––––––––

ON FRIDAY MORNING, five days after the raid in the sex club, I’m kicked back in a chaise by the window, wearing only my black boxers. My stare is fixed on Fallon, who’s fast asleep with the grey sheet low around her hips while our twins lie beside her. They’ve slept with us in our bed almost every night this week.

Being with Fallon unwinds me, which is why I’ve become more obsessive about protecting her. When I’m not with her and the kids, I feel wholly disarmed, so I’m glad she’s taking shooting lessons and getting her own gun today. I haven’t told my wife that the rage festering inside me hasn’t been quelled in the slightest because I crave to provide her a normal life, something I need as well. She’s my light inside a dark, merciless underworld, and I still want vengeance.

When Milana stirs, I stand up and lie on the other side of the bed so that Fallon and I flank our children. As Milana feels the mattress dipping, she turns her head and stares at me for a long time, as if she’s truly beginning to recognize me, and then her little mouth grows into a smile from ear to ear that melts my black heart.

“Buongiorno, bellezza mia.” Good morning, my beauty.

She sucks on her lower lip while concentrating on my voice. Swiping the sheet down, I settle over her, planting my forearms next to her ears. Then I unfold the pink blanket that’s wrapped around her, and when I open it, she lifts up her short, chubby arms in the most adorable manner and just beams, enchanting every part of me.

I kiss her round belly through her yellow onesie and inhale her sweet baby scent, uttering, “You’re so funny, my little ray of sunshine.”

But as I gaze up, she’s examining her fingers as if they’re the best thing since sliced bread. Propping my elbow next to her head to watch her discovering what she can do with her hands, I stroke her sparse auburn hair.

Since Fallon and Noah are still sleeping, I climb out of bed with Milana, cradling her on one arm and adoring how she observes me constantly.

“Daddy’s going to make you breakfast. Are you hungry, Milana?” I say to her, and she kicks her feet, wriggling her body while I tickle her tummy.

Exiting the bedroom, I walk to the end of the hall and turn left, going into the kitchen, which overlooks the living room. After I round the black granite island, I open the fridge and see that Fallon has already prepared two bottles. I take both of them out, knowing Noah will also wake up hungry soon, and place them in the microwave for a minute. Then I return to the bedroom and take a seat against the headboard, placing one bottle on the nightstand.

At that point, Fallon rolls to her back and opens her eyes, the happiest expression covering her beautiful, heart-shaped face.

Milana sees the bottle hovering above her face and opens her mouth eagerly, wiggling her toes, and the second I push it into her mouth, she starts sucking. The entire time she drinks, she watches me and I begin to realize how quickly she’s changing. Today, I notice how long her lashes are getting, framing her light brown eyes, just like her mother’s.

Fallon sits up just as Noah starts to fuss but then stops. My son always rouses slowly, unlike Milana.

“Good morning.” Fallon brushes her bangs aside, and thank god, the bruise on her temple has faded, leaving only some pink discoloration that’s barely visible.

“Buongiorno. Do you know what Milana did? When I unwrapped her from the blanket, she brought up her arms as if she was celebrating being released,” I say around a grin.

“Oh, that’s cute.” Fallon leans over Noah and addresses Milana, “You’re quite hilarious. And did you wake up daddy?”

“No, I woke up before she did.” Then I glance at the nightstand. “I heated Noah’s bottle too, so you can stay in bed. I have to go to the club to meet the architect.”

“Thank you.” She presses her mouth against mine and plops back down onto her side, settling her hand on Noah’s stomach.

When she inhales a deep breath and her full lips curve up into a smile that lights up her features, I can tell the extra attention I’ve given her the past few days has reassured her. I abhor it when my wife feels unsafe, and it’s my job to shield her and my kids – at all costs.

After Milana has finished her milk, I burp her, and when I stand up to lay her back down, Fallon requests, “Let me cuddle with her.”

