Page 137 of Scarlet Angel

“It’s not my philosophy. It’s the philosophy of whoever put the bounty on your head. Whoever you pissed off most recently. I’m guessing you’re not in Iceland.”

“No, Dorian ol’ boy, I’m not.”

“Who are you working with?”

“Nope. This is my dime. Did your father place the bounty? Are you protecting him? That Stalin bit is classic Halston.”

“My father isn’t behind this. He also doesn’t need my protection.”

“Quite right. Then I need you to relay a message to him.”

“Why not call him directly? You believe I did this, not him.”

“We both know your father’s a stubborn arse. And a narcissistic one, to boot.”

“We all possess a degree of narcissism.”

“Defensive. No doubt you’ve evolved, mate. University Dorian could’ve written a dissertation on the negative effects of narcissism on logic and decision making.”

Static crosses the line. I lean closer to the computer screen to confirm he hasn’t ended the call.

“What do you want, Nick?”

“Well, I’d like to share oxygen a mite longer. And I’ve no desire to spend the rest of my days in a secluded, third-world location deprived of takeaway.”

“I’m not the one who placed the hit. And for the last time, I don’t know who did.”

“Well, that’s unfortunate. Because you’ve opened Pandora’s box, friend.”

“Me?”

“Unless that bounty is rescinded, I’ll administer a kill order of my own. And I’d like to remind you you’re in the United States. I have access to greedy bastards who purchased powerful weapons perfectly primed to earn a quick five hundred mil.”

“You’re off on this. We want you out. Not dead. You broke the rules. But we’re not the ones looking to terminate you.”

“Your father didn’t consider he’s going up against an opponent with means, did he? In this situation, you nor anyone else knows where I am. And I’ve got a tracker on your father. And people watching your compound. How confident does your father feel he can escape without the locusts descending?”

“That’s your game? Assuming you’ve got the right guy, the two of you outbid each other until someone somewhere figures out a way to claim the bounty?”

“It’s a ludicrous situation, no? Talk with your father. Call this off. I’ll back out. My excommunication will be my punishment for breaking the jacked rules.”

“And the Lupi Grigi?”

“Oh, that arrow’s flown, friend. They’re good and fucked.”

“If you sacrifice the witness?—”

“No. She stays out of this.”

“You give her up, you can stay in the syndicate. I’ll fight for you.”

“Let me be clear. If anything happens to Scarlet, I will scorch the entire state of Colorado and every yacht on the sea in my hunt to personally decapitate you, your father, and every single member of our so-called alliance. Capisce?”

“I’ll devise a more diplomatic manner of communicating your agreement to exit the syndicate.”

“As you wish.”

“For the last time, though, I do not know who placed that bounty. If you go after my father,” he half laughs, “you’ll only be creating more enemies.”

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