His jaw clenched. She saw the man slowly falling apart. “You know it was a thing of beauty. Your plan. Killing your enemies with their own product. I never had such vision. Sure, I’ve killed a lot of people but yours, yours was poetry. They got to see you and know what you’d done. You got your perfect revenge.”
“I know.”
“I never… It was supposed to fucking end there.”
“I know. I didn’t anticipate what happened,” she said.
“I should have known. She would—” Viko didn’t finish. Still, his hand didn’t shake. She took a step toward him.
This was the first time in all the years she’d known Viko that she’d seen any kind of real emotion. He’d always been stone cold. Alcohol had a way of pulling demons to the surface.
“She’d still be alive,” sh
e finished for him.
“Graciella?” Xavier said.
She ignored her brother’s warning or Boss’s cleared throat. Going to one knee, she did something she never thought she would do, she hugged Viko. He didn’t touch her. The gun was still trained in the air.
“You!” He growled the word.
She held him a little tighter.
Boss nor Xavier understood. Yes, she hated Viko with a passion, was indebted to him, but in a weird kind of way, he was also her friend. They’d been through a lot together.
“I killed her,” he said.
“You didn’t.”
“It’s my job to save her. My job!” His gun dropped as did the bottle and his arms went limp. The scent of expensive whiskey wafted up as it spilled across the concrete floor.
“I know,” Graciella said.
She’d never met Viko’s daughter. That was how protective he was of her, but she’d gotten glimpses of his little princess. The only person close to his heart. There had been rumors he had a wife at one point, or a whore. The information about him was as vague as Boss’s.
“What is going on right now?” Killian asked.
“I don’t know,” Xavier said.
Silence rang out.
Time passed.
She didn’t know how much time but she sensed the impatience of the men, and it was increasing with every passing minute.
Bain would die.
Viko pulled away and stood up. There were no tears. Of course, there weren’t. He looked away.
“I don’t have time for this shit,” Boss said. “I get it, you lost someone important to you. You think the Circle of Monsters can handle this shit? You guys are known for creating an entrance. What this needed was fucking delicacy, which you don’t have.”
Viko glared at him.
“I heard about Bain,” Viko said. “My daughter, she was … she was young when she was given the drugs. I’ve been hunting this son of a bitch for some time.” He put his hands on his hips.
“Well, maybe it’s time for you to back away and not to do any of this shit anymore,” he said. “You’re clearly too close to it all.”
“Do not tell me what I can and cannot do,” he said. “I’m not in the mood to listen. Not now.” Viko ran a hand down his face. “Let’s go.”