Page 135 of The Villain

“Nice,” Jake smiles around the table. “All cleaned up without lifting a finger.”

“If she isn’t lying,” Cade glares at him.

“Shut the fuck up!” She screams, the gun moving all over the place now.

Gabrial’s team is ramping up. Ace doesn’t bother with weapons and he doesn’t mind getting shot. Mikael’s hand is hidden behind his body without being obvious as he pulls a gun. I don’t notice any movement from Jake but Cade looks like he’s gun ready under the table with her in his sights. He has a clear shot with Ira twisted to watch her.

I draw her attention back to me to create an opening.

27. Killing Time

South

I don’t bother getting into more than my pajama shorts and a tank top, grabbing my straight razor from the toolbox to stuff in my shorts. By the time I get to the street he’s hauling ass toward town.

I shake my head and make my way to the restaurant, following the speed limit. What is it with that place? Is the food that good?

Good enough for a clandestine meeting with his biological father. Who’s also his boss. A man that owes him quite a bit already. From what I overheard he was also in Tera’s house. She won’t mind. I do. I’ll either lay out a few rules of behavior or kill him depending on how he acts with Shade.

I thought about continuing the sleeping act, as if I could have slept through that ringtone. Then a cold, familiar feeling started building inside. I don’t feel like he’s running away but I can’t shake the thought that if I don’t follow him he won’t be coming home.

I trust my gut more than anything. And it’s telling me that I’m going to break a few bans tonight. I should be giddy about that. Instead, I’m irritated at the interruption of my time with Shade. Not to mention he didn’t have permission to leave.

By the time I pull into the parking lot he’s already inside and several cars are in the lot. All the bland white SUVs the four assholes drive around. So subtle. Plus Shade’s black sports car.

The place looks closed. It’s after 2 a.m. so it isn’t surprising. And the asshole woke Tera up for this idiocy. You would think a man of his age would have more respect than that. I’ll be sure to check in with her tomorrow when I drop off her present.

That gut twinge keeps me in the truck with the lights off, waiting. For what I don’t know but something feels off. As long as I don’t interact with anything no one will see me. All they’ll get is an empty white truck off to the side like an abandoned vehicle

Two cars slowly pull into the lot with their lights off.

Melissa gets out of one, dressed like a movie version of a hitman and loaded for bear. She pauses in front of the vehicle and looks back as two men get out of the other car. Both dressed all in black and carrying an arsenal.

They talk for a moment, Melissa angrily gesturing around the building. It looks like good help is hard to find in this business. You’d think she would be used to stupidity after sleeping with the four assholes. I’m a little pissed one of them isn’t out here with her. Here’s hoping one of them is on the inside and will tip his hand. I’d like to do a clean sweep tonight if I can. Self-defense isn’t a ban.

They separate, each man going around the building on either side as Melissa goes through the front door. As if she could be stealthy in those heels. Tera would be embarrassed for the amount of time it takes her to pick the lock. No alarm though so she’d get points back for that.

I shake my head as I slip out of the truck. The day was so perfect and now I have to deal with this. I don’t mind it but I think Shade is going to remember this day very differently than I do.

I slip around the back with a casual walk and catch the first guy looking around the dumpsters. For what, I don’t know or care. He opens one of them and peers in. I silently walk up to his back, flick open the straight razor, and slit his throat in an easy motion.

He doesn’t have a chance to struggle, continuing to move as if nothing is wrong until he feels the blood pouring. While he’s reaching to find where it’s coming from I crouch and hook my arm around his thigh to lift, tipping him into the dumpster and closing the lid when I’m done.

I need to start exercising again. I’m sure staying in this town will require it. My back is already aching. Matthias owes so he can organize cleanup for the mess. I already plan on taking an aspirin and teaching a lesson after this.

I make my way around the building and find a rear entrance propped open. I pause and take in that stupidity before walking through. It’s like he’s asking me to kill him at this point.

It doesn’t take me long to catch up to him. I’m walking normally and he’s crouched with a submachine gun locked and loaded as he keeps steady and advances. Points for his skill at staying quiet but it seems like overkill.

He doesn’t notice me any more than anyone ever does. I crouch behind him and slice through his throat from one side to the other in an arc. Blood flicks away from the razor with the motion and I clamp my hand over his mouth to keep him quiet. Not that it matters much. I can hear Melissa yelling something, overriding any noise the guy could make with her dramatics.

I take the gun from him as he weakens and let him fall where he wants. He doesn’t even struggle, the fight washed out of him instantly. I set the gun next to him. I’ve never liked using them. The amount of noise is ridiculous.

It’s weird that neither one struggled. They weren’t expecting to see any action, which is stupid. There’s a room of supposedly deadly assassins in there. Shade’s skills aren’t in any doubt. I’ve seen his handiwork written piece by piece. The rest? Not so much.

I get to the doorway leading to the back room and prop myself against it to see what’s going on.

The table that I’ve been at exactly once before is full. Andi and her three boyfriends on the left with Shade next to them. The four assholes are turned in their seats to face Melissa dead ahead with an older man on the other side of Asian descent. Then the right side of the table has a man in a full suit that looks eerily like a long haired, dark eyed version of Shade two guys on his right and one on the left. A giant bodyguard stands behind his seat.

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