I hand Milana over to Fallon and cross the bedroom to go into the adjacent bathroom. After I take a quick shower, I move into the connecting walk-in closet that stores both our wardrobes. Putting on a charcoal suit, I get a maroon tie from the rack before returning to the bedroom.

Fallon’s now feeding the other bottle to Noah, who has finally woken up, as I fix my tie around my neck and throw on my suit jacket. Grabbing my gun from Fallon’s vanity, I stash it in the back of my waistband and go to the bed just as Fallon glances up.

I kiss her lips and then Noah’s head, saying, “Call me when you’re done at the shooting range, okay?”

“I will,” she promises as I blow raspberries on Milana’s belly to make her giggle.

As I walk out, I look back once, hating to leave them, but I have to focus on Syndicate business.

***

SEATED AT ADRIANO’S desk, I drum my fingers irritably on the glass as he sits to my left and Consigliere Carmine, head captain, Logan, and my hacker, Henry, who adjusts his Fedora, stand across from me while we discuss how to handle the bar owner we have in custody.

“What do we do with Rudd?” I start. “No one has contacted his burner phone.” In reality, we’re still in the dark about who raided the sex club, which pisses me off.

Adriano gets his pack of cigs from the desk and responds, “Capturing Rudd wasn’t smart, Luca. The two men who escaped have most likely informed Rudd’s client. And the fact that Rudd is now MIA is suspicious, of course, so the man who orchestrated the raid probably assumes we have him.”

I rake a hand through my hair to comb it back. “Well, we have him now, so what do we do? I want to know who invaded the sex club.”

“But why?” Carmine inquires calmly. “Nothing else has happened and the sex club is closed now.”

“Because my wife got hurt!”

“And we all hate that, Luca,” Carmine counters, “But I’d advise you not to go looking for trouble. We have enough on our plate with the remodel. And thankfully, we haven’t had any issues with sex club clients or the escorts we fired. It’s possible that now that the sex club is closed, Rudd’s client isn’t interested in what he was looking for down there.”

I let out a grunt. “With our luck, this isn’t over.”

“Then we’ll handle it if the issue arises again.” Adriano steadily rotates his Marlboro pack in his hand.

“But again, what are we going to do with him now?” I repeat.

“Can we kill him without causing trouble for ourselves?” Adriano asks Logan and then regards Henry.

Henry answers, “Yes, Rudd’s a nobody. Our men can make it seem like a burglary gone wrong, and I erased the footage of you two inside his bar – there isn’t any link to us.”

“I say we end him,” Logan advises.

“Not yet,” I disagree. “Although we can’t keep Rudd downstairs, so have a soldier relocate him to the warehouse up north. I hate that we’re completely in the dark here. This isn’t sitting well with me.”

“What else can we do?” Carmine points out. “Hunt a ghost? We have no choice but to let it be.”

“Have a soldier take Rudd to the warehouse, Logan. And he stays alive until Luca says otherwise. But I think it’s best to not look for trouble,” Adriano concludes, ending the discussion. “I want to talk about the schedule for the remodel, Carmine. Is the one we made last Monday feasible?”

“Yes. Tez and I have called several associates. They can start the third week of January with bricking over the route to the L station and then breaking through the walls of the underground to create one big space like we have upstairs. After that, they can start the build-out of the dance floor, the raised DJ platform, the bar, and the sound system. So we can begin with the underground, then close down the dance club on February first as we wanted. Tez has already contacted the chef at Francitalia and offered him a generous salary, and he said yes, so they will organize the restaurant team. We can keep the wait staff; it’ll just be expanded with a kitchen staff and host at the front entrance for the restaurant. The back entrance is for the dance club, but we’ll keep the connecting door on the first floor open so that customers who have dined in the restaurant can go straight down to the club.” Carmine motions to Adriano’s pack of cigs, and he tosses it to Carmine.

“You have to work with some legit companies too,” Adriano instructs him.

“I know, but they don’t drop everything to accommodate us, because to them, we’re just the owners of Club 7 and not the Syndicate. When we modify the first floor, I’ll make sure that we work with a legit company as well.”

