Page 59 of Vicarious

“Might be new video game and model racecar.”

Leon and Lady run back into the house.

Viper then turns to Velia and says, “There’s something for you too. I heard from a friend that you want to be a makeup artist one day…”

Velia gasps and shoots into the house behind Leon and Lady.

I give Viper a wry look. “You didn’t get Lady one of those violent shooting games you play together when I’m not paying attention? Did you?”

“I wasn’t under the impression you had anything against violence.”

“I do for a seven-year-old.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“You and I are known to have vastly different definitions of that.” Before we can fall into senseless bickering, I ask, “What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here. At least not without a fucking disguise. You know how many families will put a hit out on you if they find out you’re here.”

“Then I suppose I’ll have to trust Isabella’s discretion about this matter. Won’t I?” Viper says eying Bella. His meaning is clear.

“Don’t threaten my friend.”

“I’m not threatening her. Just setting an expectation. Besides, I don’t plan to be here long. I just came to pick you up.”

“Pick me up to go where?”

“A date.”

“A date?”

“I would have been here sooner,” Viper continues, ignoring my confusion, “but it took me a few days to get some things in order.”

“Things in order? What things?”

“You’ll see. Come on. We’re on a tight schedule.”

“Viper.”

Viper gives a longsuffering sigh as though I’m the one being unreasonable here.

“You can either walk out of here or I carry you out of here over my shoulder. Your choice.”

“Not until you tell me where we’re going.”

Viper simply walks forward, picks me up, and throws me over his shoulder just like he said he would before I can even think to do anything to stop him. It just goes to show how outclassed I am by him, and how most times when I manage to get one over on him, he’s usually letting me in some way, shape, form, or another.

There’s no use trying to argue with Viper right now. Nor is it worth it. So I resign myself to my fate and ask, “Can I at least get my guns out my room?”

Viper’s answer is to turn back and take us upstairs. Without any help or direction from me, he finds my room and finds the case with my guns in it. I decide not to even ask how exactly he knows where my room is and where I keep my guns. No doubt he’s found a way to limitedly and discretely watch and track me. How he’s bypassing the paranoia of the Italian mafia, I can’t even begin to guess.

“Adrian,” Lady says when we pass them on the way out. “Where are you taking Mama?”

“A date,” Viper says simply. “I’ll bring her back in a couple of days.”

Lady exchanges a look with Leon, and both roll their eyes.

“Bye, Mom. Love you,” they both say before turning their attention back to the gifts Viper brought them.

Viper unceremoniously dumps me in the front passenger seat of his car before closing the door. When he’s in the driver’s seat and pulling off from the Bianchi-Uccello estate, I decide to ask him again where we’re going again.

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