What Mia doesn’t know won’t hurt her.
I find Adrian, predictably, nestled in a corner with Elise. She’s smiling up at him, straightening his tie. Her gaze lands on me and she senses my anger. She slowly loses her smile, lowering her hands and takes a step back.
Adrian is already facing me when I approach. “How’d that go?”
I flick a glance at Elise. Normally I wouldn’t issue an order like this in front of her, but I’m not feeling especially reticent this evening and it’s not like Elise is going to say anything. Fuck it.
“I want him to make his flight. I want him to land in Vegas. And then I want him dead.”
Elise’s eyes widen and she pushes her chair in, turning and abandoning this corner without further delay. Adrian watches her for a moment, his features strained, then he meets my gaze. “I thought Madison was working out. What did he say to you?”
“Doesn’t matter. I changed my mind,” I say, simply.
“He seem unstable?”
“He is unstable.”
Adrian knows me too well though, knows I’m angry. If Vince would’ve given me an adequate excuse, if he would’ve made a threat or made me think he might come back, I wouldn’t be angry. I would be composed. Happy, actually, because I would finally be justified in taking the action Mia doesn’t want me to take.
My anger is betraying the truth. I’m not worried he’ll come back. I just want him to die. I don’t need a fucking justification—it’s what I want, dammit, and I’m tired of compromising for her.
“Are you sure about this?” Adrian questions. “What if Mia finds out?”
“I can handle Mia.”
“Like you handled her last time?”
I narrow my eyes at him. “This is different.”
With a knowing nod, Adrian says, “Of course it is. This time, you want revenge.”
“Is that so unreasonable?” I ask, eyes narrowing. Just thinking about Mia at Vince’s mercy in Vegas makes me want to flay the little asshole and make a bonfire out of his bones, right here in front of all these people.
Glancing beyond me down the hall, Adrian says, “Whatever he said to you, just let it go. He doesn’t matter anymore. I understand it pissing you off that he fucked Mia, but he’s fucked her before. Just let it go.”
“He didn’t fuck her,” I state, carefully. “He raped her.”
Adrian loses patience with me. “You know what, Mateo? We’ve all been where you are right now. Pissed off at the egregious wrong done to her, capable of stopping it, but our hands fucking tied.” Pointing his finger in my face, he states, “You made me stand watch outside that girl’s door for four fucking days to keep her from leaving so you could do that same damn thing to her. How do you think I felt? Just like this. I wanted to rip your fucking throat out, but I couldn’t. Now it’s your turn.”
“That’s different.”
“Why? Because it’s you?”
I don’t even blink. “Yes.”
Adrian shakes his head, looking more unimpressed with me than he has in a while. “You know I’ve agreed with you about eliminating Vince before, but it’s not the right move this time. The girl is holding his attention. Keep your hands clean. Rafe can take it from here.”
“I don’t want clean hands.”
“She’ll find out. Cherie’s already talking about moving to Connecticut to be closer to Vince—do you really think she won’t scream bloody murder to Mia if Vince turns up dead?”
“Then kill her, too.”
“No.”
He already knows I don’t do “no” but the chill in my narrowed gaze reminds him and he tries again.
“Just let the little bastard leave today and you’ll never see him again.”
“He’s going to leave. And then when he gets to Vegas, there’s going to be a tragedy. Maybe someone in Vegas doesn’t believe he’ll walk away without a fight. Maybe there’s a break-in. A robbery. A homicidal clown. I don’t give a fuck how, just make it happen.”
Adrian clearly doesn’t approve. He sighs, running a hand through his hair, but he nods anyway. “Fine. Freelance is probably best. Ryder’s still around; I’ll see if he wants it.”
I nod, but before I can step away to go find Mia, she finds me. Approaching me from behind, she wraps her arms around my waist and hugs my back. Half the tension automatically leaves my body. I glance back at her over my shoulder and she smiles up at me, her trusting blue eyes sparkling with love.
“There’s my sexy husband. How’d it go?” she asks, clearly expecting good news. She moves in front of me, leaning against my chest and draping her arms over my shoulders. She’s so goddamn affectionate. I can’t help letting my hands fall to her hips, tugging her even closer. She smiles in response, pushing up on her toes to give me a kiss.
God, I love her.
Instead of answering, I note the lack of tiny Morelli in her arms. “Where’s Dominic?”