Page 102 of Tattletale

I whip out my pistol from the inside of my leather jacket and point the barrel right at his head. “Well, that was a dumb move on your part.”

Unnerved by the threat of death, Gabriel uncrosses his legs and smooths his dress shirt. “I just came here to talk.”

“Probably best not to start a conversation by breaking into a man’s home.”

He arches one eyebrow. “Good advice. I’ll keep that in mind moving forward.”

I tease the trigger of my gun with the tip of my finger. “Cocky of you to think you’ll be moving forward anywhere.”

“I heard they call you Lance. Is that correct?”

“I heard they call you a cocksucker with mommy issues. Is that why you were fucking the First Lady? Your mom didn’t pack enough school lunches for you or bake homemade cookies, so you turned out to be a deranged, bomb-making hellion?”

With an amused full smile on his face, Gabriel rubs across his chin. “If I’m being honest, my mom wasn’t really much of a cook. But I think she loved me just the same.” He blinks expectantly. “Any more insults you want to throw my way, or would you like to put the gun down now and talk?”

I don’t lower my gun. In fact, I grab the other that’s tucked behind my back in my belt. With two barrels pointed at Gabriel’s head, I say, “Go ahead and talk. I think I’ll keep my mute buttons handy, though.”

“Clever.” He smiles. “I’ve been working with the mafia, mob, and various terrorist organizations for as long as I can remember, and know what’s true about ninety-nine percent of the time?”

“I don’t know, but you’ve got me on the very edge of my seat.”

“Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, Lance.”

“I know my strengths. I’ll never be a Mensa member, but I can lodge a bullet between your eyes, pull it out, then replace it in the exact same spot with another from forty feet away. I’d be thrilled to use you as a human target board. So cut the riddles, Gabriel, because I’m running out of patience, and I’m having a very angsty, finger-twitching kind of day.” I tap against the trigger again menacingly.

“Usually, powerful men are the most unhinged when they are actually very scared. That’s what I’ve learned. So, I’m assuming the reason you’ve got your feathers all puffed up is because you’re worried about Fiona.”

Every bone in my body knew Gabriel was behind this. It’s why all I feel is rage when I look at his face. An assassin should always trust their instincts. I just don’t understand what clouded Cricket’s better judgment that she trusted this man.

“Talk fast,” I growl out.

“Oh, come now. I’m the only person who knows where she is. I assure you that. Not my staff, my guards, and not even my personal fleet of hitmen. You kill me, and Fiona dies. So, you see, Lance, in a way, I did come armed.”

Whether or not he’s bluffing, one thing is apparent. He has me by the balls. “Where is she?”

Gabriel rolls his eyes. “You can’t possibly think it’s that easy, right? You thought I came here to confess?”

“I thought you came here to die.” But I have no choice but to lower both of my guns. “You have my attention. Now, get on with it. What do you want?”

Gabriel flexes the fingers of his uninjured hand, then balls up a tight fist. “First, you should know—Fiona is alive…for now.”

“Is she hurt?”

His lips twitch into a smirk. “Let’s say she’s pretty uncomfortable.”

“Fucker,” I bark out. “Speed it up before I hook my finger behind your eyes and pop them out one by one.”

“That’s very aggressive,” Gabriel says with a small chuckle. “Okay, I’ll tell you what. The whole situation is pretty simple. All I want is a trade. I have the woman you want. You can get to the woman I want. How about an exchange?”

“Vienne?”

Gabriel closes his eyes and nods. “Yes, Vienne.”

“What are you talking about? Vienne says she’s been trying to contact you for months. Try answering your fucking phone.”

He lets out a boisterous laugh. “Is that what she told you? God, she’s the same as she’s always been. Master manipulator. Vienne doesn’t just lie, she knows how to create an entirely different reality.” Gabriel pokes his temple forcefully. “And I swear once she’s in there, she’s never coming out.”

“So I call her for you, and you let Fiona go?”

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