I turned back to the sorry bunch of market-sweeping delinquents sprawled against the tree.
I crouched down, letting my shadow stand above them. "You all remember what I said about María José, right?"
Luis Miguel swallowed. "Sí, sí. We'll do it."
I arched a brow. "And if you don't?"
I glanced at them one after the other, letting the silence hold the weight of the meaning behind my worries
Gonzalo cleared his throat. "You'll… you'll make our lives miserable."
I smiled and patted his shoulders. "Good. I'm glad we understand each other."
Luis Miguel heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing that I was already leaving, wiping his filthy face with an equally filthy sleeve. "Damn you, Beta."
I grinned. "Already did, amigo."
With that, I straightened, dusted off my hands, and turned to leave, relishing the sound of their defeated groans as I walked away.
The moment I hit the street, Hugo stirred. "You know your Papá is going to eat you alive, right?"