“How much is this going to cost us?” Adriano inquires.

“Almost a million, which is good because I have millions coming in the first half of this year, and now I can easily launder it.”

“Perfect. Set it in motion. I’ll send out a press release that Club 7 will be closed from February first until February fourteenth. We’ll open the restaurant and new dance club on Valentine’s Day, which will allow for great marketing.”

Furthermore, it’s a night I can take out my wife. Privately, I smile, checking my silver watch and knowing Fallon’s practicing at the shooting range.

Unexpectedly, Carmine adds, “By the way, even though I said we need to let the Rudd situation be, in the meantime, I do want us to up security for the women. We won’t tell them, of course, but in the upcoming weeks, let’s play it safe. They hang out a lot together outside with our kids, so I want a soldier to watch Eva and Brandon constantly.” Carmine’s the only one who’s unmarried, but his girl is part of our family as well, since she’s the mother of his one-month-old son.

“I already have a soldier accompanying Mary when she flies to her university in Urbana-Champaign, and I have him watch her in the Loop too,” Henry replies.

“Does my sister know he guards her when she’s home in Chicago?” Adriano grins at Henry.

Pulling up his shoulder, Henry responds, “No,” not in the least remorseful about how he protects Mary.

“I have a guy tailing Fallon too,” I put in and Carmine smirks. “One of the Club 7 guards.”

“Okay, then I definitely want a soldier to watch Eva as well,” Carmine decides.

“And another soldier to guard Rosalia and Adam,” Logan states, also wanting security for his wife and son.

“And Cam?” I ask Adriano, whose features harden.

“She always discovers it when I have someone tailing her and, like Fallon, it makes her uncomfortable, but Cam and Fallon are together often, so your guard’s watching Cam too.”

“Good,” I comment, realizing I haven’t actually spoken to the guard as Logan starts to make a call to summon a man up.

Within moments, there’s a knock at the door and Adriano says, “Come in.”

But when the door opens, a bulky guard with blond spikes enters and I surge up so fast that the chair shoots backward, the legs screeching over the black tiled floor as I bark, “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be following Fallon!”

He freezes before he explains, “Sir, I didn’t get an order to continue today.”

“Idiota.” Idiot. “I didn’t tell you to stop! I said until I call you. Did I call you?” I shout, yanking my phone from my pocket as I stride to the door.

“Luca, is Cam with Fallon?” Adriano snatches his grey suit jacket from the back of his desk chair and marches after me.

“Yes,” I reply.

“Bastardo!” Bastard! Adriano shouts as we pass the guard who jumps back. “I’ve said this before and I’ll repeat myself – the lack of communication in this group is infuriating!” Then Adriano stops in the doorway, pushing his arms into his jacket and righting his collar. “Carmine—”

“We’ll handle everything here. Call me when you find out they’re okay.”

“I will.”

Henry snaps his fingers at the blond guard and commands, “You stay here!”

I swipe the screen of my phone to contact Fallon, but it rings and rings, so I grip it until my knuckles turn white before I lower my arm. “Of course, she doesn’t answer!” I snarl to Adriano, whose scowl deepens.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me! I’m going to murder someone today!” Adriano nearly hisses when Cam doesn’t pick up his call.

We storm down the staircase and sprint out of the club to my car parked at the back entrance. Jumping inside, I fire up the engine and drive out with screeching tires. The roads are congested with the morning traffic as I maneuver around vehicles toward the intersection while Adriano keeps calling Cam.

“She’s not answering. Fuck!” He smashes the glove compartment and rears back, mirroring my emotions and scrubbing his palm down his mouth.

“I swear to god that guard is going to feel my wrath if something has happened.”

“Where are the kids?” Adriano’s concerned gaze lands on me as I hit the gas at the intersection and move into the left lane.

“They’re at my apartment with the sitter.” I try to help set his mind at ease, but the tension coiling our bodies seems to intensify as I get on the highway.

