Sonata (Butcher and Violinist 2)

“And I’m dedicated to working on yours. Let’s get together soon and discuss them.”

“Rafael!” Louis yelled. “We need your vote in here.”

Goddamn it. Can I have one minute? Now you need my vote? For what? No one asked me to vote on fucking with the Lion this morning?

I almost screamed at them, but she smiled and looked up at me.

“I can’t wait to meet with you then,” she said. “I’ll brainstorm and work on some ideas.”

“That sounds good.” I let out a long breath. “I’ll see you later, Gwen.”

Why the hell did it take me so long to meet her? So stupid.

I rushed to the front.

Louis and Jean-Pierre argued by the window. For some reason that scared me more, than Kazimir or the missing lions from the zoo. Kazimir being psychotic was the norm. Louis and Jean-Pierre not maintaining their calm, terrified me. If they didn’t keep it together and Giorgio sat in the hospital, then I would have to be responsible.

Fuck that. I’ve done enough tonight. They better get it together. I won’t be leading anybody this week.

I held out my hands. “Are we going or not?”

“Kazimir sent Bratva to the hospital. We got Giorgio out in time. We’re sending him down to Nice. It’s too hot in Paris for him right now.” Louis looked my way. “But that’s not the problem. The president called. He’s pulling the military out of this.”

“Well, that’s just great.” I sat down at the table, opened the bag, and pulled out Giorgio’s food.

Louis frowned at me.

“What? Giorgio is heading to Nice. He won’t eat it anyway.” I pulled out a fry and chomped on it.

Dear God. This is the best fry I’ve ever had.

I munched on it with pure joy in my heart. “Why did the President pull the military?”

“He didn’t know that we were going up against Kazimir. Frankly, the President wants no horse in this race.” Louis paced back and forth.

Jean-Pierre gazed out the window. He had his hands in his pocket. Exhaustion covered his face. Still, his gaze searched outside, as if Eden might walk down the street.

Louis continued, “Jean-Pierre wants to talk to Shalimar next.”

Oh yeah. I forgot about that. This day is rocking.

“I think we should wait it out.” Louis went back to pacing. “We’re safe here. The call should come in soon about where Eden’s at.”

“And if the call doesn’t come in?” Jean-Pierre scowled. “We need to move. No matter what. Let’s get to Shalimar. If Kazimir cares for his lover, half as much as I care for Eden, then being safe is an illusion. He’ll be coming from all sides. Just be prepared.”

I ate another fry. “We’ll have to kill Kazimir then. The way things are going. . .we’ll have to kill him regardless.”

Kazimir’s lover, Emily spoke up. I’d forgot she was even in the room. She’d hid herself well in the corner among the shadows.

“Maxwell will call,” she said. “If he hasn’t yet, that means they don’t have the information. But he’ll get it. No one has to die.”

But, sweetheart, someone will die. In fact, many will die before this day is over.

Louis said some more.

Kazimir’s lover kept quiet.

And Jean-Pierre stood there lost, and full of rage by the window. I knew that none of our words had hit him. When Jean-Pierre had his mind set on something, that would be his only focus until he got it.

“I’m not waiting for information. Let’s go.” Jean-Pierre grabbed Emily’s arm and guided them to the back where the driver had parked the limo. He left with his three remaining men. Another two had been added. Louis must’ve pulled men from outside.

“We’ve got to get control of Jean-Pierre.” Louis rubbed his forehead. “We should stay here. It’s safe. I have the place surrounded. Help me, Rafael.”

I dug into the bag, tore off some steak, and took a bite. “Jean-Pierre said safety is an illusion.”

“Jean-Pierre is hungry, sleep-deprived, and heartbroken. You need to take the reign.”

“I don’t want any responsibility tonight. You drive.”

“Fuck.” Louis kicked a table. It banged against a chair but didn’t fall over.

And then a woman screamed from outside.

What was that?

It came from the front, and not in the back where Jean-Pierre was. Also, many of our men were outside, so I relaxed and went back to enjoying Gwen’s food.

Louis hadn’t heard the scream anyway as he kicked the table again. “I should’ve stayed with Eden the whole time. We knew danger was coming our way. It was clear from the murders in Belladonna. And why the hell didn’t we check the necklace?”

“Everything was happening fast.” I stopped eating as more screams came from outside.

“What was that?” Louis scrunched his face in confusion and looked to the front of the restaurant.

An explosion came next.

I jumped up from the table with my gun out.

Another explosion boomed.

The ground trembled.