Page 7 of Cruel Devil

“Viv? I don't give a fuck about her. What's happened to Nyx?”

“She’s out with Viv.”

“Out where?”

“They're having sushi.”

My mouth stays open just long enough to croak out, “Sushi?” before Vito takes his phone out of my hand. He obviously realizes I'm too angry to be coherent right now.

“You weren’t trying all that hard to keep her in the villa, were you?” he says, flicking his eyes in the direction of the woman at my feet as he heads out Doc’s house. "Make sure she doesn't leave your sight."

He pauses, then adds a flustered, "Well, no, not if she goes to the bathroom. But then you fucking call us, because I swear to God that woman pisses standing up. If she's taking longer than a minute in there, she's pulling a runner."

"Fuck that, she doesn't leave their sight," I yell.

I don't hear what Vito says. I'm too busy tossing the woman onto my shoulder. I follow my cousin out of the house, mentally listing the number of fuck ups I've been part of recently.

Assassin turned girlfriend, check.

Shotgun wedding to said assassin, check.

Murder scene rendezvous without backup, check.

Guerilla attack by unknown woman, check.

Despite what Vito had told this woman, we didn't have backup coming over here. I thought they'd be better off keeping my wife out of mischief. Not only because my wife could earn a gold medal in getting up to shit if it was an Olympic sport, but also because Doc lives in what I used to consider a safe zone. We never even considered the need for backup.

Something tells me that’s an outdated mindset.

Chapter 4

Nyx

I let Viv lead us deeper into the Zen Garden, my lips tightening more and more as she coos at the little tables dotted beneath the cherry trees planted throughout the large garden. She's acting like she's never seen an outdoor restaurant before. Then again, maybe she doesn't get out much.

“Here, Nicky!” Viv turns and waves at me like we're standing seven miles away, not a few feet. "This one's perfect."

I must have misheard her. There's no way she just called me 'Nick', the name I'd used when I was still undercover as a man after attempting to unalive my father-in-law.

My sneakers crunch too loudly over the gravel as I sidle closer to her. “What did you call me?” I whisper conspiratorially.

“Oh, come now.” She swats me away like a fruit fly. "I have nicknames for everyone. Nyx is a bit…manly. Nicky is cuter. You don’t mind, do you?”

Am I going to have a fucking heart attack every time this woman calls me Nicky because it sounds like 'Nick?. Probably. Can I stop her? Not without making a fuss. And the last thing I want to do is make a fuss.

I only have to spend another few minutes with her. I’m sure I’ll survive.

As if hearing my unspoken thoughts, Matty materializes through the hedgerow opening a moment later, closely trailed by his better-half, Sammy.

Great. Just what I need. Even more eyes on me.

“So, about that sake,” I say, giving Viv a bright smile.

Her smile is warm, her eyes twinkling with hedonistic delight. She might actually be the sweetest person in the cartel. Maybe in any cartel, ever. I just wish she didn't smell like an overripe melon.

Viv pats her tummy. “And about that sushi.”

The restaurant is busy, probably because of the amazing sushi. Seriously, did I tap into the hive mind? I never knew this place existed. I’d thank my lucky stars, but based on prior experience, I must have been born in the house of the rising number thirteen or some shit.

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