Page 76 of The Players

When he pulled the tape from her mouth, she intended to ask him just that.

Then he sunk his blade into her flesh.

CHAPTER 28

VINCE

Being pissed didn’t begin to describe how Vince felt about Sy right now. Sitting in a private booth at Flux, he watched as Sy grabbed two glasses, a bottle of scotch, and walked up to him. The club wouldn’t open until the late hours, but Vince knew Sy’s ritual after a job—have a drink at the club before going for a run. Except, this time, he wasn’t just running to keep in shape. He ran from their woman, and that just wouldn’t do.

“Someone tried to snipe me,” Sy growled, as he sat across him.

“Last night?”

“Yeah, at Morelli’s love shack. The bastard locked himself in and Viking tore the place down. Hell, he blew it up with enough C-4 to bring down a small country. Viking was…” He sighed. “I thought he would feel better after that, but I don’t think it worked. He’s still spitting mad, because Morelli didn’t face him. They found his body, all crisped up and barely recognizable. Then, we were just about done with the place, when someone took a shot at me. Missed me by this much.”

So, someone took a hit on Sy during their raid on Morelli’s hideout. And it wasn’t one of Morelli’s men. They wouldn’t have been waiting outside. No, it was a shooter in murky shadows, someone who had wanted to take advantage of the chaos during the raid. After all, it would be all too easy to kill someone during it without getting noticed.

Vince had had his suspicions for a while now. Someone taking a shot at Sy from a distance only confirmed his theory.

“I might be able to help you with that,” he said.

Sy cocked a brow. “You know something I don’t?”

He slid a manila envelope over the table to him.

“You and your damn informants with their files,” Sy muttered. “Couldn’t you have given me a heads-up if you thought someone wanted to blow out my brains?”

“I didn’t think he would see you as a target.”

Sy opened the envelope and pulled out a file. He stilled when he saw the info and pictures. “Fuck. I’m gonna rip the bastard’s tonsils out through his nose.”

“Later. Let’s discuss something else first.”

“Something else? What the fuck could be more important than this asshole trying to kill me?” He chugged down his drink and poured himself another.

“Relax. I have eyes on your would-be murderer.” Vince swiped away Sy’s second glass. He needed him sober. “Let’s talk about you running away with your tail tucked between your legs.”

A round of curse words followed. “I didn’t run. I left.”

“Same fucking difference and you know it.”

“She’s safer when I’m not around.”

“Don’t tell me this bullshit about you leaving to protect her. You left because you wanted to protect yourself.” Then, he went for the kill. “I never thought I’d say this, Sy Skarsgard, but you’re a coward.”

Sy jumped up. His eyes were blazing as he pointed a finger at Vince. The infamous Skarsgard temper was flaring up.

“You take that back,” Sy roared. “Right fucking now or, friend or not, I’m gonna tear you up.”

Vince took a sip from his whisky. “I don’t think so,” he drawled as he leaned back.

“Fuck you, Vince! You don’t know what it’s like to become like the assholes your junkie momma has been dating. The sick fucks who hurt you just because they can. I can’t live like that, knowing I can become one of those assholes with Carmen. She’s been through enough.”

As Sy raged on some more, Vince took another gulp of the whisky that burned down his throat. Finally, Sy was letting go. It seemed Carmen hadn’t been the only one in need of spilling out her guts so she could heal again.

Then Sy narrowed his eyes. “You asshole. Am I boring you?”

“Nah. It’s just fascinating to see that a grown ass man such as yourself runs headfirst into a shoot-out, but when it comes to a small woman, you’re fucking scared.”

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