Vicious

In the narrative present, Emilia reports to work wearing casual, unprofessional clothing, something that Vicious sees as an intentional provocation. She insists that he join the weekly staff breakfast, something he has never done before. He threatens to fire her, but she refuses to give in; she knows that he was so insistent about hiring her because he needs something. He reluctantly attends the breakfast, though his employees’ efforts at small talk irritate him. He particularly dislikes it when an accountant flirts with Emilia and threatens the man with being fired if he continues to do so. Vicious orders Emilia to purchase them plane tickets to California, promising that Rosie will be cared for in her absence. He plans to make their relationship sexual during the trip.

Rosie opines that Emilia’s trip with Vicious “sounds shady as hell” (94). Emilia feigns a lack of concern, as she doesn’t want her sister to worry. She frets over leaving Rosie in New York, even though a paid nurse will be with Rosie. Rosie cautions Emilia against “fall[ing] in love with [Vicious] again,” contending that Emilia is “too good” for Vicious (96). As she leaves for the airport, Emilia vows to do whatever it takes to gain financial security for herself and her sister.

Emilia is surprised to find Vicious smoking marijuana outside the airport, which she finds both brazen and at odds with his “control freak” personality. When she comments, Vicious teases her about being straight-edge, a characterization that Emilia does not deny. He makes combative, explicit comments that remind Emilia of their relationship in high school. Mentally, Emilia admits that she is sexually attracted to Vicious but recognizes that she does not feel emotionally equipped to have a casual sexual encounter with anyone, let alone her former enemy.

Vicious explains the corporate structure that leads his four friends to switch branch management periodically; when Emilia comments that this seems inefficient, he denigrates her work as a waiter but then offers a halfhearted apology. They briefly reminisce about mutual acquaintances.

Vicious muses on his chronic insomnia, which he manages by physically exhausting himself with exercise or casual sex. He also reflects that “contrary to popular opinion,” he is “capable of love” (105). During the cross-country flight, he works while Emilia sleeps, thinking about his desire for her. He wonders if fulfilling that desire is worth the “distraction” while he deals with his complex family politics. He watches her sleep for a long portion of the flight and tucks a blanket around her to increase her comfort, worrying that he is “bending the rules” he normally follows to keep his relationships emotionally distant.

In Todos Santos, Emilia greets her parents joyously. Vicious enters his family’s mansion and goes to see his father, whom he despises. He pauses in the library, thinking fondly of time spent with his mother, who was paralyzed after a car accident. After Vicious’s mother’s death, Jo’s brother, Daryl, repeatedly physically abused Vicious in the library. Jo facilitated her brother’s abuse.

Dean calls; he speaks crudely about the many women with whom he is having sexual relationships. Vicious reflects that he and Dean are both not good enough for Emilia. When Vicious tells Dean that Emilia now works for Vicious, Dean hangs up abruptly.

Emilia enjoys having dinner with her parents, though she is uncomfortable with her mother’s praise of Vicious. Her father, however, contends that he “never liked” Vicious, whom he considers “bad news” (114). Later that evening, Emilia attends a meeting between Vicious and Eli Cole, Dean’s father. She is alarmed to learn that Vicious intends to ensure that Jo doesn’t get any of her husband’s money after he dies, as Jo is Emilia’s parents’ employer. Vicious demands that Emilia testify against Jo if necessary, citing the physical abuse she facilitated—though he does not clarify to Emilia whether these allegations are true. She balks, not willing to commit perjury, but Vicious argues that she will not actually be compelled to testify. She must only convince Jo that she is willing to do so.

Emilia finds Eli kind, regardless of her past romantic history with his son. She mentally laments her desire to please Vicious, even when he asks her for things that challenge her sense of morality. She finds Eli’s confidence in Vicious’s story reassuring, as it encourages her that she will not be testifying to a lie.

As they leave, Emilia criticizes Vicious for encouraging her breakup with Dean. He counters that she and Dean did not share sexual chemistry equivalent to that between Emilia and Vicious.

In the timeline 10 years prior, Vicious feels like he can “breathe again” after Emilia and Dean break up. Vicious told Dean that he kissed Emilia, which has driven a wedge between the two friends. Eventually, Dean confronts Vicious. He has spoken to Emilia and knows that the kiss was one-sided. The two have a physical fight. Vicious is furious that Dean and Emilia have resumed their romance. Dean gloats over Vicious’s jealousy.

Dean and Vicious’s friendship falters during Dean’s relationship with Emilia. In the rare instances that the four friends spend time together, they never speak of Emilia. Vicious stops dating other girls and becomes increasingly obsessed with how he would treat Emilia if he were dating her—though he mentally insists that he would never do such a thing. Dean tells Vicious that he plans to stay in California for college, instead of leaving for New York, so that he can stay with Emilia; Vicious suspects that this is a lie but is still furious.

When Vicious learns that Dean and Emilia have had sex for the first time, he plans to force her to leave Todos Santos. He offers her money to leave and, when that doesn’t work, threatens to have her parents fired. She agrees to leave as soon as the school year ends and to break up with Dean. Vicious knows that Emilia will never forgive him, but he considers it worth the cost of separating her from Dean.