Page 8 of Volatile Vice

But doing it this way? Yeah, there are a few potential loose ends, but I was far away from this venue when it happened.

My hands are clean. My alibi is secure.

And I’ll make sure that the three people who helped me continue to be handsomely rewarded.

I move to leave when I remember.

The pinky ring.

The gawdy thing my grandfather hates. I hate to admit it, but he’s right. It’s a thick gold band textured like gold nuggets with a huge star sapphire in its center.

He wants Puzo’s pinky, but no way in hell am I sawing off his finger. I grab the ring and shove it in my pocket. I exit the bathroom and head back into the living area of the suite.

Then I leave the room, walk calmly to the elevator, again making sure to keep my face down as I saunter through the hollow hallway and get into the elevator.

Once I’m back on the first floor, I leave—this time through the back door.

Only then, once I’m in my rental car, do I allow myself to ponder the magnitude of what I’ve put into motion.

Nausea overwhelms me.

Because this isn’t who I am. No matter what I did overseas—no matter what I did this evening—this isnotme.

I need to remember that.

Because things are about to get volatile.

And that’s the only way I’ll be able to do what needs to be done.

I’ll walk the path of darkness. Dip a toe into the shadowy realm dominated by men like my grandfather.

But I can’t allow myself to completely fall down the rabbit hole.

Because if I do?

I’ll never be able to escape.

3

RAVEN

It’s Hawk—not my father—who picks me up at my house.

“Ray?” His voice echoes through to my room.

“In the bedroom.”

I’m still clutching my knees.

He peeks inside and widens his eyes when he sees me. “You okay?”

I close my eyes. “How’d you get in?”

“The system wasn’t armed.” He crosses the room and sits on the edge of my bed.

I slap my palm to my forehead. “How could I be so dumb?”

After everything I’ve been through, I forgot to turn on my security system. Vinnie wouldn’t have been able to leave in the middle of the night if I had. What was I thinking? What washethinking?