I walked down the hallway towards the dining room area, myheart pounding a mile a minute. Instinct kicked in before logic did- my hand went to my hip, but I wasn’t carrying. I heard the creak of the floorboards, and I froze. I knew someone was here. From how close they were, they had to be behind the bar area since that’s the only floor that was not redone and had the old original wood floors when the previous owner built the restaurant. I rounded the corner, and the intruder’s back was turned to me, and immediately, I knew who it was.
Diablo.
What the hell was that sun of a bitch doing here? I gave him the rest of his money last week, so we were done. We didn’t have any more business to finish. It was over. I slowly turned around to grab my gun, but the asshole must have hearing like a tiger because as soon as I did, he spoke.
“Nick,” His voice was sandpaper against my skin, a slow, grating scrape that made my stomach turn.“So nice of you to join me,” Diablo said, lounging against the bar as if he owned the place. He lifted a bottle of Don Julio, pouring two shots like we were old friends instead of enemies. “I was just about to take one myself. You want one?”
I didn’t move right away. I forced myself to breathe, to keep my hands loose at my sides even though every muscle screamed for action. I turned my head, slow, controlled, followed by my body. The urge to smash that smug grin off his ugly face was almost unbearable. I kept my voice even. “What are you doing here? Our business is done. I paid you the thirty grand. So leave—before you end up right back where you came from.”
Diablo chuckled, swirling the liquor in his glass before downing it. I took a step closer. Then another. As I neared, his pupils swallowed the brown of his irises.
He was High.
“You see, Nick,” he drawled, his words slurring just slightly, “sometimes opportunities arise that we just can’t pass up. Once-in-a-lifetime kinda thing.” His movements were loose and lazy. He wasn’t entirely in control of himself.
Good. That gave me an edge..
“So you think breaking into my restaurant to rob me is the right opportunity?”
He slammed the empty shot glass down with a satisfied sigh. “Damn, that’s some good shit.” He poured another, lifting it in a mock salute. “Hey, don’t blame me. I’m not the one who left the door unlocked. You should be mad at your precious wife.”
The blood in my veins turned to ice. My stomach dropped.
His grin widened, revealing yellowed, crooked teeth. “A little troublemaker, isn’t she? You always loved saving those feisty ones. Let’s just hope she’s worth all the trouble this time.”
“Keep my wife’s name out of your filthy mouth.” My jaw clenches so hard I thought I heard one of my teeth crack.
His devilish grin appears, revealing his true colors and his well-deserved nickname.Devil. “I know she’s here, by the way.”
I forced my expression to stay neutral, but my heartbeat roared in my ears. The room felt smaller. Hotter.
“Yeah? And?” I said, keeping my voice flat. “She’s my wife. Why wouldn’t she be with me?”
Diablo smirked. His hand disappeared inside his jacket. I knew what was coming before I even saw it. The matte black Glock looked comfortable in his grip as if it belonged there. He held it casually, loose at his side like a goddamn beer bottle. But I wasn’t stupid.
“Now,” he said, rolling his shoulders, “let’s talk.”
The air thickened with something suffocating.
“You got a lot of people who’d rather see you gone, Nick, including myself.” he continued, tilting his head like a predator sizing up prey. “But one man in particular? He paid real good money to make sure that happens.”
I didn’t move. Couldn’t. If I so much as twitched, he’d know. Melanie was behind me.
“Who?” I asked, my voice low, rough.
Diablo’s smirk deepened. “I think you already know. Guess we can honestly say the bride's father isn’t a huge fan of you.” His teeth gleamed in the dim light. “Lucky me.”.
I clenched my fists, fury threatening to consume me. Ishould’ve grabbed my gun before stepping out here. A mistake I wouldn’t make twice.
“You and I both know, I never ratted on you, so whatever revenge this is a part of, you need to think twice about it.”
He took a step closer, his gaze fixed on me. “I’ve thought about this day for 15 years, and how it would feel to shoot you straight in the head, dead within seconds, but now that I’m here, I think I like the idea of slow torture.” He points the gun at my feet, and panic sets in, but I try to calm my mind, like I used to do when I was active duty. Keep them talking and distracted.
“Richard isn’t worth this,” I said, voice tight. “Whatever he paid you, it won’t be worth it when he goes down. And he will go down. Just a matter of time.”
Diablo shrugged, unconcerned. “Maybe. But me? I’m just the messenger. Here’s to you, you know—roughing you up a bit.” He swirls the gun in a circular motion, and it looks like he is about to drop it out of his hand.
My brain worked fast. No weapons. No exit without exposing Melanie. Seconds to act.
