Page 26 of The Butcher

“Then why?” he asked. “You could work for me.”

“I don’t work for anyone, Darius. And I don’t work for the Fifth Republic either.”

“Then you could workwithme,” he said. “Imagine what we could do. Imagine the margins if we bent the rules?—”

“Some say rules are meant to be broken, but not mine. As long as I live and breathe, they will remain. There’s no reason the criminal enterprises that flourish in this city can’t continue to thrive with order. What I’ve done has created an economy that benefits everyone, from the criminals, to the Republic, and to the people.”

He leaned back in his chair, trying to smile through my words despite the annoyance that built in his eyes.

“Maybe you could earn more under different circumstances. But isn’t it better to operate lawfully?”

His only answer was a shrug. “We’ll have to agree to disagree, Butcher.”

I continued to sit there, arms across my chest, the workers still scrubbing the pans clean in the back.

He continued to smoke his cigar.

“Tell me about Godric.”

He smirked before he released the smoke from his mouth. “What makes you think I speak to him?”

“You have the same politics.”

His smirk remained, and it was accompanied by a slight nod. “Quit while you’re ahead, Butcher. You know what happens to snitches…”

They were mauled in the street, on the way to the car after a nice meal at their favorite restaurant, in broad daylight in the midst of afternoon traffic. Stabbed with knives from every direction, they would have thirty knife wounds before they hit the street—and the attackers would blend into the crowd. There were more codes than mine.

“So, you do know him?”

“If you wanted to play poker, you should have brought the cards.”

I smirked slightly at the joke. “I’ll find him.”

“Good luck with that.”

“And there will be hell to pay when I do.”

“I’m sure.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded manila envelope before he plopped it on the table. “Here’s everything you asked for.”

I opened it and pulled out the contents, a full report with photos, phone records, and text messages. I’d barely glanced at it and was overwhelmed by the mound of evidence. “That son of a bitch…”

“You better sharpen your knife.”

Chapter 6

Fleur

It’d been a couple days since Bastien had come by the apartment. I’d eaten the pancakes when he’d left, and they were just as good as the first time I’d had them on the terrace of his home along the Seine. But I hadn’t heard from him since, and I hadn’t heard from Adrien either. It was the first time I’d heard nothing from either of them.

I went back to work at the bar, and Bastien didn’t show up for a drink. Adrien didn’t stop by to harass me either. My life became quiet and unremarkable. That forced me to experience the pain head on, to think about what I wanted to do.

Try to save my marriage…or move on.

I was in my apartment when Adrien texted me.Can we talk?

I should appreciate how much space he’d given me this last week, even though I shouldn’t have to appreciate anything from him, not after what he’d done.Sure.

I’ll be there in a minute.

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