Page 52 of Vicious Little Games

Dante would not approve of these dickheads’ failure. They could never protect Cass.

Finally, I hear their guns cocking behind me.

“What the hell are you doing here, Cole?” August asks me.

“I just want a quick word with Alvin, Simon, and Theodore,” I tell them. “Won’t take but a second.”

“Wh-what do you want?” the jackass stammers. “My cash? My watch?”

“I just wanted to give you a warning, but sure, I’ll take your money, your watch, and your phone when we’re done here, along with all your guard’s devices and shit too. Don’t make a move for anything until I tell you to. Oh, and before I forget, what’s your passcode?”

“What passcode?”

“The one to get into your phone when it doesn’t recognize my face?”

“It’s…it’s one-two-three-four.”

“Jesus. You idiots really should make it a little harder to break into them,” I mutter before getting to the point. “So, here’s the deal, you’re not going to see Cass again. You’re not going to call her or even think about her. You and your men are all going to pretend she doesn’t fucking exist. Is that understood?”

“Dante will kill you for this,” he threatens.

“Who do you think these men holding your guys at gunpoint work for? Or who is watching this go down in the security office right now?” I ask him. “He didn’t like how you treated his daughter tonight.”

“Oh, shit,” he whispers, eyes darting around in search of the surveillance cameras in the parking lot.

“Oh, shit is right. Now, slowly use your right hand to retrieve everything of value you’re carrying and then toss it at your feet.”

He removes his wallet first and drops the entire thing, then his watch, followed by his phone.

“Good boy. Now, tell your men to place their weapons on the ground, then do the same.”

“Do it…do what he said. Nobody fucks with Dante Salvato.”

“That’s right,” I agree, letting him continue to think the mafia king is behind this hold up.

After a few clicks and clacks of shit hitting the pavement, I ask August and Mike, “Is that everything?”

“Looks like it,” August answers.

“Then you gentlemen are free to leave and never return. Walk slowly. Keep your hands up in the air until you get to the vehicle, climb inside, and drive the fuck off without looking back.”

Nobody moves for a moment, then finally when Theo turns around to walk away his guards follow him. August and Mike come up on either side of me, still aiming their guns at their backs along with my own.

The three men pile inside a silver Bentley with tinted windows then pull off as directed. When the taillights finally disappear, August and Mike lower their guns to their sides, and I do the same.

“What the fuck was that about?” Mike huffs as he puts his piece back into his shoulder holster.

“A little warning would’ve been nice,” August grumbles as he holsters his gun as well.

“Your job is to shadow me, not give me directions,” I remind him. Turning around, I take in the bounty left behind on the ground. “This was a damn good haul.” I remove my hoodie since it’s hot as hell tonight and turn it into a bag.

“Seriously, man, what the fuck are you thinking?” August demands.

“I guess you could say I’m a klepto who doesn’t mind getting up close and personal with targets.”

“What does you being a sex fiend have to do with robbing those dicks and nearly getting us all killed?” Mike asks.

August laughs first, then I can’t hold my chuckle in either as I stand up, tossing my makeshift sack over my shoulder like a deranged Santa.

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