Vicious Minds (Children of Vice 4)

With her elbows on the table she rested her head in her palms.

“Most people would be annoyed if they found out they were being spied on,” I said, taking the spoon from her hand and sampling a bite of the food myself, partly hoping it tasted horrible, so I could make fun of her…it didn’t. The fact that I wanted it to was annoying…it meant I was childish.

“Good, isn’t it? What can I say, I’m magic.” She winked at me, and if an award could be given for vanity she’d win in spades.

“Cordelia Muñoz. You live in a rundown one-bedroom apartment uptown, you spend most of your time volunteering at Saint Catherine of Siena elementary school down on the east side. You go to mass twice a week, Wednesdays and Sundays, and stay afterward to help make sandwiches for the homeless, as well as clean. When you aren’t being a saint you enjoy going to the movies or taking photos in the city square.”

“Does it sound boring to you?” She smiled like she knew something I didn’t.

“Exponentially so,” I replied, breaking the empanada in half and taking a bite. It was even sweeter than the rice bowl.

“But?” She took the other half from my hand and ate it. I looked to her skeptically. She only nodded. “You sounded like you wanted to say that but were overwhelmed by the slice of heaven I put between your lips and forgot. So I’m moving the conversation forward. The life of Cordelia Muñoz is exponentially boring to you but…”

There it was…that twinge of annoyance and amusement again. I pushed it to the side. “I wonder why someone who lives like an angel enjoys sitting with a man who is the very opposite of that.”

“First of all, did I say I was enjoying this? Don’t put words in my mouth. Secondly,” she leaned in and whispered, “maybe I’m a fallen angel trying to find my way to the light and you keep distracting me.”

She laughed at her own little joke and took another bite, licking her lips.

“I also found out a few cartel members have tried to claim you—”

“Rape me,” she clarified, licking her thumb. “We’re big boys and girls. Let’s not sugar coat our words.”

“I wasn’t trying to.” I just didn’t know it was that severe. “My spies apparently didn’t share that distinction.”

“You have shitty spies; don’t they know the devil is in the details?” she asked, reaching for my spoon again.

“Is this for me or for you?” I questioned.

She giggled and looked like a kid caught with her hand in a cookie jar. “I’m just making sure you have no doubt in your mind that this food is safe to eat.”

“Why, thank you for your concern,” I replied, pulling the spoon back. “But I think I can manage.”

“Fine. Enjoy.” She frowned and leaned back. “Anyway, I’m not saying you can or would, but there is no reason for you to get involved with those animals.”

“Is it even possible for me to do so? If I wanted to? For some strange reason, all of the men seem to either be missing or end up in the hospital with some tragic condition,” I finished, taking another bite.

“Even fallen angels have guardian angels,” she said softly and deeply in a tone of voice that sounded both sinister and sexy. She crossed her arms and the look in her eyes got darker. “It seems like the life of Cordelia Muñoz, is getting more interesting to you now. Is she a serial killer? Angel by day, feeding the homeless and helping the needy. And then a devil by night murdering gangsters and thugs. She pulls them in with her tight clothes, then feeds them, who knows, maybe even sleeps with them and WHAM! They don’t know what hit them. Take care boss man, you could be her next victim.”

The corner of her lip twitched up as she looked to me. And I couldn’t help it; I laughed, shaking my head at her.

“What, you don’t think I’m capable of it?” she said, amused with herself.

“No, I do. For some same strange reason, I

believe you’re very capable of that.” I reached for the glass of water. “I just don’t think you’d be stupid enough to let them all trace back to you. Which makes me also think that Cordelia Muñoz may be fake.”

“Fake? That’s hurtful. Have you ever thought that maybe no one has ever put all the links together, like you, so maybe you’re just smarter than the average man and I didn’t account for that? Oops.”

“Possible. But still I don’t believe those are you. Maybe one of them. Two at most. But not all of them.”

“Is it me who’s flirting with danger, or you?” she asked, resting her cheek on her palm again.

“We both are. However,” and this part she needed to understand, “You’re the one at greater risk.”

“You really want to fight with me, don’t you?”

“I want to do a lot of things to you,” I admitted.