Page 74 of Victorious Vice

I head to the dance floor. People are moving and grooving to the beats of some disco song. I keep my eyes peeled. Finally I catch a fleeting glimpse of a man on the corner of the dance floor. He’s tall, dark. Handsome in a dangerous sort of way. His eyes meet mine across the room.

Sure enough, his pocket square matches the ladies’ description. I’ve found Jack Smith. My target for the evening.

A chill runs through me as a wicked grin spreads across his face. He knows that I know.

Is that him? Is he the threat to Raven?

He disappears into the crowd before I can get a better look at him. But I’ve seen enough. Something about him raises thehairs on the back of my neck. An animal instinct that warns me of imminent danger.

I push through the crowd, trying to follow his trail, but the sea of bodies surges around me and I lose him. I lean against a wall, scanning the room once more. Then I see him again, standing on the fringes of a group, watching me. He lifts his glass in a mocking toast and then turns away.

This time he doesn’t vanish into the crowd. Instead, he leads me out of the ballroom and through the corridor that leads to the first-floor suites. He turns to face me, that same smug grin still pasted on his face.

“Gallo,” he says, his voice smooth but laced with venom. “Or should I call you Little Cobra?”

Only Vega called me Little Cobra. So who the hell is this?

“Leave her alone,” I say.

“I have my orders,” he replies.

“I have new orders for you.” I pull a pistol out of my ankle strap and point it at his head. “Stay away from Raven.”

“You don’t know who you’re dealing with,” he says.

“I don’t particularly give a rat’s ass. Anyone who threatens Raven?—”

“You just don’t get it, do you?” he says. “That necklace wasn’t my idea. It was?—”

I close the distance between us, pushing the nose of the gun to his temple. “What necklace?”

“The raven pendant.” He grins. “The one she’s holding now in her trembling fingers.”

“Tell me everything you know, or be prepared to meet your maker.”

He sniffs arrogantly. “You don’t have it in you to kill.”

I can’t help a chuckle at that one. “Clearly you don’t know anything about me. I don’t know who sent you, but whoever it was hasn’t done his homework.”

He scoffs. “Are you kidding me? Of course he’s done his homework. We know all about that Russian you killed in Eastern Europe. We know about Puzo. Self-defense and a peanut butter allergy? You’ve never killed a man in cold blood.”

I push the gun into his temple. “Like I said, you didn’t do your homework.”

I’m bluffing, of course. Those were my only two kills. But I’m about to have a third, and it’s going to be tonight.

I came here knowing I might have to kill a man to protect Raven. I came here prepared, and I came here knowing that I can do whatever I want. My grandfather will take care of everything.

Because I have what he wants.

I havehisAchilles’ heel.

“Who are you?” I demand again. “And who sent you?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Vega? McAllister? Agudelo?”

“Could be.” He twists his lips. “But it seems to me, Little Cobra, you’re not looking close enough to home.”

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