Page 54 of The Villain

I’m on my feet in an instant stalking out of the bedroom. “Whatever it is, don’t open it. Leave it where it is and get out. Get out of the house!”

“Cassian. Cassian wait,” she interrupts.

I hurry to the exit. “I need you with me,” I tell two of the soldiers who stand smoking just outside the front door.

“Cassian, I opened it.”

“You did what?”

One of the soldiers slides into the driver’s seat and starts the engine.

“It was a gun.”

“A gun?”

“Yes. Gage thought it was a toy, but it’s not. Shit. It’s not.”

“Are you still at your mom’s?”

“Yeah. I called you right away.”

“Where is the package?”

“Here, on my lap.”

“Put the package aside and get out of the house. Go to the café two blocks away, what’s it called?”

“Trifle.”

“Trifle. Good. Go. Now. Take your mom and Gage. Leave the door unlocked. Get out of the house. Now. I’m on my way.”

“You’re scaring me.”

“Just g…” I force myself to stop, to breathe. “It’s fine. I’m sure. Just go. Now. Okay? I’m going to stay on the phone with you until you get there. Move, Vivi.”

“Okay. Come on, Gage. Let’s get ice cream.”

“Ice cream!” I hear Gage’s voice followed by rustling, her mom muttering, and, a few minutes later, the door closing. They’re outside. Good. Keeping her on speaker, I text Angelo to get soldiers to both Vivi’s house and her mother’s as well as to the café. I never thought it was a good idea she didn’t have protection. Gage is Seth’s son. He’s my father’s grandson. Our enemies could take him. Use him. Worse. Fuck, a lot worse. Hell, maybe we’ve been lucky no one has hurt him yet.

“We’re here,” Vivi says ten tense minutes later.

“Okay. Angelo’s sending soldiers. They’ll stay in their vehicles?—”

“I don’t want soldiers, you?—”

“That’s too bad,” I cut her off. “Sit tight. I’ll call you back once I’m at the house.”

“You don’t get to decide that Cassian.”

I bite back my words because I do. He’s my nephew.He’s my brother’s son. And she would have been his wife. I’m not going to leave them unprotected. Shit, the fact that I have this long was just stupid. “We’ll talk after, Vivi. Let me get this handled.”

“Fine.”

“Call me back if you need anything.”

“Okay. Be careful.”

“I always am.” I disconnect the call and look out the window thinking who it could have been. There are any number of options. Shit. When we pull up to the house almost an hour later, two soldiers climb out of their car to greet us. I walk up to the front door, two men flanking me, more joining the others already out back.