In about six seconds.
“Okay, this chain is done,” he says, and then he’s cleaning her back off. Herwhole fucking back, and I don’t like that he’s got his hands on my Savage. After he applies ointment and the bandage, he pushes his rolling stool away. “You can go in the restroom to put your shirt on and look in the mirror to make sure you don’t want anything touched up or changed.”
He turns and sees me, and his eyebrows climb.
“Oh, hi. Sorry, didn’t see you there. Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
Violet has just pushed off the table, holding her T-shirt to her chest, and at the sound of my voice, her head whips around and she smiles brightly.
“Hey! Oh my God, I didn’t know you were here. Of course, I almost fall asleep on the table every single time and don’t hear anything around me. Do you want to see?—”
“No, I don’t want to fucking see.”
Her smile falls, and then she frowns. “What? Why not?”
I shake my head and turn to leave. Lucky and Bobby are wise to stay quiet, but Violet rushes over to me.
“Just let me go to the restroom to put my shirt on, and I’ll?—”
“Don’t bother.”
“Hey. HEY!” She yells in my face, andnowBobby and Lucky both shift uncomfortably. “What’s wrong? Why are you mad at me?”
“Do whatever you need to do, Violet. I’ll see you when I get back.”
“The fuck is your problem? You knew I was coming here. I have my guards with me. How did I mess up now?”
I can’t make words come out of my mouth. I’m so fuckingpissed offthat I’ll say or do something I’ll regret, so I turn to walk away, but she grabs my arm, and I simply stare down at her hand until she takes it away.
“So, you’re just going to give me the silent treatment like you’re twelve? Use your words, Mateo.”
“Stop, Violet,” Bobby mutters, shaking his head mournfully.
“No. I’m not one of your men, I’m?—”
“Later,” I interrupt her and walk out of the shop to where Diego waits for me. “Change of plans.”
“Boss?”
“We’re not going to LA. We’re going to Rapture.”
Thirty-One
VIOLET
What in the hell was that?
After Mateo leaves, I walk back to the restroom, where I put my bra on and then pull the shirt over my head, and when I return to the main area, Archie’s got his arms crossed, and he’s glaring at me.
“What areyoumad about?”
“Your man is one of the Kings of Vegas? Really, Violet? Are you trying to get me fucking killed?”
“Don’t be dramatic.”
“He’s not,” Lucky says, shaking his head. “He’s lucky the boss didn’t shoot him where he stands.”
