“I found him,” Morgan said, crashing through my office door without knocking. “Finally found the old bastard.”

I pointed toward the chair because his spazzy ass was too much to deal with this early in the morning. “Well, come on in.”

He took the hint, planting his ass in the chair, and started to shake his leg so fast I wanted to jump over the desk and nail his foot to the floor. “Santino called this morning. He found him.”

I winced and shook my head. “Don’t tell your mom that.”

“Yeah, she and Tino aren’t the best of friends.”

“I had to hear about you calling him for twenty minutes last night.”

He laughed loudly. “Ha, I have you beat. Try an hour after Aunt Maria spilled the beans.”

“Fuck, that woman can sure talk.”

“You mean nag.”

I pointed at him with a serious expression. “Your words, not mine.”

He saluted me. “Anyway, he’s in Chicago. Santino has him.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Has him?”

“He’s keeping him…” His voice drifted off as he smiled. “Company.”

“Well, I’ll book us a flight.”

Cupping his hands, he stroked his cheeks. “I want to get there today before Ray finds a way to…” He wanted to say escape, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“Me too.” I opened up my browser and searched for flights to Chicago. To my surprise, there were a lot of them. “We can go and come back in one day. Think it’s enough time?”

He peered down at his watch. “Let’s stay one night. I don’t want to rush our talk with Ray.”

“Anything you want, kid.”

He rubbed his hands together and sprang to his feet. “Let me know what time we’re leaving. I’ll let Race know I won’t be home tonight. I’ll handle a place for us to stay tonight too.”

“I’m not sharing a bed with you,” I teased.

He stood in the doorway, holding the frame in his hands, and glanced back at me. “You’re not my type, Bear.”

“Hey,” I said before he could walk away.

“Yeah?”

“Let’s not tell your mom where we’re going, ’kay?”

“I have no problem with that. I won’t even tell Race. I’ll just tell her that we’re following a lead. Work for you?”

“Works for me.” I rubbed my forehead, thinking about the headache I’d have if Franny found out that we were going to see Santino, along with Ray. My ears would ring for hours by the time she got done chewing my ass out.

I booked us two tickets for noon, and that would put us in Chicago a little after one with the time difference. We’d have plenty of time to deal with Ray and be back by lunch the following day.

“Where are you going?” Fran asked after I told her I was heading out of town but didn’t say where.

“Up north.”

“As in?”

“Indiana,” I lied, but I kept my voice firm so she wouldn’t pick up on it.

“Okay. Just be careful. Ray isn’t a nice guy. Don’t buy his act.”

“I’m aware, sweetheart.”

“You taking Morgan too?”

“He’s insisting.”

“Just protect him, Bear. Make sure Ray doesn’t fuck with his head.”

“It won’t be a problem,” I told her because Morgan had Ray all figured out and knew exactly how to handle him.

“He’s all I’ve got left. If Ray hurts one hair on his head…”

“Franny, I’ll be with him. I’ll keep him safe. You know I’d step in front of a bullet if it meant I’d save Morgan’s life.”

“Don’t do anything dumb, babe. I want you both to come back to me.”

“I love you,” I said to her for the first time because it felt right.

She sucked in a breath loud enough for me to hear it clear as day over the phone. “I love you too, Murray.”

“I’ll call you when we have any information. Just sit tight and don’t worry.”

“That’s easy for you to say. I’m going to worry until I hear from you that you’re both safe.”

“We’ll be fine. Talk soon.”

“Not soon enough,” she said in almost a whisper.

“Bye, sweetheart.”

“Bye, Bear.”

I stared at the phone, almost in shock that I had told her I loved her. I hadn’t spoken those words to another woman since Jackie. My stupid ass had to say them over the phone to Fran the first time. I wasn’t sure how she’d respond, and I wasn’t ready for the reaction face-to-face. It felt right telling her then, just before I was going to board a plane to beat the shit out of her ex-husband.

“Ready?” Morgan asked from the hallway.

“Ready.” I nodded and grabbed my phone and wallet from the desk, sliding them in my pockets. “Let’s do this.”

---

“Tino should be around here somewhere,” Morgan said when we stepped outside the airport near baggage claim.

“What’s he look like?” I peered around like I knew who I was looking for.

“Me only older and probably more gray.”

“Morgan!” a man called out, waving his arms frantically from about fifty feet away. “Down here.” He motioned to a waiting black sedan that was parked at the curb.

