Page 5 of Vicious Hearts

I swing my eyes toward Durian; he’s out like a lightbulb and it doesn’t look like he’ll be awake anytime soon.

“If you need to leave for a while to get some rest, I can stay with him,” I offer.

Dante shakes his head and tells me he’s staying. Besides, we have so much to catch up on, he says. He looks toward Kingsley, gives her a reassuring smile and asks her if she’d like to go home. She’d rather stay with him, but she insists on going to get coffee for the three of us. Dante reminds her to take security with her, and she rolls her eyes but says, “Yes, sir” before leaving us alone.

“Sit with me,” Dante says, walking to a corner of the room where there’s a small table and two chairs. I try to fold my knees under the table, but they’re too long, so I pull the chair away and cross one knee over the other.

“She seems like a good woman, your wife,” I say.

“She is. Father’s crazy about her.”

“I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone.”

“I wasn’t. It’s a long story. She’s Maddog Murray’s daughter.”

I feel my own mouth drop open and my eyes shoot up in surprise as the words slip out of his mouth.

“I thought Maddog Murray had a son?” I really did. I never knew he had a daughter also.

“Like I said – long story. But to cut it down for you; the son was a story he made up so no one would target his daughter. It caused some confusion, I can tell you that.”

“Smart man,” I murmur. “Who would have thought…”

“What’s happening with you?” he asks me. “You sure took your time getting here.”

“A bit of trouble with the government. Had to find a way to sneak in.”

“Those bastards at it again?”

“I decided to hold the last two shipments. Found out they were arming terrorist organizations who were targeting women and children.”

“They didn’t like that.”

“They’re threatening retribution. The loss of my contract means they can’t even arm themselves for legitimate causes, like the army.”

“So… what? They go somewhere else?” Dante asks.

Dante has a solid business portfolio, but it doesn’t include arms. He would be the person to move said arms for us through his logistics chain. He has interests in real estate, including hotels, restaurants and resorts. He also runs a slew of successful legitimate businesses. We come from the same world, dealing in the most dubious of shady dealings, but we both have the same morals; no drugs, no human trafficking.

“No one else has that sort of clout,” I tell him, and I see the moment that Dante latches on to the meaning behind what I’m saying. If no one else can supply the sort of quantity the government wants, and I’m the only one that can but won’t, then I’m in big trouble.

“How much trouble are we talking?” Dante asks, his eyes creasing with worry.

“The sort that could land me on the FBI’s most wanted list.”

* * *

When Durian wakes hours later,I am still waiting by his side. Kingsley has long retired to the comfort of her home, while Dante stands in the shadows, watching as his father finally opens his eyes. His eyelids flutter to life as he looks up at me, blinking rapidly as though to test his disbelieving eyes.

“Caleph…” he whispers. I take a seat beside the bed and lean closer to him. “Didn’t think you’d…”

“Of course I’d come, old man,” I tell him, squeezing his hand. “Who knew all it would take is Durian having a heart attack to get me back in the States.”

He gives a soft laugh and Dante snorts. “I hear you’ve been having some trouble,” the old man says, and I look quickly at Dante, wondering how he could possibly know this. There’s no way he could’ve heard our hushed whispers from across the room when we were talking.

“Don’t look at Dante,” he adds. “He doesn’t know anything. You know I make it my business to keep my eyes on you.”

“You know I’m old enough to take care of myself,” I tell him.

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