“Scarlett?”
“No, you can let me speak. I’ve heard enough of what you said. In your own words, you have said that Boss won’t kill me.”
“No.”
“He’l
l just hurt me.”
“I’m not going to let that happen.”
“Would it be so bad to let him do that? To let him do whatever he wants?”
Bain gritted his teeth. He got up from his seat and rounded the counter so that he was in front of her. Cupping her face, he forced her to look at him. “I’m not going to let you to be hurt because of me.”
Tears shone in her eyes. “Viper, he hurt for you as well, didn’t he?” She covered his hands with her own. “I love you, Bain. I know it makes everything else crazy and even myself, but I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life being happy. The last four days, they’ve been perfect. The best days of my life so far, and saying that at thirty-six years old, is kind of sad. You make me happy. Do I make you happy?”
“More than anything. You know that.” He’d never thought he’d be happy or find a woman he trusted as much as he did Scarlett. It was why he was freaking out over Boss. Normally, he’d just take the guy out, but killing Boss came with consequences, and he wasn’t about to create more pain. He had to wait it out. Even as he’d been training, he’d been trying to figure out how to bargain with the devil. What could he possibly want in place of Scarlett? There had to be something.
Killian was a strange kind of guy. He was a hardened killer, but unlike everyone in the business Bain had ever known, Killian had morals. There were jobs he wouldn’t take, and even jobs he’d been known to intervene on. More than once Killian had gotten on Boss’s bad side.
“Then let me do this for you. If Boss comes, he does.” She went on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
His cell phone rang and interrupted their moment. Glancing down, he saw it was Viper. “I’ve got to take this.”
“Go ahead. I’ll finish up dinner.”
He didn’t go far. Sitting down in a chair in the doorway, he watched Scarlett work as he took the call. She loved to cook, and he’d never eaten so well in his life.
“What have you called to warn me about now?”
“For a guy who has a revenge-seeking Boss on your hands, you’d think you would be nicer.”
“Like you said, I’ve got a revenge-seeking bastard on my hands. I’m not in the habit of making pleasant conversation.”
“You know he’s going to come,” Viper said. “It’s only a matter of time.”
“He’s not getting anywhere near her. I will kill him, Viper. Be sure of that.”
“Why don’t you stop being a pussy, and call him. Talk to him.”
“Why would I do that?” he asked.
“Reason with him. Boss is many things. He’s a killer and a businessman. See if there’s anything you can offer him that he wants.”
Bain closed his eyes, suddenly feeling exceedingly tired. He’d not been sleeping well, and besides the few hours he allowed himself, he was starting to wear thin.
“Is that all you called me about?”
“Bain, other killers are taking bets on how long you last in this business. They think Boss is going to kill you. Don’t prove them right, okay? I don’t want to lose you.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me. I’ll be perfectly fine.” He hung up the phone, not wanting to hear any more of Viper’s miserable voice.
His old buddy had a point though. The only thing he hadn’t done was talk to the man himself. What harm would it do?
Scarlett was still dealing with dinner. Scrolling through his contacts, he found the number for Boss and dialed.
It rang several times before Boss finally answered.