Chapter 9— Vinny
"You hear what I said, Vicente?"
She was doing that authoritative shit again, using my full name instead of Vinny.
Trying to son me.
But no.
I hadn't heard a damn thing she'd said.
I was thinking about what Bael told me.
Offer Jamie safety in exchange for closure.
But what the hell did that even look like?
Letting her wear Sophia's robe?
Spray on her favorite perfume?
Would any of it matter when she didn't feel like Sophia at all?
My eyes snapped up.
Lady of Rage was staring at me from the head of the table.
The whole room had gone quiet.
I leaned back in my chair and rolled my jaw.
Something was up.
Virginia had called me three times today. She never cared if I missed these meetings, but she'd been damn near obsessed with getting me here.
Now everybody was staring at me.
Waiting.
Watching.
Like sharks circling blood in the water.
"No, but I'm sure you're about to repeat it." I said staring her straight in the eye. I knew she was about to cut into me in front of everyone. Weak men didn't survive long in our world.
A few folks chuckled, but it sounded low and uneasy.
"I said," she started, voice low and venom-laced, "I don't like loose ends. And I really don't like sneaky motherfuckers." She narrowed her eyes. "Where's the body of the bitch from the warehouse, Vicente?"
I didn't blink. "Why would I tell you that? You want me to implicate myself?"
A slow smile crept across her face. "Is she in the gulf or not?" She didn't wait for me to answer. "You know what I think?" she said. "I think you're lying. I think you didn't kill that girl. I was thinking about it. You said you didn't kill women."
"And I think you're thinking too hard."
Her smile dropped. Her hand slammed against the conference table. "Ion like you. You move 'round here like a damn ghost, actin' like just 'cause of Bael, you untouchable." She leaned in close, her voice low and thick with warning. "You can damn sure be touched, Vicente."
I didn't react. I was used to being threatened. It was practically a love language in our world.
I lifted my brow. "Where's Delilah at? I haven't seen her around lately."
Her chair screeched as she pushed back from the table. "Get the fuck outta my face."
I didn't wait for her to say it twice. I stood, turned my back to the whole room, and walked out.
She was suspicious. Real suspicious. Which meant I had to clean up my mess and figure out what to do with Jamie.
The second I slid into my car, I let out a breath that felt like it had been stuck in my chest all night.
My hands gripped the steering wheel tighter the farther I drove.
As I turned onto the highway, I noticed I was being followed.
Two cars back. No headlights. Same dark SUV that had been parked outside Virginia's place when I left.
My jaw clenched.
Really?
I took a few extra turns to be sure. They stayed with me. Not subtle, either. Typical Virginia move. She was probably trying to find out where I lived. That's why she'd called me so many times.
I kept driving like I didn't notice, but my stomach burned.
At the next corner store, I pulled in and parked. Grabbed a pack of gum and slipped the cashier a crisp hundred.
"Got a back exit?" I asked quietly.
The young Arab-looking man nodded toward the back, not even bothering to ask questions.
I slid out the back and looped around the building. Came up on the SUV from the side and caught the driver leaning back, scrolling on his phone.
I recognized him immediately. Samuel.
Of course it was him. Virginia's little errand boy. Haitian guy, lean, quick, deadly, always eager to please. He was likeable.
I tapped the window with my Glock.
He froze. Rolled it down just enough to meet my eyes.
"Sam," I said coolly. "You following me?"
"Hey, man," he started, voice tense. "Not personal. Orders."
"It's always personal." I pressed the barrel lightly against his temple. "Go back. Tell Virginia I'm finally taking the out Bael gave me. Leave me the fuck alone."
His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
"And if I ever see you behind me again, you know what happens, right?"
He didn't answer.
I stepped back, letting him drive off. I watched him disappear down the block, breathing hard.
Yeah. I was done.
But deep down, I knew the truth. Nobody ever really gets out. At least not easily.
I called Bael and told him what happened.
He said he would talk to his mother, and I was officially done.
I spent another few hours driving aimlessly to make sure I wasn't followed home.
It was nearly six when I headed back. Later than I wanted to.
I kept thinking about Jamie strapped to my bed.
I didn't want to feel bad about leaving her like that, but I did.