Unfortunately, the shooting range is outside the Loop, and during the drive, my feeling of extreme dread almost paralyzes me.

***

AFTER TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES, we arrive at an industrial area where I come to a stop at the front entrance of the building so fast that I leave a gust of dirt and smoke in my trail. Simultaneously, Adriano and I leap out.

We enter a brown-painted gun store that’s crowded with several metal aisles and a handful of customers and pace toward the back where the cash register and a door that leads to the shooting range are located.

Then, all of a sudden, the entire place goes dark, and Adriano and I halt and grab our guns from our waistbands. Rushing forward through the shadows, we reach the cash register.

“It’s okay, everyone!” the male employee yells. “We’re doing construction downstairs, but the backup power will come on within a few seconds.”

At that moment, the rectangular fluorescent ceiling lights switch on again, and the employee smiles pleasantly at us while we’re holding up our weapons.

“Everything’s fine, sir,” the guy speaks to Adriano.

However, I walk past him, saying, “I’m looking for my wife; she’s at your range right now.”

“Oh, okay, sir. You can go through the door.”

I run forward and bang the door open with my gun to look past a row of cubicles separated with partitions, and approaching me from the third one is a curvy shadow that aims her pistol at me. As she gets closer, I see that she’s dressed in a long sleeve, knee-length emerald dress that flares at her hips and light brown suede boots that I recognize immediately.

“Jesus Christ!” I sigh. “Fallon? Where’s Cam?”

She lowers her gun. “In the store with her instructor.”

Adriano, who’s standing behind me, turns back instantly as I hurry over to Fallon, although she appears to be at ease.

“I was scared for a second when the lights went out; there’s something going on with the power here,” she mutters.

Stashing my gun, I stop in front of her and scan her features, seeing that she’s perfectly composed, which makes me proud that she didn’t panic, even though I did. “They’re having construction work done.”

Calma, Luca. She’s fine. Don’t make her worry.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, smacking a kiss on my lips. Then she moves back into her cubicle, and as she turns around, her long gold earrings clink together before she clicks out her ammo in the sexiest manner.

Gradually, calmness fills me now that she’s safe with me, and although the man who needs to protect her always domineers, I hide the absolute terror that coursed through my veins up until a few seconds ago.

When my phone beeps, I fish it out of my pocket to read a message.

Adriano: Got Cam. But that instructor is looking at her with a little too much interest.

Luca: Okay. Give me ten minutes alone with Fallon.

Adriano: We’ll be waiting here, but I swear to god if that instructor touches Cam one more time, I’m going to shoot his hand.

Luca: Calma. We have them. Did you tell Cam anything?

Adriano: No. You?

Luca: No.

Stashing my phone in my jacket, I answer Fallon’s earlier question when she lifts her brows. “I’m here because I wanted to surprise you.”

She tilts her head in reaction to my suggestive grin, but as I inch closer, she cocks her weapon once more and smirks.

“What are your intentions, Mr. DeMiliano? I’m armed now, so I suggest you tread carefully.”

“Should I be scared of you, Mrs. DeMiliano? I think you have things confused. I’m the underboss here.”

“I’m not afraid of you...”

“Because you know that I’d never hurt my wife.”

Her smile widens. “Did you come for a quick fuck, Mr. DeMiliano?”

“No, not a quick fuck.”

I’ve been edging closer until the tip of the revolver hits my chest, and I grin at Fallon wolfishly before, lightning fast, I grab her piece and turn her, wrapping my arms around hers to trap her in, her ass pressing into my groin.

“Ah, too slow, Mrs. DeMiliano, and I already saw you unloading,” I admit against the shell of her ear while I trace the tip of the gun down her cheek, causing her breath to catch as a smile quirks her lips. “But to answer your question properly: I came to bend you in every position I want, Fallon. Right now. And, dolcezza, you didn’t answer your phone; you disobeyed me.” Setting her Smith & Wesson on the table, I push myself against her, burying my nose in her long, silky soft hair.

