Page 63 of Villainous
She yanks out a gun and aims it at my bodyguard, pulling the trigger. Blood, bones, and meat fly to my dress, and I scream at the top of my lungs.
“He was my brother.” She sighs. “I didn’t want to end things like this. I know Villainous killed my brother. You were the last person to be seen with him.” She aims the gun at my skull. “I gave you one last chance to leave Villainous alone, but you wouldn’t do it. It was fun knowing you—we eased each other’s boredom. So, this is a goodbye.” She pulls the trigger.
Villainous
Iarrive at Hudson Smokehouse twenty minutes late because I had to deal with one of the women not falling in line. The hostess shows me to the wooden table next to the restaurant’s logo on the wall. And, I met with Jacob, spoke with him about Maya’s custody paperwork so I have exciting news to tell Maya. As I approach the table, I cock my right eyebrow. Maya is supposed to be here, and her bodyguard, Rafe, sent me a text message saying they were on their way. So where is she? I sit at my table, and my soldiers stand on both sides of me. I drum my fingers on the white tablecloth as the waitress places the wine list and regular menu on the table.
“Would you like to order, sir?”
“Not yet. My fiancée hasn’t got here yet,” I tell her. She smiles and goes to another table. Maya might not have come to grips that we’re still getting married, but I’m going to tell her tonight, after the meal. I spoke to Roselyn earlier today, and she told me it would be best if I just ask her if she wants to be with me, but I have my own method. I’m going to tell her we’re getting married.
Another ten minutes go by, and I grab my phone from my breast pocket and dial her number, and it goes straight to voicemail. I dial it again, and it goes to voicemail. “Maya, you better have your ass here in the next ten minutes, or I’m going to spank the shit out of you,” I say, then hit the End button.
A couple glances at me with widened eyes, and I roll my eyes and say, “Mind your business.”
They continue to eat their meals.
I send out a message to Maya.
Little Dove: Where are you? I’m at the restaurant.
I dial Rafe’s number, and he doesn’t pick up. I get up from the table and leave the restaurant, then get into the car and tell Henson to take me home. An hour later, I get out of the car and hurry into the manor.
“Little dove?” I call out, and nothing. The only thing I hear is the TV from the living room, so I pad there. AJ is asleep, and Wyatt is playing on his phone.
“Where is Maya?”
His eyes snag onto me, and he frowns. “She left an hour and a half ago to meet you. She left with the woman that cooks our meals.”
“Noemi?”
“I think that’s her name. Is everything all right?”
I don’t respond and grab my phone from my pocket. I told myself I wouldn’t use the tracking device on her anymore since I’m going to make things work, but I need to know she’s safe. I click on the icon and see she’s moving upstate. That’s strange. Why would she be going there?
I rush outside again and tell Henson to head up north.
Maya
I knock the gun out of her hand, and she grabs me by the arm and the gun from the floorboard and aims it at me again. The driver opens the door, and a bullet flies through his head, his body falling into the snow.
“Please don’t kill me,” I plead. “Where are we?”
“We’re at yours and Villainous’s gravesite. I’m sorry to say you should have picked out a better dress to die in,” she snickers. “Why not? Villainous killed my brother, and you allowed him to get away with it.”
“Villainous didn’t kill Chuck,” I say. “You see? You have the wrong person.”
“So you’re going to lie to my face?”
She grabs the little teddy bear she gave me all those months ago, the one she said was made by her nephew. “This is a recorder. I needed evidence that he was the murderer. For a while I thought it was you, but then I saw how pathetic you were, I knew you couldn’t have killed him, so I gave you this so I can spy on you.”
She unzips the back of the stuffed animal and pulls out a small device, and she hits Play.
“Chuck was working for the NYPD,”Villainous says.
“What? You’re lying. You’ll say anything to hurt me.”
“When have you known me to lie to you?”Villainous replies.
