Becoming the cartel leader’s trophy

"Woah," I breathed as I looked down through the window.

Below us stretched a massive estate—far bigger than I expected to see from the air. A giant mansion sat at the center of it, surrounded by sprawling grounds, long stone paths, and rows of trees that looked carefully maintained.

Even from up here it was obvious the place was enormous.

It honestly rivaled Carla's own house.

"Wait... what..." I muttered quietly as I noticed the plane beginning to descend lower and lower toward the property.

The ground rushed up toward us, the runway behind the mansion growing larger through the window. My stomach tightened slightly as the landing gear touched down.

A moment later I felt the faint jolt and heard the wheels make contact with the ground.

The jet rolled across the private strip behind the mansion, slowing gradually as the engines softened from their earlier roar.

"Who's house is this?" I asked, still staring out the window while the plane taxied forward and finally began coming to a stop.

Carla answered calmly from her seat.

"It's Sophia's," she said. "One of the leaders of the Juarez faction."

Her voice was casual, like she was mentioning a friend's house rather than someone powerful enough to own a place like this.

I nodded slowly, leaning back in my seat while I tried to recall the name.

Sophia...

Ok.

I was pretty sure I had heard Carla mention her before. I just couldn't quite place where.

The jet finally rolled to a complete stop, the engines slowly quieting as the door opened and the stairs were lowered.

A warm breeze hit my face the moment we stepped outside.

I followed Carla down the steps, my shoes touching the pavement of the private strip behind the mansion. 

From ground level the estate looked even bigger than it had from the air. The house rose several stories high, its pale stone walls glowing slightly under the afternoon sun. Large windows reflected the sky, and long balconies stretched along the upper floors.

As we started walking toward the mansion, I glanced back toward the jet for a moment.

"Shouldn't we be getting our luggage?" I asked, squinting a little as the sunlight hit my eyes.

A couple of crew members were already moving around the aircraft, opening compartments along the side.

Carla didn't even slow her pace.

"They'll take care of it," she said smoothly.

Her tone carried that same quiet confidence she always had when things were already handled before I even thought about them.

I looked back at the jet one more time, then shrugged to myself.

If Carla trusted them, then I trusted them.

So I turned forward again and kept walking beside her toward the massive entrance of the house.

"So Sophia just lets you use this house?" I asked, glancing up at the enormous structure as we walked along the stone path leading toward the front entrance. The place looked less like a house and more like a private resort.

Carla didn't even hesitate to answer.

"I'm her boss," she said simply. "She's willing to die for me."

The way she said it wasn't boastful or dramatic—it was matter-of-fact, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

I nodded slowly as we continued walking.

"Understood," I said after a moment. "I'd die for you too."

The reaction was immediate.

Carla stopped walking and shot me a sharp glance, her expression tightening for a split second before she stepped closer and wrapped an arm firmly around me.

"Don't say that ever again," she said.

Her tone was strict—more serious than I had heard from her in a while.

She pulled me slightly against her side as we resumed walking.

"As a woman," she continued, her voice steady but protective, "it's my duty to protect you... to kill for you... and if it ever came to it, to die for you."

Her arm tightened briefly around my shoulders, like she was reinforcing the point.

"You're not the one who throws your life away," she added quietly. "Not while I'm here."

"My god," I said, letting out a quiet laugh as I moved a little closer to Carla's solid frame while we walked. "The way you're so protective just gets me so heated up, I could just melt."

Carla glanced down at me immediately, one eyebrow lifting slightly.

A slow smirk spread across her face.

"Oh?" she murmured, her arm still comfortably around my shoulders as we continued toward the mansion doors. "Already willing to go?"

The teasing tone in her voice made my cheeks warm instantly.

"I think I know what I might be doing tonight," she added, clearly amused.

The comment made the blush spread across my face even more.

I looked away for a moment, trying to hide it while we kept walking up the wide steps toward the entrance, but I could still feel her eyes on me—enjoying every second of my reaction.

We reached the entrance and Carla pulled out a key, unlocking the large back door with a quiet click. The hinges moved smoothly as she pushed it open, and a second later we stepped inside.

The interior was just as ridiculous as the outside.

The living room alone was massive—high ceilings, dark wooden beams running across the top, huge windows that let in the warm evening light, and furniture that looked like it belonged in a luxury catalog. 

A giant television hung on the wall across from a long, expensive-looking couch that could probably seat ten people.

I slowly turned in place, taking everything in.

"I know you pay your people good but holy..." I muttered under my breath, staring around the room in disbelief.

Carla just chuckled softly beside me.

The place smelled faintly like polished wood and fresh air, like someone had cleaned it recently even though Sophia apparently wasn't even here.

I walked over to the couch and practically flopped down onto it, sinking into the soft cushions as I looked up at the enormous TV mounted across the room.

"How far is the strip from here?" I asked, stretching my legs out in front of me.

Carla walked over and sat down beside me, the couch dipping slightly under her weight.

"About twenty minutes," she said casually. "No biggie."

She leaned back comfortably, resting one arm along the back of the couch.

"The fight's tomorrow," she continued. "We've got all the time in the world to kill tonight."

Her tone carried a playful hint behind it.

Plenty of time.

Her lips met mine suddenly, warm and confident.

For a moment the world around us faded—the huge room, the mansion, the city outside—none of it mattered.

When we parted, she didn't pull away very far. Carla stayed close, her eyes fixed on mine as if she was studying every little reaction on my face. 

There was something softer behind her usual confidence, something almost vulnerable.

"You just do something to me, Miguel..." she murmured quietly.

Before I could even respond, her hand came up and gently grabbed my chin, guiding my face back toward hers.

Her lips pressed against mine again, slower this time.

The kiss lingered longer, deeper than the first, her fingers still holding my chin while the other hand rested against my shoulder. I could feel the warmth of her breath and the faint taste of the wine she'd had earlier.

For a few seconds neither of us seemed interested in breaking the moment.

"You're my all, Miguel... you're everything... without you... I don't know what would happen," she murmured softly against my lips, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her words made my chest tighten.

"I love you so much, Carla," I whispered back, my voice low and sincere. "You're the sole reason why I'm not completely broken."

For a brief second she just looked at me, her eyes searching my face like she needed to hear those words again and again to believe them.

Then she leaned in and captured my lips once more.

This time the kiss was more urgent.

I lost my balance slightly and fell back against the couch cushions, the soft fabric sinking under my weight. Carla followed immediately, her body settling over mine as she braced herself with one arm beside my head.

Her hair fell forward around us like a curtain while we continued kissing.

Her lips moved against mine again and again, lingering, returning, like she couldn't get enough. 

One of her hands slid gently along my arm before resting against my chest, holding me close while we stayed tangled together on the couch.

For a while neither of us seemed interested in stopping, the quiet mansion around us filled only with the soft sounds of our breathing and the rustle of the couch cushions beneath us.

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