“That him?” I pointed to a man who looked like he had stepped out of a GQ cover shoot. His salt-and-pepper hair was perfect, without a strand out of place.

“Yep.”

I followed behind Morgan, making our way through the crowd to Santino. I could definitely see the family resemblance. The features in the Gallo family were strong and unmistakable.

“It’s so good to see you, son.” Santino hugged Morgan tightly and kept his eyes glued to me.

“You too, Uncle.”

When he released Morgan, his dark eyes narrowed. “Is this your mom’s new friend?”

“Yeah, we work together too. This is Bear.”

“Bear.” He held out his hand, and I slid my palm against his. “It’s nice to meet you.” He tightened his fingers around my hand.

“You too.” I squeezed tighter, not wanting to be outdone.

We stared each other down. I could see bits of Fran and Sal in Santino’s face. Their connection was undeniable. His olive skin was perfectly tanned but completely natural. His eyebrows hung low—almost covering his eyes if he wasn’t looking directly at me. It gave him that shifty appearance.

“You two done?” Morgan asked, watching us in a virtual pissing match via handshake, just like one I’d been in with Morgan at some time in the past.

“Yeah,” Santino said, finally releasing his hold as I did the same. “Let’s go.”

Santino walked around the car, glancing over his shoulder as if he was expecting to find someone or something. “Can never be too careful around here. There are cops everywhere.”

“Yeah,” Morgan said, glancing back at me and rolling his eyes.

Morgan had filled me in on Santino on the plane. He’d spent time in prison for racketeering and had been part of organized crime for as long as Morgan has been alive. It was one reason why Fran and Sal had distanced themselves from him. Santino’s family ran a bar on the city’s south side called the Hook & Hustle. He had three children with his longtime partner, Betty. Even though they’d been together longer than Morgan had been alive, Betty and Santino never married.

After we got in the car, Morgan in the front and me in the back, Santino said, “Let’s stop at the bar first, and then I’ll make sure Ray is ready to see us.”

“Where is he?”

“At a warehouse a buddy of mine owns. He owed me a favor, and I called it in.”

“I’m sure a lot of people owe you favors, Uncle.”

“I spent five years of my life locked away for keeping their secrets… They owe me more than a simple favor, Morgan.”

Morgan looked over at him, his eyes appraising his uncle. “You keeping your nose clean?”

“Always,” Santino replied quickly and without so much as a flinch.

I knew a lot of men like him. It was hard to change after you’d been in the life as long as men like Santino. You didn’t run a racket for over twenty years and then turn into an upstanding citizen overnight.

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“I’m smarter now. Five years in the joint will do that to a man.”

I sat in the backseat, letting them talk as I stared at the city coming into view through the front window. The tall skyscrapers dotted the sky like giant walls of solid rain falling from the clouds. Tampa had nothing on Chicago. The high-rises were minuscule in comparison.

After weaving our way through countless side streets, so many that I’d never find my way out without GPS, Santino pulled in front of his family’s bar.

“We’re here,” he said and turned the car off.

Peering through the passenger window, I took in the Hook & Hustle. The exterior was painted in red and white with a glossy black front door. The sign spanned half the building with its modern, red-block lettering and black background. The windows lining the front had the blinds drawn, keeping prying eyes from seeing inside.

“Be ready for Betty, kid. She’s excited to see her nephew.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen her.” Morgan stared out the window too, his forehead almost touching the glass.

“Let’s have a drink, and then we’ll get out of here.”

A small section in the blinds opened, and a set of blue eyes peered out at us.

“Betty’s waiting. We better go inside before she comes out and makes a scene in public,” Santino said before climbing out.

The crisp Chicago air swirled the leaves that lined the sidewalk as we stepped inside. Like something out of a movie, every person in the bar turned to look at us when the door closed behind me.

People were everywhere. The counter around the bar was filled, and the tables were packed too. How in the hell did so many people have time to shoot the shit at a bar on a weekday afternoon?

“Morgan!” a woman—Betty, I presumed—screeched and came running toward him with her arms open.

“Aunt Betty,” Morgan laughed with his face growing a deep shade of red.

“You look so good.” She wrapped her arms around his lower waist and put her head on his chest. Betty was a tiny thing, barely coming up to the middle of Morgan’s chest. “Hard as a rock too.” She giggled.

“It’s good to see you, Auntie.”

I felt a bit awkward as I watched them. Being an outsider wasn’t something I was used to feeling, but in the Hook & Hustle, surrounded by Morgan’s family, I did.

