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It doesn’t.
“I see, so that neat little speech back there about dying men talking bullshit was a prime example?”
“Easy with the threats, Lastra. There are other kids present.” Untangling Bambi’s arms from his neck, he gently pushes her away. “Look, I’m a bad liar. If you ask me anything outright, I’ll tell you the truth.”
“But until that time you dance around it like it’s a fucking bonfire. Anything else you’re not telling me? How did you get out of that basement?”
“What basement?” says Bambi.
Something dark flitters across Viper’s face. “I found an angel in the wreckage.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s poetic for ‘I got help from an insider’. Now, can you please go and get us some food. Me and Bambi are starving…and don’t forget the fucking ketchup.”
With that he leans over to close the door in my face, my gun, and the conversation.
* * *
I planto drop them off at the house, and then drive back into town.
Hovering on the double yellows outside my house in Bethnal Green, I wait for them both to climb out. At the last moment, Viper leans back in through the open passenger side window.
“Do I need to put a tracker on you?”
“I’m not going near her tonight. They’ll be Bratva crawling all over the house. Silas is back on surveillance.”
I need to get a second team on Alex as soon as possible.
Up until now, I’ve only kept a loose eye on Ada’s son.Our son. That changes today.
“Then where?”
“Red Encore. The new licenses just got approved thanks to a fifty-thousand-pound bribe. I want to make sure everything’s on schedule. We’re reopening on Sunday.”
“Gambling on God’s Day?” He shoves his messy dark hair out of his eyes and smirks. “Just out of interest, are there any of the Deadly Sins youhaven’tcommitted?”
“I haven’t fucked your wife yet,” I say dryly.
“Don’t have a wife. Don’t plan on having one anytime soon, either.” There’s a pause. “You’re alright, Lastra,” he says, before adding with a sly smile, “For a hot-headed, son-of-a-bitch Italian mafia bastard.”
“I don’t date snakes, Viper, so stop trying to pick me up.”
“You know that me pointing my Glock at you was a sign of affection, right? If I wanted you dead, I’d have used a knife.”
“If I wanted you dead, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Straightening up, he gives a bark of laughter and slides his arm around Bambi’s shoulders, bringing her in for a brotherly hug. “Don’t stay out too late.”
“Don’t wait up for me, either.” I nod at Bambi, who doesn’t smile back. I damaged our truce earlier by acting like a moron and pulling a gun on Viper. I’m back to being a rank outsider who's a bad influence, kills too many people, and can’t drive for shit.
It’s only when I’m stuck in a jam on The Mall and craving nicotine like a junkie that I realise she’s stolen all my cigarettes.
* * *
By the timeI reach Park Lane, the traffic has dwindled to a steady stream of supercars. Leaving the SUV in a side street, I let myself into the casino, nodding at Thiago who’s back on desk duty again.
“Amigazo!” he calls out expansively, stretching up his arms in greeting.