She tenses and slowly looks up to the side. “I didn’t hear it inside here, Luca,” she defends, and I realize she would never deliberately ignore my calls.

“I know,” I whisper, to which she expels a sigh, and the need to possess her explodes within me.

Quickly, I rotate Fallon around and boost her up onto the table, sliding her to the edge with my palms gripping her ass while I lean forward to slant my mouth over hers.

“Luca, someone could come in,” she objects, although her movements say the opposite, spurring me on as she caresses my face and neck, down to my shoulders.

“No one will come,” I say as she loops her arms and legs around me while I roam my palms up her smooth, lean thighs, gathering her dress up until my thumbs reach her hot core.

I must worship Fallon’s body right now to make sure she never forgets how much I desire her. So I shove inside her panties and circle her with the pad of my thumb, making her moan against my mouth as I bite her lip and release it slowly. When I slip my finger inside, she curves into my touch and we almost topple backward from our frantic movements. I cup her head and spear her tongue with mine in the same rhythm I finger her, her hips bucking as we grind into one another.

Deftly, I unfasten my pants, letting the flaps fall open as Fallon yanks my boxers lower to free my erection. Then I kiss my way down her throat, rubbing the tip of my cock along her wet pussy.

“I’ve missed you.” I grip her breast in my palm as she tangles her fingers in my hair.

When I nudge my shaft inside, she plants her hands on the table and leans back slightly while I grab both her ass cheeks and drive into her. With both of us completely dressed, I take what I need. Fallon’s spread wide, her legs hooked around my hips as I kiss her brutally, her back curving. I own my wife as we move together in unison, the table shaking because there’s no finesse in our heated passion.

“God, so hot...so wet...” My palm wanders up her thigh to hook my arm under her knee while I hammer into her, my hair falling across my forehead as I gaze into the fire in her amber irises.

“Yes, Luca!” she pants, biting her lip to suppress the volume of her voice. “You feel so good inside of me.”

I take a deep breath, mad with longing for her, and she grips my neck as our teeth clash in another searing kiss. Fallon’s soft groans and the way she tightens her fingers at my nape tells me she’s about to come, and I’m also about to blow, feeling her wetness coating me.

“Don’t come yet; I’m not done with you,” I tell her, and she whimpers as I drag my lips down her throat and cup both breasts through the fabric of her dress.

Then I quickly pull out, swing her around, and with my hand on her neck, I bend her forward to lie on her stomach on the table. Trailing my fingers down her spine, I kneel and hastily bunch up her dress, shoving it over her behind. I widen her stance, pulling her panties aside to lick her slit, once, twice before I devour her, eagerly taking what’s mine.

“Fuck, Fallon,” I groan in between licks.

Her mahogany hair fanned out on the table, she purrs my name over and over, making lusty noises as she mashes her pussy against me, my tongue savoring every drop of her. But I want her to come on my cock; I burn to feel her when she climaxes. One final time, I feast on her folds, and she screams unashamedly before yelling, “Shit,” and I can tell she’s grinning while pursing her lips.

Rising, I guide her to stand up and shove her up against the partition from behind, holding the dress up over her hips with one hand and kicking her feet apart. Then I push her panties out of the way again and slide my shaft from her pussy up to her ass before moving it back down.

“Put it inside me, Luca,” she begs, making me smile as she presses back against the head of my dick.

“Place your palms on the wall,” I direct, and she does so without hesitation.

I fit my cock into her body and cover her hands with mine, lacing our fingers. She meets my thrusts as I piston into her, arching her back to take me in deep. Skin slaps together frantically, and a drop of sweat rolls down my forehead. God, her ass cheeks feel luscious and full against my skin as I plunder her pussy, her hot channel clamping around my cock like a vice. Our tangled fingers constrict painfully, and I bend to nibble the spot where her neck and shoulder meet, branding her as I energetically roll my hips.

