“To everyone else but not to me,” Bain said. “I need her. She’s mine, and you can’t take her away from me.”
“This is why I wanted the others gone,” Viper said. “When we were kids, you know what we went through. Don’t pretend you didn’t. You fucking knew everything. We had nothing. Every time we tried to find some shred of love or anything, they tore it from us and made us either destroy it, or watch it die. We have never had anything in our lives to call our own. The homes. The material shit. They mean nothing. They are nothing to us. He wants Scarlett. Let him have her. You have nothing to lose.”
Bain kept his mouth shut. He wasn’t interested in playing nice right now. Every time Boss spoke, he wanted to kill him.
The only thing that kept him at bay was the woman outside waiting for him, and the future he planned for the two of them. A real family.
Boss groaned. “Fine. You know what, have the woman, but if this little obsession fades away, you will deal with her, understood?”
“Yes,” said Bain.
“You will also stay on at Killer of Kings. I’m not going to have you quit on me. However, you have the
rest of the month off until this honeymoon period is over.”
“You’re not going to take a hit out on me?” Bain asked.
“No. I’m not. I see your value yet. But you’ll do as I say, and there’ll be a price for this little gift you gave me.” He touched the bleeding wound on his shoulder.
“What about Lisa? Scarlett talked to her, and she handled everything. All that woman knew was that Scarlett had a boyfriend and had been with me for the past week.”
“She’s dead, Bain. Obviously. I told you I tied up loose ends, and she was one of them.”
“She didn’t have to die.”
Boss chuckled. “This is why none of you will ever best me. You can never do the job that needs to be done. She was innocent until she had the potential to incriminate us. Now, she’s dead. Poor thing killed herself in the bathtub.” He stepped up close. “Next time I tell you to clean up your shit, you will do it, as otherwise, I’ll make sure you’re the loose end. Get the fuck out, and I’ll clean up this mess.”
Bain wanted to pound the fucker’s face. Instead, he walked out with Viper close behind him. He looked toward the car and saw Scarlett’s relief. He smiled and gave her a wave.
“You love her?” Viper asked.
“Yes.”
“Is she worth having Boss pissed off with you?”
“Was Pepper worth it?” Bain asked, not looking away from Scarlett. She had rested her head back and looked like she was smiling. Part of him had expected her to be long gone by now. She hadn’t left him, and that just made him happy.
“You know she was. I was on my way to kill her. Things changed,” Viper said.
“Scarlett gives me peace, and when I’m with her, the past ceases to exist for me. I can’t let her go, and I won’t.” Finally, he turned to look at his friend. “You didn’t have to come today. I was fine.”
Viper shrugged. “I have my ways of keeping an eye on you. Boss can be a big asshole, and I knew you didn’t deserve to die.”
“You don’t have to keep an eye on me. I can take care of myself, and I’ve been doing it for a long time.”
“I guess it’s hard to just let you go after all this time,” Viper said.
They shared a bond. It was a strange one and not one he liked thinking about all that much. “I promised her I would keep her safe. We shared blood, which I think grossed her out a little.” He smiled.
“That’s a big step with you.”
“She’s going to be upset though,” said Bain.
“Why?”
“Her friend Lisa’s dead, and I promised her I wouldn’t lay a hand on her.”
“You didn’t. Boss did. A little piece of advice, when he says he’s going to do something, he will. No questions asked. He owes you for shooting him, so watch your back,” he said. “I’ve got to be heading home. Pepper didn’t want me to come, but I couldn’t let you face this alone.”