98

Xavier Yazzie yelled across the penthouse, “We’re leaving, Reyna.” Then, moving back to the balcony, he bent down and looked Liana straight in the eyes. He had replaced his glasses and hat with an extra pair he kept there. He had always loved the fact that when he looked a person deep in the eyes, all they saw was his cold unfeeling expressions and their own fear reflected back in the mirror image on his glasses.

To Liana, he said, “If I take out the gag and remove the rope from your feet, do you promise to be a good girl?”

Her eyes still telling a tale of defiance, she nodded nonetheless. Removing her gag and restraints, he stood and was about to yell another warning at Reyna, when he heard a large and powerful engine roaring to life nearby. Moving to the railing—to the view from which he normally admired his land—he watched in horror as the narco tank plowed into his casino like a black bullet. Then he heard the breaking of glass and the echoes of destruction.

Turning to Liana, he said, “Time to go.”

“I always knew you were a snake.”

He stroked her cheek and said, “And I always wanted to get up inside of you, in more ways than one. Now, are you going to walk or do I need to carry you again? I have to admit that I enjoyed holding you.”

Her eyes like daggers, she replied, “I’ll walk.”