In Too Deep

Twenty Six

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The room wasn't destroyed, but it was completely trashed. Papers littered on the ground. The table and chairs have been turned over, and the curtains have been ripped from their place.

Vicious had his palms rested against the wall as he stared out through the window he had almost filled up. His back was turned to her, and his rage was alive and breathing. Nova approached with caution, but she didn't make it too far to him when she paused in the middle of the room.

"Vicious?"

His head tilted down as if he was trying to catch his breath. He didn't turn around yet, just opting to stay where he was like he didn't want her to see him in this state. Nova was used to every mood of his. She had seen his anger, his annoyance, his jealousy, and his amusement. There was nothing left to see. Nothing left for him to hide.

She took one step closer and halted again. "I heard what happened; are you okay?" It was obvious he wasn't, but she needed to start with something before she jumped to the part where she defended herself. Before someone pointed the finger at her.

"So, who do you think is it?" His quiet question rushed to her ears.

"The mole? I don't know, but it's not—"

"You must have some idea." He finally rotated around to face her, his dark green eyes peering into hers. At that moment, he looked like a shadow draped in death. He leaned back, crossing his arm and legs. "You were there. So, who do you think is it? Mario? Screw?" One perfectly arched eyebrow cocked. "Danny, or Riley?"

Her heart thundered in her chest. He thought it was one of them? Not her. Or was this a test to see if she would admit to being the mole? At least, that was the tactic she had seen a lot in movies. "What?" she stupidly asked.

"Who do you think is the mole, Nova?"

Her chest felt heavy as she sucked in a breath. It wasn't a test or a game. He really believed one of them was the mole, and he wanted her to tell him who it was? He didn't think it was her. Was she supposed to feel happy? Was she supposed to be moved that it wasn't her he was blaming?

"You can't put that decision on me. I don't...I don't know, Vicious."

"Assuming you came here to help, this is going to help me, Nova. One of them has been talking, and I would like your opinion on the matter."

"Why would you think it's one of them?" She urged, trying to keep her voice steady. "I know Mario and Screw will not do that to you. Mario hates me because of you, and Screw loves being part of this. For fuck's sake, these are your men. You know them better than I know them."

His answering stare was dark and lingering, sending chills up her spine. "You're right. I do know them." When he retrieved a gun from behind, her heart sank in her chest like a stone. "I know who I trust and who I don't," he said with a devious light in his eyes, and she could tell he was relishing all of this despite being angry.

She blankly stared at him. She couldn't think about anything to answer to that. "What are you doing with a gun?"

The tip of his tongue edged itself between his lips as he chuckled lowly, "I lost three men and half a million. Someone is about to get all that heat."

And his words rooted in her brain as much as the calmness was buried in him. She didn't know how to respond to that, so she finally managed to answer, even though she doubted he would listen to her, but she had to try somehow. "You don't know who it is. You can't make a decision out of anger without thinking this through."