AN: So, dialogue from movie, and I apologize for the slur.

Day Five:

Early morning of Wednesday, July 12th

Laguna Beach, California

Bella

Let me tell you a story about Lado.

Alex and Jaime might be the front men in suits, but Lado was the enforcer. He was Elena's trusted confidant and possibly the most dangerous one out of them all. Elena, for her part, was the leader of the Baja Cartel. She inherited it when another cartel killed her husband and son. Elena, instead of turning her anger and grief inward, she projected it outward, killing her husband and son's murderers, but also taking control of the territory and making herself rich and the most powerful.

Hands down, Elena was a boss, and I would admire her if she wasn't trying to take everything away from me.

Back to Lado, he was usually stationed in Tijuana and San Diego, but made a special trip up north to Laguna. As Edward assumed with the cameras in the hotel room, it was Elena watching the meeting, and when the negotiations with Alex and Jaime failed, she called Lado. She was upset that Edward and Jasper had the audacity to refuse her oh-so-generous offer and wanted to keep an eye on my boys. We didn't know it then, but at the restaurant, we had two of Lado's people sitting at the bar, Esteban and Sophia, watching our every move.

It was crazy, how hindsight was 20/20. When I think back, all I remember was being in love and happy. For me, it was like any other night. Maybe I was deluding myself or maybe my boys made sure to protect me from the horrors awaiting us. You never think it could happen to you. It's always someone else, but never you.

When Edward, Jasper, and I left to go home, Lado picked up Esteban and then followed us. He watched as he slowly creeped by our house as Edward stumbled out of the car, helping me out, and then swiftly picking me up. Jasper, not one to be left out, came from his side of the car, and held me up on the other side, and both my boys carried me into the house. It was a funny moment for us, we were buzzed, happy, and having a good time.

Lado was confused by what he saw. "So, which cock does she suck?" he asked Esteban.

"I can't tell," said Esteban. "The white guys like each other. Maybe they're faggots."

"Maybe she does them both. Savages."

And then he drove on.

Lado parked a block away from our beach house, but then walked down the hill and watched us from the street. Our home had large windows in the back, but nothing in the front, and I'm grateful that he probably didn't see much. But regardless of his limited view, Lado camped out by our fence and waited. He was by myself drinking a few beers and smoking a million cigarettes. Esteban was still new, kind of young, and his heart had yet to be hardened by this life. Lado saw that in him and didn't trust that the kid wouldn't fuck things up. So, he made him wait in the car. Lado didn't mind. He hated senseless chatter and people tend to fill the silence with talking.

Around three that morning, Lado called Elena to update.

"Fuck," he grumbled, fumbling in the dark with the phone to his ear, and trying to take a piss. "I can't find my prick here."

"That's because it's too fucking small," Elena replied. Lado didn't noticed she picked up. "What are you drunk?" She wasn't that far off.

Lado was finally able to stabilize the phone and his prick. "Elena."

"You left the phone on." She assumed it was a mistake that he called.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You know, I'm just..." Lado finally got his relief and was able to focus again.

Not much of a multitasker, that one.

"What's going on there?" Elena was concerned now. If it wasn't a mistake, then why was he sounding so strange?

"The güeros got drunk with the bonita. They all went inside the house. They've been there now for two hours."

"A whore?"

Well, I've been called worse.

"No, I think she's like a rich girl or something."

"Does she belong to 'nothing personal' or 'eat-shit-caviar'?"

"Hard to tell," Lado said, and from his prospective, it was difficult to understand.

"Interesting. Are they sharing?"

That wasn't Lado's concern. The way my boys acted and how they rejected the deal and wanted more time to decide to join the Baja Cartel raised too many red flags. What may have not been obvious to Alex and Jaime was blaringly clear to Lado. He just hated disappointing Elena.

"I know you don't want to hear this, Madrina, but I think they're going to run."

She sighed, because it wasn't something she wanted to hear, but she suspected it as well.

"I could walk in there right now and take them," Lado said, and that meant a bullet through each limb, until Edward and Jasper agreed. However, my fate? Lado could think of some ideas. "You know, talk to them on your behalf."

Elena smiled, because Lado would do anything for her. "No, big bear. I need their network and expertise."

And that wasn't a lie. If it was just about territory, Jasper and Edward would be dead. They were too important to kill. That's what probably saved them.

Then there was little-oh-me. Where do I fit in the mix?

"Interesting people, Americans," Elena said. "I think I found their weakness."

AN: Thanks for reading.