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“It’s been a while,” Mason says as I sit down at the booth in the back of the restaurant.

“I just saw you a few weeks ago,” I point out to him.

“Not what I meant,” he corrects me. “It’s been a while since the two of us have been up to no good.”

“And how do you know that’s what I’m here for?” I ask him. I used to buy some good shit through Mason and vice versa. I came from the poor part of town, and him from the rich. The only real difference that makes is which drugs you’re doing. Pot or snow.

And if you want a taste of the other, all you have to do is make friends with the right people. Long story short, that’s how I met Mason and as I moved into his circle, he made a spot when I needed one.

Mason shrugs at my question. “I’m going to take a guess and say that whatever you want from me, it’s something I could go to jail for.”

I huff a sarcastic laugh and toss my phone down on the white tablecloth then look around casually to make sure I don’t recognize anyone. The place is mostly empty, with only a few guys at the bar and a couple in the corner of the diner.

“We’re good,” Mason says. “And I have to say, considering what’s going on, I’m intrigued.”

“Intrigued is a word for it, I guess,” I answer him.

“I got you an IPA, seasonal.”

“Thanks, man,” I tell him gratefully but I don’t touch the tall glass sitting right in front of me. I take off my coat and hang it over the unused chair to my left as the waitress walks up to the table. She’s a skinny little thing, which makes her look even younger than she probably is.

“Welcome to Murray’s,” she says evenly as she pours water into each of our glasses. Her top’s unbuttoned just a little too much and the way the blush colors her cheeks as she looks between us makes what she’s thinking more than obvious.

“Can I get you guys anything?” she asks, setting the pitcher down. She bites down on her lip and Mason raises a brow at me.

“Not me,” I tell him and lean back in my seat, not looking back at the broad and risking leading her on.

He waves her off politely. “We’ll just grab a drink from the bar,” he tells her and her smile falls. She seems to falter and she clears her throat.

“Sure, if you need anything—” she starts to say, but he cuts her off.

“We’re good.”

“So how you been?” I ask him as the pretty little blonde walks off with a pout.

“Better now,” he tells me.

“I’m sorry to hear about your father.”

He shrugs and looks away as he takes a long swig of his beer.

“I know it’s got to suck either way,” I say my words carefully. Word is Mason killed him. Shot him dead. But still, it’s his father and I don’t know for a fact Mason really wanted him gone.

“Yeah,” he says, not looking me in the eyes. “Thanks, but let’s cut the small talk. It’s not often I get a call from you.”

I nod and crack my knuckles one by one with my thumb as I look out the window, scanning the streets. “I think I need to hire someone,” I tell him.

“You’re going to need to be a little more specific than that,” he replies.

“There’s someone,” I pause and lean in closer, resting my elbow on the table and moving my hand so that my fingers cover my mouth as I talk. Just in case someone’s watching and trying to listen in.

“Someone tried to kill me. Tony wasn’t meant to die. It was meant for me.”

“You’re still doing coke?” he asks and eyes me then takes a drink from his glass.

“Not in years, but they don’t know that. It would hurt my reputation if the clients thought I was clean, you know?”

“That’s what I thought. I was just asking ‘cause that means whoever went for you doesn’t really know you.”

“I think it’s my boss.”

“Wouldn’t he know?” he asks me and for a moment a tinge of insecurity washes through me.

“He never really asked. He doesn’t ask any questions so long as the clients are happy.”

“Alright.” He tilts his head slightly and lowers his voice. “So why’s he want you dead?” Mason asks.

“It was years ago,” I start to tell him and feel sick to my stomach. “I fucked his wife. Before I married Kat.”

Mason’s eyes assess me as if he’s trying to figure out if I’m lying.

“I’ve never cheated on her,” I talk louder than I should and in response to my raised voice, Mason looks to his right.

I lick my lips and calm my racing heart.

“He wants to scare her, so he went after me to prove what he could do to her. That no one’s safe from him.”

“But you gave Tony the hit?”

I nod my head once, the memory of his dead eyes looking through me flashing in front of me and sending a chill down my spine. “With the stuff James left in the room for me.”

“So your boss? You want him dead? You want to prove he did it, frame him, what do you want?”

“You have a fucking menu?” I joke with him to lessen the tension in my body.

An asymmetrical grin forms on his face.

“I don’t do anything. I’m not involved in any of that shit anymore.”

My body feels heavier at his words.

“Doesn’t mean I don’t have connections still,” he adds and I nod. “So, for a friend, what is it that you want?”

“Three things,” I tell him. “First, your lawyer.”

“That’s a given. He’s already on call in case they take you in again.”

“Second, someone to watch Kat. I need her safe.”

“Is he after her?” he asks me.

“He might know that I know, and I can’t risk her safety.” He merely nods and I add, “I can’t lose her. I’ll fucking lose it, man.”

“The safest place for her is distance. Well, anywhere fucking away from you and your shit.”

“I know … I know.”

“Good thing you’re separated, huh?”

“She tell Jules that?” I ask him as dread races in my blood. Before I can tell him we’re not, and that there’s no way I’m leaving her, he laughs at me.

“Jules tells me everything. I know the papers got it wrong.”

“I’m not leaving her; I’m just protecting her. There’s a difference.”

“If you want the world to think you’re broken up,” he says, “then you need to treat her like you are.”

“I don’t know if I can treat her like that. She’s pregnant.”

“I know she is. Doesn’t that make it even more important not to risk?” he asks me.

“Don’t make me feel worse than I already do.” My words are bitter and my heart sinks. “How long’s it going to take?” I ask him to get back to the point.

“To dig up dirt, plant evidence, figure out how to kill the guy … it could be a while.”

“I don’t have a while,” I bite back. “Every day is a day I have to put her through this. What if she hates me?” I say out loud even though I didn’t mean to.

“There are worse things you could do,” Mason says and my attention returns to him.

“I can’t lose her,” I tell him and he nods his head.

“I’ll watch her myself,” he offers and a small sense of peace relaxes me, but only a fraction of the way.

I rub my eyes with the back of my hand and finally pick up the beer on the table.

“If anything happens to her … ”

“Nothing’s going to happen to her,” he reassures me before asking, “And what’s the third thing?”

I look him in the eyes and tell him, “I want him to go to jail for what he did. Whether you get real evidence or have to create some. And if that’s not possible, I want James Lapour dead.”