“I just need to know that he’s not here for Cyril.”
“I haven’t noticed Cyril being mentioned anywhere, so I don’t think so.Your boyfriend’s safe.”
Vale really hoped Cyril was.Cyril had been through too much recently.He’d been kidnapped and threatened, people had tried to use him against Vale, and his life had been flipped upside down.He’d done nothing that would cause anyone to want to kill him, but Vale was still afraid.He’d be afraid until John Smith was out of town—possibly out of the country.
“I really don’t think he was there for Cyril,” Russell drawled.
Vale turned to glare at him.Rachel couldn’t see it, but she didn’t need to.She’d worked with Vale and Russell for long enough to know how they behaved with each other.
“I’m not sure that having the two of you in the same room is a good idea,” she said.Vale could hear a smile in her voice.“You might have retired, Roux, but I still need Brutus to take jobs and earnmemy retirement.”
“So that’s all I am to you?”Russell asked.“A retirement fund?”
“Pretty much.Just don’t kill each other, okay?And don’t kill John Smith.He hasn’t done anything to either of you or to Cyril.”
Yet.Vale couldn’t be sure that John Smith wasn’t here to hurt Cyril.As long as the man stayed away from Cyril, he’d be safe, but if he as much as looked in Cyril’s direction, Vale would make sure he knew what he risked.
“Maybe he’s here for you,” Russell pointed out.
“Why would he be?There’s not a new hit on my head, right?”
“Not as far as I can see,” Rachel confirmed.“Anything’s possible, I guess, but from what you described, I don’t think John’s there to hurt you or any of the people you care about.It probablywasjust a coincidence.”
Vale didn’t believe in coincidences.He certainly didn’t believe in coincidences when professional killers were involved.John had a reason to be in the area and at the hospital when Cyril was brought in.Hedefinitelyhad a reason to talk to Vale that day and mention Cyril.Vale just had to find out what that reason was.
He would, eventually.In the meantime, he’d make sure that Cyril was safe.
“You know, John seemed like a nice guy when I talked to him,” Russell said.
Vale glared harder at him.“He’snota nice guy.”
“How would you know that?You only talked to him a few times, and one of those times, he tried to kill you.”
“Which is how I know that he’s not a good guy.”
“We kill for a living, too.”
“Yet we’ve never taken a hit on a fellow assassin.The man has no rules.I don’t like that.”
“Maybe he has no rules because no one has ever taught him that he needed rules.”Russell’s expression lit up.“We can do that.”
Vale knew he wouldn’t like whatever was going through Russell’s mind.He wished he didn’t have to ask, but he’d rather know so he could be prepared.“What are you talking about?”
“We could take him under our wing and teach him how to be a good assassin.Hell, that could be your retirement project.”
“My retirement project is to protect Cyril and take care of him.”And he wasn’t doing a great job at the moment.
“You can’t spend the rest of your life doing that, though.”
“Watch me.”
Russell rolled his eyes.“Of course keeping Cyril safe is important, but it’s not a full-time job.He’s fine.”
Vale hoped Cyril was.He was out on a job with Robbie, and it had taken everything Vale had to resist the urge to follow him.He might have if Russell hadn’t dropped by unannounced after Vale texted him that John Smith was in the area.Vale had to believe that Cyril was safe, even though he wasn’t with him.
“Come on.We’re the old guard, and we’re supposed to teach the job to the new guys.”
“You can do that if you feel it’s necessary, but I want nothing to do with John again.”
