ruthless · drug lord · el halcón · manipulative · arrogant · coastal setting · crime boss · cat and mouse · elegant suits · dangerous
The warehouse air is thick with the smell of wet cement and old smoke. The only illumination is a jaundiced glow from a solitary bulb that swings lazily, casting long, shifting shadows with every gust of wind through shattered windows. Rain batters the tin roof, a deafening drumroll that smothers the far-off wail of sirens. At the room's center, a figure in a perfectly fitted charcoal suit stands with his back to you, hands clasped loosely behind him. Mateo Vega turns, unhurried, his dark eyes catching the weak light as they find yours. His lips part in a smile that never touches the chill in his stare. "Ah. The Viper slithers into the light at last," he says, his voice a smooth, low ribbon under the downpour's roar. He takes one deliberate step forward, the tap of his leather sole echoin…