Page 5 of Be My Vengeance

“The list would be shorter to tell you why it’s not…oh, who am I kidding? Everything about it is great. Cookies, decorations, the best music, presents.” She looked up at me, her smile wide. “We bring a tree from the outside and put it inside and decorate it. Why, I don’t know and I don’t care, I just love it.”

“There are a lot of cultures that claim they thought the idea up to bring trees into their homes, but I choose to believe someone got super drunk one night and dragged one into the house and in their inebriated state, threw things onto it and started a new tradition.”

She laughed, full on. Her head back, her body shaking. She was gorgeous. “Yes, I like that idea, too.”

I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers; they were cold for a moment before she returned the kiss.

“I love you, my silly man.”

“I love you, my beautiful woman.”

“Merry Christmas, Alex.”

I jolted out of the memory to find Owen, Gideon’s son, standing beside me. “Hey, Owen, Merry Christmas.”

He glanced at the fire and then back at me. “Are you sad?”

Owen and Olivia were twins and had turned eight this year. While Olivia was all smiles and glee and being bossy, Owen was more reserved, observant, and inquisitive.

“Yeah, little guy. I am.”

He put his hand on top of mine. “It’s okay to be sad sometimes.”

“Do you get sad sometimes?” I swallowed, hoping he’d say no but knowing he’d been through too much in his eight years.

“Yeah.” He inched closer. “I…” His brow furrowed as though he was trying to figure out the words. I waited patiently, oddly curious as to what this little boy was going to bestow upon me. “I miss her, too.”

Hearing him say that was like a shot to the heart. I knew Mila had saved Matteo and Owen. I didn’t blame them for that, but I was sure they both felt a lot of guilt over it even though they shouldn’t. Mila had loved this family, and she’d shown more than once that she’d have stepped in front of a moving train to save them.

“Yeah.” My voice cracked.

He patted my hand and walked away. I stared at the spot he touched, trying to breathe, but it hurt…everything hurt.

“Come with me.” I peered up and saw Gideon.

“What?”

“My office, come on up.”

I surveyed the room and saw the kids all decorating cookies at the table while Rita prepared dinner. Danny and Toni weren’t around—neither was Penn, so I figured they were going to be joining us.

“It’s Christmas,” I said as if he didn’t know.

The corner of his mouth curled. “I’m aware. This won’t take long.”

I followed him up the stairs and as predicted, Danny, Penn, and Toni were all inside waiting for us. Gideon closed the door and went to his desk. Penn was on the couch, Toni was standing, and Danny was in one of the chairs. I took the other.

Gideon held his hand out, and Toni placed a tablet in it. “I was going to wait until after Christmas, but it looks like you’re barely holding it together, Alex.”

“I’m fine.”

Gideon glared at me. “We’ll agree to disagree on that.”

“What’s going on, Boss?” I glanced at the tablet, then back at him.

He cleared his throat. “Vladimir Ivanov, age sixty-two.” He turned the tablet, and an older man with graying hair, sunglasses, and a ruthless expression was walking on what appeared to be a tarmac, surrounded by at least ten men.

“Is that?” My hand was shaking.