El Diablo (Killer of Kings 6)

He couldn’t leave her.

Alesha.

He never intended for her to help with the hit. This was all a big fuck-up. Boss already knew Xavier loved Alesha. Did he want him to come right out and say it?

The memory of the blood pooling around her, of her being unresponsive on the floor filled his head.

“You need to keep your cool right now,” Killian said.

“I need to go to her.”

“What you need to do is cool off, and you’re not going to do that shit up there, you understand?” Bain said.

“If you don’t let me go I’ll make your wives widows, do you understand me?” He’d done his research on all of the Killer of Kings. If he was going to give his life to Boss, he intended to know who he was getting into bed with.

“You do that and you’ll be dead within five minutes of leaving this building,” Killian said. “I’d be careful who you threaten and take my advice.”

The elevator doors opened up

, and he was tossed out. There was no one to be seen.

“So that’s it? You just let Boss win? He can’t blame me for what happened.” Xavier couldn’t walk away.

“You think Boss wants this? You shouldn’t have told her your plans. You should have done your job. The moment you signed on with Killer of Kings you agreed to this. Why do you think we follow him?” Killian shook his head. “He’s a monster. We get that. He’s a fucking bully and a bastard, but you know what, he has our best interests at heart. You put her life in danger today, not Boss.” With that, Killian slammed his hand against the elevator button. “Get your shit together.”

“What about the information on my sister?”

“Boss told me to tell you to get fucked,” Bain said.

The elevator doors closed and Xavier stared at them, and couldn’t believe he’d been kicked out of the Killer of Kings tower. This shit shouldn’t have happened. He wasn’t the kind of bastard to be pushed aside.

Alesha could have died tonight because of him.

Running a hand down his face, he crouched down on the floor, feeling the pain strike him quick and fierce.

What the hell would he have done if she’d been killed?

Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, he dialed Maurice’s number.

It rang several times before it went to an answering machine. That had never happened. He didn’t stop as he walked out of the building’s parking lot onto the street. He dialed again and again until Maurice finally answered.

“I shouldn’t be talking to you,” Maurice said.

“Is that any way to talk to me?” Xavier asked.

“You’re on the biggest shit list known to man. I’m thinking I should hang up.”

“Wait. I need to know what Boss does in situations like this.” He rubbed the back of his head, checking everyone he passed.

He was a known assassin that had just pissed off the boss of Killer of Kings. He wondered if Boss would order a hit on him.

“Look, I can’t give you any of that information.”

“I don’t want trouble,” Xavier said. “I need to know that she’s going to be okay.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Patience wasn’t exactly his strong suit right now, and it pissed him off that Maurice was being such a pain in the ass.