Betty took a step back and took him in. “I’ve missed you.”

“You too,” Morgan told her before leaning over and kissing her round cheek.

She glanced at me over her shoulder. Maybe she felt the way I’d been staring at them. “And who’s this?” She eyed me warily.

“This is Bear. He’s my friend and Ma’s new guy.” They talked about me like I wasn’t here.

She spun around to face me, and her eyes widened. “This is your ma’s guy?”

“Bear, ma’am.” I held out my hand as her eyes roamed over me.

“Give me a hug,” she said and came at me with her arms ready to wrap around me.

The name Betty fit her perfectly. She reminded me of Betty Boop but with fire-engine red hair and blue eyes. The woman was drop-dead gorgeous. Why Santino had never married her, I’d never understand.

She wrapped her arms around my middle, her hands moving a little too low to be completely friendly. “They build them big down south,” she said into my shirt as her face was buried against my middle. “Fran must have some fun with you.”

I’d never been a blusher, but Betty made my skin heat and my cheeks turn a rosy shade of pink. “It’s nice to meet you, Betty.”

Santino stood to the side, watching everything, and I stayed a complete gentleman. Even if Fran didn’t talk with this part of her family, I still had to be respectful.

“You want something?” Betty asked, staring up at me with her soft blue eyes and her hands resting just above my ass. “A drink?”

“That would be great.” I tried to untangle myself from her hold, but she kept her grip tight with her arms locked.

“How is Fran? It’s been ages since I’ve seen her.”

“She’s great.” I smiled down at the beautiful Betty because she had that quality that just brought happiness.

“I should give her a call sometime. I’ve missed her.”

“Aunt Betty,” Morgan said, coming to my rescue.

“We’d appreciate it if Ma didn’t know we were here.”

Betty’s eyes sliced to Morgan. “Why?”

“We’re here on business, and she can’t know about it.”

“Kid,” Betty said, finally releasing me. “I can keep a secret like nobody’s business. Just ask your uncle.” She pursed her lips when she glanced over at Santino.

“Thanks, Auntie.” Morgan kissed the top of her head and looked at me.

Hopefully, she was true to her word, because Fran would rip me a new asshole and then probably kick me straight in the balls for lying to her.

“Sit here, and I’ll get you some drinks.” Betty scurried off toward the bar.

“She seems…nice.” I laughed.

“They’re good people,” Morgan said and followed Betty with his eyes. “Well, shit. There’s my cousin. Let me go say hello, and I’ll be right back.”

I nodded, and he was off the barstool within seconds. I watched as he went to the bar, shook a man’s hand, and then sat down and started to chat.

“That’s my son, Angelo,” Santino said to me as he took the empty seat across from me. “He’s my oldest.”

“Looks just like you.”

Angelo was the spitting image of Santino but with darker and more suspicious eyes. He was a Gallo for sure. I’d be happy to have him by my side during any barroom fight.

“My youngest, Vinnie, is away at college.”

“Like college or college?” I asked because they were two completely different things. I knew enough guys to know that, in some places, they referred to prison as college because it sounded nicer if people were to overhear.

“Notre Dame. He’s a football star there.”

“Ah.” I nodded. I don’t know what else to say. I hadn’t heard much about Santino and didn’t want to bring up his illustrious past.

“So, Fran still hate me?”

Santino’s statement caught me off guard, but I mustered a laugh. “Hate’s a pretty strong word.”

“The woman can hold a grudge forever, Bear. Better watch yourself.”

“I know how to handle her.”

“Famous last words,” he said and wrapped his arm around Betty when she set down three beers on the table. “Thanks, babe.”

“I’ll let you guys talk. Maybe I can make dinner for everyone tonight.” Betty smiled.

“They’re going to be busy, love. Maybe next time.”

Her lips twisted, and she sighed. “It’s okay. I understand.”

“Thank you for the offer, though,” I told her and pulled a beer in front of me. I’d rather sit and have dinner with Betty than what was about to happen.

Spending the night with Ray DeLuca wasn’t going to be a party, but I was sure we’d find a way to make it fun. Well, as much fun as you could have beating the fuck out of an abusive asshole.

I missed Fran.

Her calmness.

Her body.

Everything about the woman made me happy.

As I sat there, surrounded by her family, I realized how much I loved having her in my life.

Ever since I first kissed her, I hadn’t thought about the emptiness that had filled my world since Jackie passed. All I could focus on was the fullness Fran brought into my life.