“Come for me, dolcezza,” I growl, pushing her toward that precipice with deliberate assault while the seam of her panties strokes the side of my dick.

She reaches her peak first, shudders rocking her as she whimpers and wriggles, circling her ass against my crotch, prompting my pleasure to build until it crests into a magnificent outburst. It curls through my blood, settling low in my groin as I spend inside her. Then I can barely take in air as we breathlessly stand together with our palms against the partition, my cock still pulsing.

Ultimately, I slide out and fasten my pants as Fallon rights her dress and turns around with a satisfied grin, her wild hair framing her face. “Thank goodness, the kids weren’t here to interrupt us.”

“This time, I wouldn’t have stopped,” I tease and she pushes me away, fingering her hair. “Aren’t you done?”

“I don’t think so,” she says; however, I need Fallon to stay with me now, until I’ve handled the situation with the guard leaving his post.

“You can continue Monday,” I offer and reach out to pick up her purse, dropping her gun inside before handing it over to her. “Let’s go home together; I’ll work from there.” Taking her white winter coat, I hold it open and she slides her arms inside.

At that moment, my phone chimes in, so I dig it out of my pocket and bring it up to my ear when I see Henry’s name, “Henry?”

“Adriano texted me that you have the girls. I tried to call him just now, but he isn’t answering. There’s someone here for you two. Someone you’ll want to talk to...”

“Who?” Motioning to Fallon to go ahead of me, I watch her as she struts toward the front and slings her purse across her shoulder just as her instructor returns. And she speaks to him to schedule a new appointment.

“The New York Syndicate’s boss,” Henry replies.

I stop short for a second, speechless, before stepping through the door and following Fallon down the aisle toward the exit. “Is he at Club 7 now?”

“Yes, I told him to wait in the office.”

“Adriano and I are coming to the club,” I inform him and hang up, telling my wife as she cranes her neck, “We have to drop by the club first.”

“Okay,” she says, twining our hands as we cross the threshold and the stinging wind hits my face.

Fortunately, Adriano and Cam are already waiting in my vehicle, and they obviously don’t notice us, because Cam’s seated in the back, leaning forward with her chin on the passenger seat as she mutters something to Adriano, who reaches back and cups her cheek while he smirks.

I guide Fallon to round the hood of the car and open the back door for her before getting inside and updating Adriano, “Henry called me. Michael’s at Club 7.”

Adriano’s eyebrows lift slightly. “Why?”

“I have no idea.” I start the car to drive back to the Loop, undeniably curious about why Michael wants to see us.

Another boss has never made a surprise visit.

***

WHEN I ENTER THE OFFICE, fingers entwined with Fallon and Adriano and Cam trailing behind us, Michael is standing in front of the desk as Henry occupies Adriano’s desk chair, watching the bulky guard who was ordered to stay put.

Adriano and I release Cam and Fallon’s hands after I close the door and Adriano says to them, “Wait here.”

They nod and smile at Michael, who dips his chin as Adriano walks over to him and shakes his hand. Michael looks like his usual self in his tailored black suit and dress shirt, trimmed beard, and black hair that’s neatly combed back and to the side. Or so I think until I note the dark circles under his ashy-grey eyes.

However, I need to take care of the guard first. Pointing to him as he stands to my right side, I state, “You’re fired. You can go. Carmine will handle you.” When he opens his mouth, I wave my hand, my patience gone, so he shuts it and exits the office.

“You’re being lenient,” Adriano remarks.

“That’s because this is our own fault. We don’t have a head guard. Tez and the rest of us order the guards around, and we use soldiers as guards too – it’s confusing. There’s no structure in it at all; hence, we miscommunicate.”

“I was thinking the same,” Henry puts in, leaning back in the chair. “We need to set up an official team, which we can organize while we remodel.”

Adriano gazes at Cam as he rubs his hand over his mouth. “You’re right. Let’s discuss this Monday with all the men.” Then he addresses Michael, “So why are you here?”

