Page 60 of Villainous
“You and Maya are back together?” he asks, crossing his leg over the other.
His driver pulls out onto the icy road. We pass by trees, our car the only one on the road. There’s not a tall skyscraper in sight, and we’re nowhere near the city nor home.
“Yeah, we are. She just hasn’t come to grips with it.”
My brother chuckles. “I’m glad you’re trying to make things work.”
I tap my fingers on my knee. “You know you need to apologize to her for killing Liam, and I don’t want things to get awkward at the Christmas party.”
Devious is quiet for the next several moments, and he places his index finger on his mouth. “I’m not sorry for killing him, but I’ll apologize for you so there won’t be any violence at future dinner tables.”
“How is Roslyn doing with this pregnancy?” I ask.
“She’s taking it one day at a time. We have hope things will work out. I believe it is. Little Apollo is going to be okay.”
“No Italian names?” I cock my eyebrow.
He shakes his head, and the car stops at another warehouse building. This is where we produce all our pure cocaine. Devious wants to check on Aldo and make sure he’s doing his job correctly. Once we’re out of the car, I put on my mask over my face so I don’t inhale the chemicals.
“No. Roselyn wanted to name him Apollo because he’s the god of the sun and healing.”
“Oh, cool name.”
“Are you and Maya going to have any more kids?”
Clouds hover over the sun, making the sky appear darker, and snow falls freely from the sky.
“Hell no. Unless she wants them, then I’ll load her up with however many she wants, but me, I don’t want any. AJ is the only child I need.”
A huge-ass grin spreads across his face, and he wraps his mask over his chin.
“What?”
“It’s good to see you happy again.” He pulls me into a hug and pats me on the back.
“It’s good to see you’re not killing yourself with alcohol. Things are going to get better for us next year,” I state.
My brother scrunches up his nose and places his hands in his pocket. “I sure fucking hope so because this year has been a shitshow. Let’s get this over with, and you and AJ and Maya can stop by so we can have dinner and I can apologize to Maya.”
“I can’t. I’m taking her on a date tonight and telling her we’re in a relationship.” I smile like the Cheshire cat.
“Who says romance isn’t dead?” my brother says.
We both laugh as we slide our masks over our mouths and enter the warehouse.
Maya
“So, you’re AJ?” Noemi leans down to eye level with him, and he nods as she gives him a bag full of candy.
Slowly, AJ takes the bag of candy, and he cocks his eyebrow at her. “You are?” Then he opens the bag, and his eyes get as big as the moon.
“I’m your mother’s closest friend.” She flops down on the bed, and snatches a mini candy bar from her pocket, and bites into it.
AJ grabs a Twix, which is his favorite, and peels away the wrapper.
“Hey, you’re not allowed to eat those,” I tell him, placing my hands on my hips.
“Just one, Ma,” he whines, placing his hands in a prayer. “Please.”
