flabby and had an unhealthy pallor, Emiliano was muscular and fit, and his dark complexion was healthy.
Nicholas’s thoughts turned to other avenues of raising the cash. Zane didn’t have that kind of money...
That’s when an idea occurred to him.
“I have a solution,” Emiliano interrupted his thoughts.
“What?”
“Fight for me. For every fight you win, I will excuse her from escorting one of my clients. I will even be generous. If you win your first fight, I will allow you to see Ariel occasionally. Of course, if you lose...”
He had seen the fights tonight in the private club after it had taken several of Zane’s connections to get him admitted. The bloodthirsty fights were battles of survival with no rules except to get the knockout. He could be injured enough that he could never fight in the ring again. Nicholas saw no other recourse if he was going to save Ria.
“You have a deal.”
Chapter 14
“You fucking asshole! How dare you?” As she went to smack him, Nicholas grabbed her arm and pulled her against his body, but Ria jerked away from him. “You have no right to go see him, much less make such a deal with him!”
Nicholas narrowed his eyes at her. “What choice did I have, Ria? Walk away and forget all about you being kept prisoner by him?”
“Does it look like I’m suffering?” She waved her arm, showing him the expensive apartment.
“Do you enjoy going out with those men, teasing them into losing their money?”
“No!”
“Then what other option do we have? I’m open to suggestions.”