Michael is his equal in the mafia and he was a Chicago Syndicate member before he went to New York. Tragically, his fiancée was killed three months ago due to New York Syndicate business gone wrong.

“Because I want out of New York,” Michael answers steadily.

And Adriano casts me a side-look before he says, “You want out of the Syndicate?”

Michael’s mouth tightens. “No. I know that’s not an option, and there’s no life for me outside the mafia. But I can’t live in New York anymore. I don’t want the burden of being boss.”

I approach him and grip his shoulder. “Michael, you’re still grieving. Do you really want to make this decision now?”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Yes. I’ve been going over this for weeks while my underboss, Cesare, covers for me.”

“Did you tell him you’re in Chicago?”

“Yes, everyone on my team knows I’m here. I came fully prepared and have informed the members of my plan to resign as boss.”

“So you’ve discussed it with them already? Who will take over New York?”

“Cesare will become boss. Everyone’ll move up a rank.” He paces toward the window and sighs loudly. “I’ve thought this through. This isn’t a rash decision. I realize what I’m giving up, but I can’t be the boss New York needs anymore. And I’ve taken care of everything with Cesare. He’s already handling business as boss.” Then he stares out the window at the clouds veiling the sun. “I can’t live there anymore with Rachel’s ghost haunting me.”

Adriano’s amazement switches to empathy while I realize that Michael doesn’t come off as frantic, so I believe that he’s made his final decision.

“Did you pack up your stuff, Michael?” I ask, to which he turns around and looks me in the eye.

“Yes. I still have my apartment in the Blackhall, so I’m moving back there. Since business can continue in New York without a hitch, I’d hoped we could easily transfer me back. I’ve made sure that there are no outstanding issues.”

Adriano answers, “There’s an issue that I don’t have a high ranking position for you. Usually, when a boss retires, he becomes Consigliere, but I have a counselor, so would you want a lower rank within the Chicago Syndicate?”

“That’s exactly what I want. I need a break to get my mind off things and to try to move on. And we were soldiers together in the Chicago Syndicate, but moreover, we were friends – you know you can trust me.”

Adriano cocks his head. “I don’t question whether or not I can trust you, Michael. Of course, I’d want you on my team. But this is all coming out of the blue for us. I need to discuss this with Luca and Carmine.” He takes a moment of quiet contemplation before suggesting, “Take a few days to settle in here, and we’ll talk on Monday. I get why you can’t be in New York anymore, but I can’t guarantee you a position within management.”

Slightly appeased, Michael strolls around the desk, back to us. “I understand. I’ll be at the Blackhall, unpacking my stuff.”

“Do you want to ride with us?” I offer Michael. “Fallon and I still live there.”

“No, thanks. I have my car.” He shakes our hands before quietly withdrawing from the office.

“Well, I didn’t expect that,” Adriano says to me, still surprised.

“Can we trust him?” Henry bends forward with his elbows on the desk.

“Yes,” I answer. “We joined the Chicago Syndicate with him, and he was sent to New York where he climbed the ranks fast. And we never had any issue with them since he took over. Furthermore, he’s a friend.”

“Let’s see if he still feels the same way in a couple of days.” As Adriano rounds his desk, Henry stands up to vacate his chair.

“Okay, then I’m going home now.” I hold out my hand for Fallon, who’s standing next to the door and immediately joins me. “Call me if you need me. We’ll appoint new guards on Monday for the girls too, right?”

“Fuck. You fired the guard, so who’s guarding them this weekend?” Adriano’s annoyance regarding our malfunctioning guard system blisters back to the surface.

“I don’t have any plans this weekend,” Cam announces just as Fallon utters, “I’m staying home anyway.”

I give Adriano a pointed look. “We’ll take care of this Monday.”

“Fine.” He grins. “And, Luca, check on Michael.”

“I was already planning to,” I confirm right before I tow Fallon out of the office, wanting to be alone with my wife and kids since I seem to be the only one who can truly protect them, which becomes painfully clear sooner rather than later.