El Diablo (Killer of Kings 6)

“Morning,” Xavier said.

Killian nodded once and continued checking his gun. “You bring coffee?”

Xavier ignored the Irish bastard and dropped his duffel bag. “I brought the big guns.”

His peripheral vision caught Bain coming toward them. That motherfucker always looked ready to kill. Had he ever seen him smile?

“Two have arrived. There should be at least one more vehicle on the way. Maurice has eyes all over our location,” said Bain.

“Are we taking prisoners?” asked Xavier.

“This is a one-stop hit. The cleaning crew is on standby.”

A bloodbath. Xavier could handle that. It was more difficult trying to keep key players alive for interrogation when the guns came out. This should be easy. They had more than enough firepower and experience for the job.

“Yeah, no civilians this time,” said Killian.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Xavier didn’t like his tone or what he was implying.

“Viper told me what happened last week. Damn shame what happened to that girl.”

He wanted to put his fist right into Killian’s twisted mouth, but kept his cool. He knew Killian had a major soft spot for women. His history was almost as fucked up

as Xavier’s. But he wouldn’t sit by while he called him out on something he never intended to happen.

“I made a judgment call.”

“Didn’t work so well, did it?”

Xavier’s heartrate picked up. He faced the other hitman. “I know you. You would have done the same damn thing.”

Killian shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. What’s in question is you. Can we trust you to play by the book? It would be nice if I could go home to my wife and kids tonight.”

“Then leave now, chicken shit. The big boys can handle this without you.”

They were face to face now, neither willing to back down.

“Break it up, boys. Another car just pulled in,” said Bain.

The tension dissipated as they refocused. Xavier had gotten to know Killian well over the past year during his training. He was a good man, hard and soft in equal parts. Xavier was more pissed off with himself. The memory of that girl getting killed only feet from him still haunted his dreams. But he couldn’t go back in time and fix shit.

“Okay, we’ll let them get cozy, and then we’ll move in.”

“Do we need a distraction?” asked Xavier.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. We don’t need a fucking distraction. We have these.” He held up one of his assault rifles.

“There are three of us. It should be a cake walk,” said Bain.

Killian adjusted his harness. “Hey, El Diablo, there’s only one way into that tower. Don’t wimp out now.”

Bain clapped Killian on the shoulder. “Relax, big boy.”

They all looked in the same direction as Bain. A little yellow car was parked in the distance, and a woman walked up the metal stairs to the look-out tower. Alesha.

“Who the fuck is that?” asked Killian.

He watched her. His woman. The only good thing in his life. She’d followed him here, tailed him without him even realizing it. What the fuck was she thinking? How far was he gone that he didn’t even realize he was being followed?