El Diablo (Killer of Kings 6)
His guilt wouldn’t let him go. He expected she’d stay at home, not follow him into danger.
Xavier noticed they weren’t going in the direction of his house. He sat straighter, looking to both sides.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Viper, you forget where I live already?”
“Just doing my job. Nothing personal.”
His hackles bristled. “Where we going?” He rested his hand on the handle of his Glock inside his jacket.
“Boss has an assignment for you. Both of you, actually.”
“No way. She just got out of the damn hospital. Has Boss lost his damn mind?”
“It was a hotel. One of the best. Not a hospital.” Viper tossed an envelope into the backseat. Xavier opened it and started shuffling through the contents.
“I’m not prepared for this,” he said.
Viper appeared unfazed. “If you work for Killer of Kings, you always have to be prepared. Since you’ve been on vacay, the rest of us have cleaned up most of the human smuggling operation. There are only three players left. Boss wants you to finish this personally.”
He did want to see them all fry. Eliminating the complete cell meant Alesha would be safer and off the radar. “It’s too dangerous for Alesha. I’ll handle this. Take her home.”
“Sorry, buddy. Boss was very explicit. Besides, it’s high-end private club. You’ll be fine,” said Viper. “Your memberships are in the envelope, along with the hits.”
“
There are only two pictures. Who’s the third?”
“Boss will give Alesha the third player in thirty minutes. There’s a cell phone in the woman’s washroom that she’ll need to grab. Boss’s insurance policy that you follow orders.”
He cursed under his breath, but kept his comments to himself. Boss wanted loyalty. He wanted to ensure Xavier would bend over backwards, regardless of Alesha. He’d play the role, but he wouldn’t put the mission above Alesha for anyone.
She squeezed his thigh, grounding him. He turned to look at her. “It’ll be okay, Xavier. I’m not afraid.”
He smiled. “Of course, you aren’t.” Xavier leaned over and brushed his lips over hers. Within seconds the kiss deepened, and he moved closer, needing more.
Viper cleared his throat.
“We’re here. Good luck. There’s a bag in the trunk for you.”
“Will you be waiting?”
Viper shifted in his seat after parking. “Chains is on standby. Give him a text when you’re through. I have to help Pepper set up for our kid’s birthday party tomorrow.”
It sounded crazy, mixing the life of a hitman with family commitments, but it’s exactly what Xavier hoped to achieve with Alesha. This was their own twisted version of reality at Killer of Kings.
He helped Alesha out of the car, grabbed the duffel bag from the trunk, and together they walked to the private club. He hoped this was the last test Boss subjected him to.
****
Absence did make her heart grow fonder. As soon as Alesha saw Xavier, everything in her world felt right. She’d felt like Rapunzel, locked in a tower, waiting for her knight to save her. Boss wouldn’t even let her call him. He was an enigma.
Alesha sensed a darkness within Boss. Something dangerous and inhuman. He was also intelligent, always one step ahead of everyone. A lethal combination. He’d told her he was keeping her away for Xavier’s benefit, for the whole of Killer of Kings. It didn’t make sense. He kept telling her a big day was coming. She thought he was talking about her reuniting with Xavier, but it was something bigger, and it scared her.
At first, she thought Boss hated Xavier, but she soon learned that he respected him, and saw him as a prize, some kind of trophy for his organization. He seemed to be collecting the worst of the worst to do his bidding. Only a monster could control such a group. He’d have to be worse.
“I don’t want you involved, Alesha. Stay by the door while I scope out the place,” said Xavier, holding her had as they neared the front doors.