Page 110 of Malice
“Yeah, why couldn’t you ask me a question?”
I wanted to smack my hand to my forehead. This guy made my brain feel like it was trying to walk along the floor of a fun house as it moved around.
“Why do you always dress like this?” I asked.
Wilder looked down at the matching black and grey camo fatigues he was wearing. “Why not?”
“‘Cause it’s not exactly normal. Do you see me or anyone else walking down the street dressed in camo or like a swamp thing or a garbage bin dude?” If he were going to kill me for insulting him, at least I’d see him coming.
“I don’t wear this out,” he finally said. “Well, I do, but only when I need to.”
I wish I hadn’t dumped out the rest of my whiskey. I’d rather take my chances with the possible poison. “Fine. Why are you wearing it now?”
Wilder leaned forward, his arms resting on his thighs. “To blend in. I thought that would be obvious.”
Okay, forget the poison. I was going to pull my gun and shoot myself at this rate. “Wilder. Why do you want to blend in right now?”
Talking to him was like being at the top of a staircase with no recollection of how I got there. It felt like I needed to back up one step at a time until I figured out why I climbed them in the first place.
His steely gaze found mine, and I could feel him assessing me like I was one of the freak show exhibits from his dilapidated park.
“Can I trust you?” Wilder asked, his eyes narrowing and his voice dropping to a level that made the hair stand on the back of my neck.
“If you mean, will I tell anyone what you say? Then you can trust me to keep it to myself. I’ll go to my grave with it,” I said.
“Even if it puts you in danger?”
“Even better. I like living on the edge.” I leaned forward. To finally learn the mysteries of Wilder was too good to pass up.
The corner of Wilder’s mouth turned up as if what I’d said amused him. If he could be amused.
“I was ordered to do something but was set up, and now one particular person is after me, but they have the strength of many men like me looking for me.” It was hard to tell if this was a wild truth or if this was just another twisted mess inside Wilder’s mind. “That’s why I was keeping tabs on your girl’s fuck friend.”
My nostrils flared at the mention of the bartender.
“Oh, really? And why is that?”
“He’s related to the man who is after me. I keep an eye on all his family.”
That had me sitting up straight. “Is she in danger? Are you planning something I should know about?”
I had no idea if I could get to my gun before Wilder killed me, but if he was planning to go after Raine, we were about to have an issue.
“No, the guy seems checkered for different reasons but has nothing to do with that side of his family. He seems to be estranged from most of his family. They don’t like his life choices.”
I had no idea what that meant, but I relaxed as Wilder said he had no intentions of attacking them.
“So these people who are after you, are you planning on eradicating them?” I asked.
“Killing them like rodents. I like that. Yes, if they come for me.”
I leaned back and stared at Wilder. “I think you should take the fight to their door. Not that you don’t look great in all your blending-in outfits, but wouldn’t it be nice to be free of the worry?”
“I don’t worry. There is no place for fear in my life.” He turned his head and stared out the dark window. “But I do understand your meaning. Maybe you should take your advice as well. Better to know if you can fix what you fucked up than not try at all.”
Crossing my arms, I stared at the side of his face and couldn’t help wondering what it would’ve been like to have Wilder in prison with me. I had the protection of Mannix and the crew he’d gathered, and that was how I met Roach and Hollywood, but there was something about Wilder that made you want him on your team even if he made your brain do backward somersaults.
“Maybe I should. So, did you come over because you saw I was sad or to ask another question?”
