“Do you think this can work?” she whispered.
“It will work. Before you came along, I couldn’t understand the fascination with settling down with one woman. I berated my men about it. Even Xavier. Now all I can think about is making you happy.”
“Can I see that ring again?”
He pulled on some boxers and got the ring from his jacket pocket. He sat on the leather sofa and patted his lap. Graciella hadn’t put on any clothes and he couldn’t complain. She sat on his lap and opened the box.
Boss took the ring out. It had cost him a small fortune. He took her left hand and slipped it onto her ring finger. It fit perfectly, made just for her.
“Wow.” She held her hand up to the light, tilting in this way and that to see the sparkle.
“Did I pass the test?” he asked.
Graciella smirked then cupped his face with one hand, giving him a kiss. It was soft, sweet, and full of promises. “Yes, and I’ll marry you, Boss.”
Chapter Twelve
No woman had ever gotten under his skin before. Rather than see it as a weakness and curse, Boss saw it as a strength and prospect for the future. He wouldn’t let another moment slip through his fingers.
It was why he was here, sitting in an unfamiliar chair smoking one of Viko’s cigars again. He hated the taste of them. The home itself was in a secure location on a private island just off the coast. Viko apparently liked the best of everything. And his privacy.
Ever since Viko had given Graciella the mission of obtaining the man responsible for funding the distribution of the drugs, he’d gone into some kind of hiding. Either that, or he really intended to stay out of the way.
Boss made it his mission to find out how people lived, certainly when it came to his competition or enemies. The Circle of Monsters was nothing more than
a bunch of highly paid thugs. He didn’t like them, didn’t respect them. They weren’t the kind of people he’d hire for delicate missions. If he wanted to make a scene to get the job done, sure. Viko could certainly rally up his men and create a shitstorm.
Personally, Boss liked to play the game. He was a man of many faces.
When he started Killer of Kings, he’d done so with the intent of being the best, of hiring the best. The only way he knew how to survive was to be the best. To fight harder, to be stronger, and to be more patient than everyone
Where he believed revenge was a dish best served cold, Viko was fire and reaction. It was why the Circle of Monsters would never best Killer of Kings, and possibly why in the scheme of things, they were, for all intents and purposes, evenly matched. Still, Boss wouldn’t be on friendly terms any time soon. Not with Viko, not with the men he associated with.
“I’m starting to think you’re after my ass, Boss,” Viko said. “Multiple secret meetings all in one month. I feel special.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“Have you come to finally even the score? Want to try and kill me?”
“I don’t have any desire to kill you, Viko. Don’t give a fuck about hurting you at all.” He blew a ring of smoke up into the air. He’d only taken a couple of puffs of the thing but he was done. He crushed it down on Viko’s desk. “Do you run away all the time?”
Viko threw his head back and laughed. “You think this is running?”
“You didn’t get what you wanted and rather than stay and fight for it like a real man, you’re here doing whatever it is you have to do. So yeah, I think you’re running. Do I scare you?” Boss asked.
“Why don’t you worry more about getting your woman down the aisle than what I’m doing with my time?”
Boss smiled.
“Do you think you’re the only person in this world who can gather information about your opponent?”
“Not really. It’s no secret I intend to marry the Widow Maker.”
“Let’s hope her namesake doesn’t follow you into the bedroom, Boss. You might not be able to come out alive.”
“It’s sweet that you care,” said Boss. “I’m not here for any reason other than to deal with this debt you’ve got going on with my woman.”
“What Graciella owes me is between the two of us.” Viko folded his arms across his chest.